1SICKBLOG: The 20 year expansion of the Lexus lineup...
11-23-09, 05:51 PM
#16
11-23-09, 09:15 PM
#19
Moderator
Mike, China is getting the ES 240 not ES 250. Thanks for laying out the Lexus history...very awesome...
11-25-09, 04:57 AM
#23
Pole Position
I still think of Lexus as just a rebadged Toyota. A very nice one, but a Toyota none the less.
So it's not really 100% correct to say that they have grown so much in the last 20 years, or don't offer the same amount of variants as their German counterparts. It's just that, in many markets, Toyota just choses to badge (or re-badge depending on the car) certain cars with the "L" brand. The same can be said for Acura and Infinity as well.
If the Japanese had felt, 20-odd years ago, that the American market would have accepted Toyota, Honda, or Nissan as a luxury marque, the landscape might look totally different. Instead of an ES, we would just have a base Camery, as a very luxurious one as an option. Now, it makes sense to have a separate upscale marque, but it's still just a Toyota.
We, theoretically, could be having the same conversation if Mercedees had decided to market a lower-end brand in the U.S. to compete with Honda, Ford, or Chevy.
So realistically, while the Lexus brand itself has grown, the line-up of cars offered by Toyota has not grown any more or less than the other manufacturers.
Just something to think about...
So it's not really 100% correct to say that they have grown so much in the last 20 years, or don't offer the same amount of variants as their German counterparts. It's just that, in many markets, Toyota just choses to badge (or re-badge depending on the car) certain cars with the "L" brand. The same can be said for Acura and Infinity as well.
If the Japanese had felt, 20-odd years ago, that the American market would have accepted Toyota, Honda, or Nissan as a luxury marque, the landscape might look totally different. Instead of an ES, we would just have a base Camery, as a very luxurious one as an option. Now, it makes sense to have a separate upscale marque, but it's still just a Toyota.
We, theoretically, could be having the same conversation if Mercedees had decided to market a lower-end brand in the U.S. to compete with Honda, Ford, or Chevy.
So realistically, while the Lexus brand itself has grown, the line-up of cars offered by Toyota has not grown any more or less than the other manufacturers.
Just something to think about...
11-25-09, 07:34 AM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
11-25-09, 04:06 PM
#25
Moderator
11-25-09, 04:11 PM
#26
Lexus Connoisseur
11-25-09, 10:38 PM
#27
11-25-09, 10:42 PM
#28
Yes, in some ways the exciting times are back at Lexus, although with the GX here the complete makeover of the lineup is now done save the SC, but there have been no confirmations on that front...now it's the LFA, possibly the LF-Ch/CT 500, and the 4GS...
11-26-09, 08:45 AM
#29
Lexus Test Driver
1SICKLEX......... you forgot to add the Black Diamond Edition that was on the 2006 ES for special edition models. Now that was a nice combination. I was in one the other day Black exterior with graphite wheels, black leather interior with the black wood. Now that was a pretty ES 330.
As well as Thundercloud that was on the RX 330.
The IS 300 had some special edition model too, was it Thundercloud too (?) or was it Sportsdesign like on the 2003-2004 (?) ES 330.
As well as Thundercloud that was on the RX 330.
The IS 300 had some special edition model too, was it Thundercloud too (?) or was it Sportsdesign like on the 2003-2004 (?) ES 330.
11-26-09, 10:17 AM
#30
Lexus Connoisseur
1SICKLEX......... you forgot to add the Black Diamond Edition that was on the 2006 ES for special edition models. Now that was a nice combination. I was in one the other day Black exterior with graphite wheels, black leather interior with the black wood. Now that was a pretty ES 330.
As well as Thundercloud that was on the RX 330.
The IS 300 had some special edition model too, was it Thundercloud too (?) or was it Sportsdesign like on the 2003-2004 (?) ES 330.
As well as Thundercloud that was on the RX 330.
The IS 300 had some special edition model too, was it Thundercloud too (?) or was it Sportsdesign like on the 2003-2004 (?) ES 330.
Yes the 1st Gen IS300 had the Sport Design model from 03-04, The ES in 04 and the GS in 03-04.