Date posted: 03-20-2006

LAKE LAS VEGAS, Nevada — "Lexus performance" has always been a bit of an oxymoron, but the Japanese automaker is hoping to remedy that problem.

Lexus officials tell Inside Line they will likely open a high-performance driving school for owners of such products as the 2007 GS 450h and the 2006 IS 350.

"It's being considered," Lexus spokesman Bill Ussery told IL. "It probably will be held in various spots around the country. It will be very exclusive."

Lexus says the IS, which was launched in October, sold over 15,000 units through the end of 2005. It said 68 percent of total sales were to first-time Lexus buyers, 50 percent of whom were under 40, and that 75 percent of IS 350 sales were to men. The Japanese automaker pointed out that "this age and gender demographic is nearly identical to the BMW 3 Series'."

At the media launch of the GS 450h here, Lexus executives said its U.S. sales target will be limited to less than 2,000 vehicles per year. The GS 450h arrives in showrooms in May, with a starting price of $54,900.

The company also announced that its annual U.S. sales target for the 2007 Lexus ES 350 will be about 70,000 units per year.

What this means to you: Considering how fast the new IS 350 is, BMW better keep a fixed eye on the rearview mirror because Lexus has its customers squarely in the sights.



source : Edmunds InsideLine

 

Sounds interesting i hope they have one nearby to me. Lexus is really stepping it up.

 

Why do high performance driving school when there is computer nanny watching and assisting every steps of the way?? First they've got to make an option of turning OFF the damn computer nanny, then talk about performance driving... oh,...and throw in a manual tranny while they are at it..

 

I think it will greatly appeal to owners of the 1st gen IS 2nd gen GS and the 1st gen SC as well as the new GS and IS so that will be great also i hope its not a expensive as bmw mercedes and audi driving schools and I also think they need to have it catered by the same people who catered taste of lexus.

 

hey maybe it's a good thing i didnt' go to the old ones. now they have newer cars

 

Oh thats whats up. I wouldnt definitely do this.

 

hmm yes lets get a high performance driving school, yet no manual transmission? sad.....

 

you do realize that the full race IS350's are running the STOCK AUTOMATIC....right?

 

Lesson 1: How to turn off VDIM

 

Is that the ONLY option or they do have a manual tranny but chose to use the STOCK AUTO instead?

 

they decided that going a custom manual route would have been more trouble than its worth and that running the auto would simplify a lot of aspects making it much easier to manage the car. they will modify it to shift manually but it will still go thru a tc

 

in another word, they would still PREFER the manual tranny. They chose the auto tranny because of the complexity of going with the custom manual tranny, not because the auto tranny is more superior.

question - what kind of racing are they doing with the IS350 W/auto anyway? thanks.

 

^^^
How about a school with the performance and the crumpets?

 

Well said..

High performance driving is FUN regardless. I've seen people taking caddies out on track and had a huge grin by the end of day.. (it wasn't fun for other drivers who were stuck behind though..)...

 

The rearview mirror is no place to look for a car that has 51 more HP than you do