Lexus Post-LFA Era
12-27-12, 07:51 PM
#31
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I don't see why not. BMW has been doing this for years, selling the new sedans alongside the old coupes and verts when a new generation arrives.
12-27-12, 10:50 PM
#32
Moderator
Trexus, Thanks for your points.
Here are a few clarifications.
* I am not looking to say bye bye to the ES and RX, those are bread an butter high volume models.
* The HS failed in the US. I kind of thought this was a US centric thread.
* The HS and CT came after the LFA program so I don't buy that they got us the cars you mentioned. I actually think the LFA cost us other good cars. The time and money that went into the LFA could have gone to doing a 4L V8 like we see the AMG folks doing now.
* I still say the CT is crap. It has the same junk plastic as my Vibe winter beater and a drivetrain makes me want to cry.
* Volume goes down as price goes up so sure, more HS cars are sold that GS hybrids. My point is by having a nobody bohnhehd like Templin at the helm, Lexus missed the boat by not offering the GS with AWD so rich and eco concerned folks in the Northeast and Midwest can have their cake and eat it too.
* The IS is to me, the key Lexus, not something to discard. When the 06 IS 350 came out, it was so good that BMW was forced to rush their turbo to market and they suffered quality problems with their high pressure fuel pumps. The big blunder was not offering AWD in the 350 (until what 5 years into the cycle). I hope the new platform was engineered for a vert from day one.
In summary, my beef is that Lexus is tilting their mix to low luxury. I want to see aspirational cars like the coupes. What I am seeing instead is a company looking at their competition and as long as they are not getting leap frogged too badly, they are not using their full imagination. I am hoping/expecting that for the next Hyundai Genesis sedan, they add AWD and get some real engineers to tweek the 5L V8 and tranny to make that a studly value package. A car like that could push Lexus a bit.
Here are a few clarifications.
* I am not looking to say bye bye to the ES and RX, those are bread an butter high volume models.
* The HS failed in the US. I kind of thought this was a US centric thread.
* The HS and CT came after the LFA program so I don't buy that they got us the cars you mentioned. I actually think the LFA cost us other good cars. The time and money that went into the LFA could have gone to doing a 4L V8 like we see the AMG folks doing now.
* I still say the CT is crap. It has the same junk plastic as my Vibe winter beater and a drivetrain makes me want to cry.
* Volume goes down as price goes up so sure, more HS cars are sold that GS hybrids. My point is by having a nobody bohnhehd like Templin at the helm, Lexus missed the boat by not offering the GS with AWD so rich and eco concerned folks in the Northeast and Midwest can have their cake and eat it too.
* The IS is to me, the key Lexus, not something to discard. When the 06 IS 350 came out, it was so good that BMW was forced to rush their turbo to market and they suffered quality problems with their high pressure fuel pumps. The big blunder was not offering AWD in the 350 (until what 5 years into the cycle). I hope the new platform was engineered for a vert from day one.
In summary, my beef is that Lexus is tilting their mix to low luxury. I want to see aspirational cars like the coupes. What I am seeing instead is a company looking at their competition and as long as they are not getting leap frogged too badly, they are not using their full imagination. I am hoping/expecting that for the next Hyundai Genesis sedan, they add AWD and get some real engineers to tweek the 5L V8 and tranny to make that a studly value package. A car like that could push Lexus a bit.
HS failed in the U.S. not doubt about it...thread is U.S. centric but the LFA and most Lexus models are sold throughout the world. Don't think the world revolves around the U.S. We also have members that don't live in the U.S. such as Blackraven and spwolf.
True that the CT and HS sales couldn't have funded the LFA since the LFA had a 10 year gestation period. We can say that the CT and to some extend the HS contributing to a production LF-LC or LF-CC hybrid coupes.
I disagree that the CT is crap. Sure it has flaws and imperfections as do most every other car. If the 1CT came out perfect then there wouldn't be no need to improve upon it. There wouldn't need to have a second generation CT, third generation CT, fourth generation CT or even a fifth generation CT. Lexus could stuff the LFA V10 engine into the CT. Heck why don't we combine the CT with the LFA, IS F and LX and call it the CLFAISFLXT 1000h...then that would satisfy power hungry, performance driving with tons of space people who are never satisfied with anything...
I agree Lexus needs to own the competition but their conservativeness permits them from doing that. We'll have to wait and see how the new production Lexus coupes turns out.
Last edited by Trexus; 12-28-12 at 10:39 AM.
