USA – Page 9 – Lexus Enthusiast | Lexus Enthusiast

Latest News

Lexus Launches LX 570 Driver Empowered Mini-Site

Mentioned in the Lexus’ LX 570 marketing presentation, the Driver Empowered LX mini-site is now live. The site’s jam-packed with video footage extolling the SUV’s capabilities. Of particular note is the 360° tour, which manages to inject an infusion of character and presence that has been lacking in images seen so far. An interesting sidebar, …

Kevin · January 8th, 2008

Lexus 2007 Year-End Sales Report

With the release of the December 2007 numbers, it’s now possible to look at Lexus’ 2007 sales figures as a whole, which contain a fair share of surprises. Here’s the numbers, in a handy-dandy chart: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 54,933 54,267 0.9 ES350 82,867 75,987 8.7 GS350 21,314 23,665 -10.2 GS460/450h 2,067 3,725 -44.7 …

Kevin · January 3rd, 2008

Lexus December 2007 Sales Report

For the second month in a row, Lexus sales dropped when compared with the previous year. Here’s the details: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 5,651 5,538 2.0 ES350 8,005 8,736 -8.4 GS350 2,254 1,989 13.3 GS460/450h 325 299 8.7 SC430 348 486 -28.4 LS460/600h L 3,257 3,865 -15.7 Total Cars 19,840 20,913 -5.1 RX350/400h 11,835 …

Kevin · January 3rd, 2008

Lexus Expands Its Certified Pre-Owned Program

With demand for dealer-certified used Lexus vehicles rising eight percent in 2007, Lexus has adjusted the requirements for its Certified Pre-Owned program. Eligible vehicles can now have up to 70,000 miles, where the previous mileage could only be 60,000. On top of that, the maximum age has been bumped up a year, to seven years …

Kevin · December 28th, 2007

Lexus Red Bow Christmas Videos

Some people actually do get a Lexus for Christmas — and not only that, but with Youtube, we can watch along: To be honest, I couldn’t even watch the videos all the way through, they’re rather awkward with the yelling and tears. Update: Added another video.

Kevin · December 27th, 2007

Lexus LS 430 Commercial: The Rear-View Camera

Here we have a commercial for the revised Lexus LS 430 that debuted in 2004, demonstrating the then-new backup camera option: That crazy spin at the end is icing on the cake.

Kevin · December 20th, 2007

The Rise of the Lavish Lexus Dealerships

The Wall Street Journal has an article up about the increasingly lavish Lexus dealerships that are popping up all over the United States. It’s an in-depth and enjoyable article, detailing not only the amenities but explaining the logistics behind such large investments: The Lexus of Palm Beach dealership moved from a much smaller, older facility …

Kevin · December 18th, 2007

Lexus Customer Service Examples

Nancy Fein, Lexus’ Vice-President of Customer Services, recently gave a talk at the Source Media Customer Engagement Symposium, where she discussed how Lexus reacts when things go wrong. Bill Taylor, co-founder of Fast Company and business author, was at the event and recapped the presentation: …what happens when big dreams get mugged by reality? That’s …

Kevin · December 17th, 2007

Lexus Takes Potential IS-F Customers to the Track

Rather than the mass-media marketing campaign expected with the release of a new vehicle, the Lexus IS-F will be promoted in a different fashion — letting potential customers test drive the car on race tracks across the United States: Lexus will try and lure in buyers at the track, said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ national manager …

Kevin · December 17th, 2007

2008 Lexus LX 570 Prices Announced

The newly-redesigned 2008 Lexus LX 570 will start at $73,800, according to a dealer announcement that made it’s way to Autospies. It’s a $6,405 jump up from the outgoing LX 470, but there’s some significant new features (Crawl Control and front/side cameras, for example) that no doubt added to the production cost. Also included in …

Kevin · December 16th, 2007

Lexus Announces Assorted 2008 Prices (Plus the 2009 RX 350 Price)

Lexus has set the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) for an assortment of models, including the 2009 RX 350, which will skip up $100, bringing the front-wheel-drive version to $37,500 and the all-wheel-drive version to $38,900. The 2009 RX 350 is expected in dealerships by early February 2008. Other models see a price bump as …

