Incendiary

Compiled info on all the Acura RL, Infiniti M, and Lexus GS pricing that's currently out. I'll update as more info comes out. If anyone wants to look up what's included with the RL and in each package option of the Infiniti M, I'll add those as well. (I'm too lazy to do it myself right now...)

First up, Lexus.

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2006 GS300 RWD
"Base" $42,900

"Premium Package"
Rain Sensing Wipers/Adaptive Front Lighting System/Headlamp Cleaners $525
Power Tilt&Slide Moonroof $1000
Power Rear Sunshade $210
Ventilated Front Seats $200
Intuitive Park Assist $500

Min price: $45,335 plus LDA and Destination.

"Fully Loaded"
Mark Levinson w/ Navigation System $4,030
Intuitive Park Assist $500

Max price: $49,865 plus LDA and Destination.

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2006 GS300 AWD
"Base" $44,850
+ ???

I'm going to guess that options will be same as RWD version, so...

"Premium Package"
Rain Sensing Wipers/Adaptive Front Lighting System/Headlamp Cleaners $525
Power Tilt&Slide Moonroof $1000
Power Rear Sunshade $210
Ventilated Front Seats $200
Intuitive Park Assist $500

Min price: $47,285 plus LDA and Destination.

"Fully Loaded"
Mark Levinson w/ Navigation System $4,030
Intuitive Park Assist $500

Max price: $51,815 plus LDA and Destination.

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2006 GS430
"Base" $51,125

Mark Levinson w/ Navigation System $4,030
Rear Spoiler $200
Rain Sensing Wipers/Headlamp Cleaners $225
Power Tilt &Slide Moonroof $1,000
Power Rear Sunshade $210
Ventilated Front Seats $200
Intuitive park Assist $500

$57,490 plus LDA and Destination.

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*Prices provided by Elizabeth Hyun at Longo Lexus (except for package/option prices for AWD variant, which I assumed were the exact same as for the 300 RWD)

Incendiary

Next up, Infiniti.

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2006 M35
base $39,900

Premium Package $10,500
Technology Package $4,200
Journey Package $2,750
Mobile Entertainment System $1,500
DVD Navigation System $2,000
Satellite Radio $350
18" Chrome Wheels $1,000
Full-size Spare Tire $200

D&H $610

Min price $40,510
Max price $52,010

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2006 M35 AWD
base $42,400

Premium Package $10,500
Technology Package $4,200
Journey Package $2,750
Mobile Entertainment System $1,500
DVD Navigation System $2,000
Satellite Radio $350
18" Chrome Wheels $1,000
Full-size Spare Tire $200

D&H $610

Min price $43,010
Max price $54,510

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2006 M35 Sport
base $42,700

Technology Package $,4200
Journey Package - Sport $1,700
Mobile Entertainment System $1,500
DVD Navigation System $2,000
Satellite Radio $350
Full-size Spare Tire $300
Brazilian Rosewood Trim $600

D&H $610

Min price $43,310
Max price $51,610

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2006 M45
base $46,750

Premium Package $10,500
Technology Package $4,200
Journey Package $2,750
Mobile Entertainment System $1,500
DVD Navigation System $2,000
Satellite Radio $350
18" Chrome Wheels $1,000
Full-size Spare Tire $200

D&H $610

Min price $47,360
Max price $58,860

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2006 M45 Sport
base $49,550

Technology Package $,4200
Journey Package - Sport $1,700
Mobile Entertainment System $1,500
DVD Navigation System $2,000
Satellite Radio $350
Full-size Spare Tire $300
Brazilian Rosewood Trim $600

D&H $610

Min price $50,160
Max price $58,460

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*All Infiniti prices do not include "Options," which I assumed would be dealer add-ons...

Incendiary

Last, but not least (unless you're 1SickLex or WantANewLex... ), Acura.

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2005 Acura RL
base $48,900

Destination $570

Only price $49,470

Incendiary

Just a quick summary of pricing for a couple of the models...