Kevin · December 14th, 2007

Lexus November 2007 Sales Report

Lexus November sales dropped 7.0% over last year, marking the first monthly decrease since I started this site: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 3,849 3,599 6.9 ES350 5,902 6,678 -11.6 GS350 1,989 1,664 19.5 GS460/450h 216 196 10.2 SC430 268 406 -34.0 LS460/600h L 2,668 3,613 -26.2 Total Cars 14,892 16,156 -7.8 RX350/400h 8,038 8,052 …

Kevin · December 3rd, 2007

2008 GS 460 Added to Lexus USA’s Website

In sync with the new Lexus GS commercial, the 2008 GS lineup has been added to the Lexus USA website, including the GS 460. I’m not sure if the introduction of the refreshed top-end GS could be any more low-key, though that might just be the enthusiast talking. The updated GS page has a slew …

Kevin · October 18th, 2007

More on the New Lexus RX Pop-Up Book Commercial

Creativity Online has posted up an interview with the art director and copywriter of the Lexus RX Pop-Up Book commercial that I featured yesterday, which explains exactly how the advert was made: What was the ratio of real footage versus VFX [Video Effects]? DH [Dave Horton, Copywriter]: It was really important to keep everything looking …

Kevin · October 18th, 2007

Lexus GS Commercial: Etiquette

It would be easy to write off the new Lexus GS commercial as a late reply to Audi’s Parking Assist mockvertisement, but in truth, it’s a much bigger statement than that: What a great distillation of Lexus — it may be a lot flashier than the ES 350 commercial I featured on the weekend, but …

Kevin · October 17th, 2007

Lexus RX Commercial: Pop-Up Book

I’ve been waiting to see this RX commercial ever since I was sent some behind-the-scenes photos of the filming, and the final cut doesn’t disappoint: It’s hard to imagine the amount of planning necessary to pull off something like this, which doesn’t seem to use any digital effects at all. I’m surprised by the factory …

Kevin · October 17th, 2007

Lexus ES 350 Commerical: Slice

On the face of it, this Lexus commercial is a statement of the obvious, highlighting an undoubtedly common number of sensors as though it was unique. Yet, at the same time, it manages to accurately sum up what I find so appealing about Lexus itself: “Behind every detail, there’s a detail” will now be my …

Kevin · October 13th, 2007

Lexus General Manger Bolts to The Blue Oval

Jim Farley, general manager of Lexus and brother of Chris Farley, has been lured to Detroit, taking the position of Chief Marketer & Communications at Ford: Farley’s arrival [at Ford] also will be yet another high-profile defection from vaunted Toyota to a Detroit automaker, suggesting that highly regarded industry pros see opportunity in their beleaguered …

Kevin · October 11th, 2007

The Lexus IS-F Price Guessing Game

Now that the performance figures of the IS-F have been released, there remains only one significant mystery surrounding the car: How much will it cost in the US? One way to figure it out is to take the Japanese price and go backwards, but a straight-up conversion of the ¥7.66 million retail in US dollars …

Kevin · October 9th, 2007

Lexus September 2007 Sales Report

Almost missed the September US Lexus sales figures: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 3,757 4,319 -9.5 ES350 6,491 5,851 15.4 GS350 1,587 2,485 -33.6 GS430/450h 81 221 -61.9 SC430 297 457 -32.4 LS460/600h L 2,918 898 237.9 Total Cars 15,131 14,231 10.6 RX350/400h 7,841 8,688 -6.1 GX470 1,964 2,291 -10.8 LX470 178 490 -62.2 Total …

Kevin · October 8th, 2007

The Neiman Marcus Lexus IS-F Special Edition

Lexus has started the party early by offering a special edition of the IS-F through the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue. Only fifty will be made, and will sport the following differences over the “regular” IS-F: Exclusive black with white accent stitching interior Hand-polished gun-metal rims F logo embossed into headrests Numbered Special Build badge Retailing …

Kevin · October 2nd, 2007

Lexus Introduces the IS-F to Dealers

There isn’t much to this video of the IS-F’s introduction at a Lexus District Dealer Seminar, but if you have a love of screeching tires, this one is going to be hard to beat: Chances are low, but if there’s really only one white IS-F in North America, it’s sure taken a beating. [Via: Club …

Kevin · October 1st, 2007

Another Look at Lexus’ IS-F Marketing

It was my supreme hope that with the introduction of the official Lexus IS-F website, we would see a change in direction in the way it was marketed, but it’s remained the same: Overly flashy Ultrasonic Blue Mica exterior color and the tagline F is everything you thought we weren’t. Clearly, Lexus wants to emphasis …

Kevin · October 1st, 2007

Lexus Launches IS-F Website

It may not have the production specs that everyone’s waiting for, but the new Lexus IS-F website makes up for it by providing just about every other detail you could possibly want, including five previously unseen videos, a ton of new photos and even the story behind the performance sedan: The IS F began with …

Kevin · September 30th, 2007

Lexus US Virtual Open Winner Crowned

Happening much faster than I expected, the Lexus US Virtual Open tennis finals were held yesterday in a match between Benjamin Melinger and Peter Reyes, with Melinger winning after a fierce battle: Melinger, of course, wins the grand prize, a year-long lease of the upcoming Lexus IS-F. I can’t help but wonder how great this …

Kevin · September 7th, 2007

2008 GX 470 Now on Lexus USA Website

The 2008 Lexus GX 470 has been added to the Lexus USA website, and as expected, the changes are minimal and completely cosmetic. What has changed? New dark metallic finish on the front grille Chrome roof rack side rails Liquid graphite on the standard 17-inch alloy wheels Clear rear combination lamp turn signal lens cover …

Kevin · August 28th, 2007

Taste of Lexus Evening Event in Los Angeles

The traveling Taste of Lexus event, where you can test drive all the current Lexus models, is having a special “Evening Edition” in Los Angeles this Saturday, August 25. This special edition is for driving enthusiasts, as all test drives will take place on a short performance track, which is normally reserved strictly for the …

Kevin · August 22nd, 2007

A Deeper Look at Ms. Meyer’s Departure as Lexus’ VP of Marketing

Last week, when it was announced that Deborah Wahl Meyer was leaving her post as Lexus’s VP of Marketing to join Chrysler, I held off on reporting it here until I better understood its significance. Lucky for me, Advertising Age filled in the blanks, with in-depth analysis of Ms. Meyer’s job change: Ms. Meyer has …

Kevin · August 20th, 2007

Lexus Tops American Customer Satisfaction Survey

Lexus has rated first with U.S. car buyers in the University of Michigan’s annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), scoring 87 out of a possible 100 points. Rounding out the top five were BMW, Buick, Mercury and Cadillac, all with a score of 86. The telephone survey, which asks car buyers to rate their satisfaction …

Kevin · August 14th, 2007

Lexus USA July 2007 Sales Report

Toyota’s July sales may have dropped 3.5%, but Lexus managed to gain 4.9% in a month that was especially difficult for automakers. Here’s a by-model breakdown of the numbers: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 4,892 4,848 5.1 ES350 6,909 7,803 -7.8 GS350 1,798 1,776 5.5 GS430/450h 156 299 -45.7 LS460 2,696 971 189.2 Total Cars …

Kevin · August 1st, 2007

Lexus Releases 2008 Prices

Lexus has released the first part of their 2008 price list, with plenty of information to go with it. Let’s break it down by model, shall we? (All prices are in USD) 2008 RX 400h The base price of the RX 400h remains unchanged for both front-wheel-drive ($41,180)and all-wheel-drive ($42,580), and will be spruced up …

Kevin · July 27th, 2007

Andy Rooney Tracks Down His Old Lexus

When I started this site, never did I think I would see the day where I’d be writing about Andy Rooney, but the world’s a funny place, and I go where the Lexus news takes me. I’m sure that most people, after selling or trading in a car, have wondered where it ended up, who …