Max prices for V6 AWD models:

GS: $51,815 plus LDA and Destination
M: $54,510
RL: $49,470

Pricing for V8 models:

2006 GS430
"Base" $51,125
$57,490 plus LDA and Destination for what Elizabeth seemed to imply was fully loaded

2006 M45
Min price $47,360
Max price $58,860

2006 M45 Sport
Min price $50,160
Max price $58,460

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Looks like Infiniti undercuts both Lexus and Acura for cheapest price and also tops both for max price. Lexus AWD is only a couple $k more than the Acura, which probably doesn't bode well for their sales, especially since their min price is higher than both Lexus's and Infiniti's mins (way higher in the case of Infiniti).

I think Acura sales will suffer when all models of the Lexus and Infiniti are out. They'll be better than MkI RL, but not as good as they would be if Acura would play the pricing game a little more aggressively. Also, I predict Lexus will still sell because of the name and because the new GS is bound to be a great car, but I think Infiniti's pricing strategy (and coupled with the rave reviews mags are giving it) will help it pull off a repeat of its G35 experience. Price still matters to consumers in this segment, and their aggressive prices will help draw new (as in new to the segment) customers, especially since most cars that are purchased, in any class or segment, probably are fairly unoptioned. This is where Acura failed, I think. They have a truly great car, but because it only comes one way, fully loaded, the price is higher than most would want to pay. The initial shock of seeing a base price that high will turn many away. This is also why I think Lexus is smart (but deceptive, as I've said before) to use their X+Y base pricing scheme. Anyway, if Acura had enabled more of its features to be chosen as options, I bet they'd have a ton more sales than they'll actually have in the future. On the other hand, packaging everything together lowers production costs for them. Oh well, I guess we'll see how the game plays out.

Any thoughts, anyone?

biker

By the same resoning you use with the RL, Lexus could do better if they did away with the deceptive base price of the GS300. And if the allocation recommended by Infiniti is followed by the dealers you'll have quite a few "real" base price, 40K, cars on the lots whereas the won't be any other car in this segment under 45K on any lot. And the amazing thing is that at even those prices, Infiniti is making as much or more per car than everyone else.

Incendiary

How would Lexus do better by doing away with the deceptive base price of the GS300? I don't follow your thinking, unless you mean they should not require any of the add-on packages and just offer them for the base price they currently claim.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I think that is what he means. Or, that is what I would point out. With the Lexus if you have to add the premium package that pretty much is the exact same thing as the no options RL since the only thing left is navigation and ML which navigation is also still an option in certain regions or at least not offered where navigation is not available on the RL. The real base price of an AWD GS300 appears to be $47,285 since the premium package is required.

biker

I'm sorry I didn't make this obvious in my post.

jrock65

So, if we equip the 3 cars as close as possible

- RL -

MSRP: $49,470

- M35 AWD (Journey and Tech) -

MSRP: $49,960

- GS300 AWD -

$44,850 (base)
$6,965 (premium + levinson + navi) *extrapolated from GS300 RWD
$400 (XM radio and installation) *estimate
$650 (destination) *current destination charge on 2005 GS300

MSRP: $52,865

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Obviously, you can't equip the cars EXACTLY the same. Here is a preliminary list of exclusive or semi-exclusive (one of the other cars may have it, but the other doesn't) features on each car:

RL: Onstar, XM traffic, Power rear sunshade

M35 AWD: Lasercruise, Rearview monitor, Cooling seats, Lane Departure Warning System

GS300 AWD: Power rear sunshade, Rearview monitor, Cooling seats, Passenger seat vertical power controls, Passenger seat memory


I may have missed some things.

LexFather

Thanks for the hard work Incendiary. As stated before, the Germans/Americans/others have more to worry about than the Japanese taking from Japanese.

For the first time, Lexus has legitimate players from Japan as well. If what happened to Ford/GM with sub 30k cars happens to BMW/Benz at 30k+ cars, the luxury field is in for a shake up.

Or maybe not. People are getting wealthier, there are MORE people than ever so there should be room for lots of players.