Kevin · July 24th, 2007

Photo Tour of the New Lexus of Bellevue Dealership

The newly relocated Lexus of Bellevue is a sprawling, beautifully appointed 275,000-square-foot dealership that takes the concept of customer experience and hits it into the stratosphere. No kidding, here’s a list of some of the more over-the-top features: A set of artificial putting greens A deli (!!!) Gas station on site Standalone automated car wash …

Kevin · July 24th, 2007

Nonsensical Criticism of West Coast Lexus Dealerships

The Truth About Cars has posted up a delusional article today badmouthing the buildings of Lexus dealerships in Newport and Bellevue, then making this grand-sweeping statement about all Lexus dealerships: While Lexus’ “L-Finesse” design language is moving their cars away from cod-Mercedes shapes, the Japanese automaker’s dealership architecture remains heavily influenced by parking garages, government …

Kevin · July 20th, 2007

Lexus Hybrid Lineup to Expand

The Detroit News reports that Lexus plans to boost their hybrid lineup in hopes to increase their overall annual sales by 100,000: “Yes, there will be more hybrids in the Lexus lineup,” said James H. Colon, vice president for sales and dealer development at a meeting of auto reporters here. Lexus expects to sell just …

Kevin · July 17th, 2007

Lexus ES 350 Commercial: Instinct

The most impressive aspect of this Lexus ES 350 commercial is how real the situation feels: The different perspectives of the same accident, the unavoidable crash, the skittering truck, the click-whirr of the advanced safety system, all make for a very immersive experience. Before impact, I actually recoiled in my chair.

Kevin · July 3rd, 2007

Lexus USA June 2007 Sales Report

The Lexus sales numbers for June 2007 are in, which sees a minor gain over last year’s figures. Total sales are up just 0.4%, with the ES 350 and RX 350/400h still leading the pack. The LS 460 is quite a hit over the outgoing LS 430, which isn’t much of a surprise. Here are …

Kevin · July 3rd, 2007

New Interactive Lexus Web Adverts

Broadband TV is really coming on, and ABC has launched a service through their website that allows US viewers to watch full-length episodes of last season’s shows. Lexus is taking advantage of this high bandwidth stream to push insanely detailed interactive ads, based around their current print campaign. Four of these ads are available for …

Kevin · July 1st, 2007

The Lexus IS Holographic Display

In 2005, Lexus created an holographic installation in a rented Times Square storefront, and even two years later, it’s an absolute marvel: This is an amazing application of technology, spectators were able to rotate, change the hologram’s color, set it in motion. Created quite a scene, by the looks of it. I wish I had …

Kevin · June 27th, 2007

Lexus USA May 2007 Sales Report

Toyota USA released their May 2007 sales figures today, and it’s another record setting month for Lexus, with an increase of 2.1 percent over May 2006. For simplicity’s sake, I’ve built a handy chart to illustrate the totals: 2007 2006 % Change IS250/350 5,722 4,605 19.5 ES350 8,572 9,554 13.7 GS350 1,854 1,940 -8.1 GS430/450h …

Kevin · June 1st, 2007

Lexus ≠ Porn

The Autoweb is all abuzz with news that Toyota has sued a Detroit-based pornography site for using Lexus in their site name, Lexus Cash. The Japanese-based automaker filed a federal suit Thursday in Detroit, alleging Mario Mendoza, 26, and Katie Lynn Krzywdzinski, 24, both of Dearborn, broke trademark laws by using “Lexus” as the name …

Kevin · June 1st, 2007

Unaired ES350 Commercial Discovered on Youtube

I stumbled upon this never used Lexus ad for the ES350: How totally bizarre. As for background info, it was created by Walter Robot, an animation studio in Orange County, California, and was to be a series of commercials featuring the full Lexus lineup. The idea, according to Christopher Louie, one of the principals, “was …

Kevin · May 31st, 2007

America’s Favorite Domestic Luxury Car = Lexus?

The global economy in effect or the growing geographic ineptitude of America? An Anderson Analytics survey asked 1,000 U.S. college students to name the county-of-origin of particular brands, one of which was Lexus. 33.7% of the respondents believed it to be an American company, with 37.3% correctly identifying the country-of-origin as Japan. Not a particularly …

Kevin · May 30th, 2007

This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.

Accept Learn more…