12-27-12, 11:38 PM
#33
Lexus Champion
For me, it would be my plan of action:
1) HEAVY emphasis for the F-program (as in FULL-FLEDGED F MODELS)
IS-F is superb but it's not enough. Time to bring in the GS-F, LS-F, RX-F and so on.
2) Enable greater customization (at the dealership level)
Where I'm from, I can't even order a GS350 F-sport without Mark Levinson (imo Lexus Premium Audio IS NOT ENOUGH especially when you're buying this segment AND that you want to spend as much as possible to get the most of your purchase). Blind Spot Monitoring is not available for Philippine-spec GS350 F-sport units.
Heck, I can't even specify if I want 19 inch F-sport stock rims............and just have to settle with those fugly *** tuning fork wheels (aka those wretched eyesores)
Yet when I go to the local BMW dealership, I can specify if I would want my M5 F10 to be installed with the blind spot monitoring system or if I want lane departure or lane change safety systems
OR
If I want to raise the speed limit of the M5 F10 from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 305 km/h (189 mph)
So yes, greater customization and option personalization would be welcome. Lexus Japan for instance has an L-select interior customization program for the Lexus LS.
Hope they introduce it TO ALL markets and territories.
So there that's pretty much it for me.
P.S.
I guess this thread is US-centric..........but for me, I would have to say that the CT is doing quite well. Here where I'm from (Philippines), the CT ranks within the top 5 of sales charts of Lexus Manila (of course, RX and ES take the top spots).
In short, it's doing fairly well here..........and I would personally choose the CT over a BMW 1series
=)
1) HEAVY emphasis for the F-program (as in FULL-FLEDGED F MODELS)
IS-F is superb but it's not enough. Time to bring in the GS-F, LS-F, RX-F and so on.
2) Enable greater customization (at the dealership level)
Where I'm from, I can't even order a GS350 F-sport without Mark Levinson (imo Lexus Premium Audio IS NOT ENOUGH especially when you're buying this segment AND that you want to spend as much as possible to get the most of your purchase). Blind Spot Monitoring is not available for Philippine-spec GS350 F-sport units.
Heck, I can't even specify if I want 19 inch F-sport stock rims............and just have to settle with those fugly *** tuning fork wheels (aka those wretched eyesores)
Yet when I go to the local BMW dealership, I can specify if I would want my M5 F10 to be installed with the blind spot monitoring system or if I want lane departure or lane change safety systems
OR
If I want to raise the speed limit of the M5 F10 from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 305 km/h (189 mph)
So yes, greater customization and option personalization would be welcome. Lexus Japan for instance has an L-select interior customization program for the Lexus LS.
Hope they introduce it TO ALL markets and territories.
So there that's pretty much it for me.
P.S.
I guess this thread is US-centric..........but for me, I would have to say that the CT is doing quite well. Here where I'm from (Philippines), the CT ranks within the top 5 of sales charts of Lexus Manila (of course, RX and ES take the top spots).
In short, it's doing fairly well here..........and I would personally choose the CT over a BMW 1series
=)
12-28-12, 07:25 AM
#35
For me, it would be my plan of action:
1) HEAVY emphasis for the F-program (as in FULL-FLEDGED F MODELS)
IS-F is superb but it's not enough. Time to bring in the GS-F, LS-F, RX-F and so on.
2) Enable greater customization (at the dealership level)
Where I'm from, I can't even order a GS350 F-sport without Mark Levinson (imo Lexus Premium Audio IS NOT ENOUGH especially when you're buying this segment AND that you want to spend as much as possible to get the most of your purchase). Blind Spot Monitoring is not available for Philippine-spec GS350 F-sport units.
Heck, I can't even specify if I want 19 inch F-sport stock rims............and just have to settle with those fugly *** tuning fork wheels (aka those wretched eyesores)
Yet when I go to the local BMW dealership, I can specify if I would want my M5 F10 to be installed with the blind spot monitoring system or if I want lane departure or lane change safety systems
OR
If I want to raise the speed limit of the M5 F10 from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 305 km/h (189 mph)
So yes, greater customization and option personalization would be welcome. Lexus Japan for instance has an L-select interior customization program for the Lexus LS.
Hope they introduce it TO ALL markets and territories.
So there that's pretty much it for me.
P.S.
I guess this thread is US-centric..........but for me, I would have to say that the CT is doing quite well. Here where I'm from (Philippines), the CT ranks within the top 5 of sales charts of Lexus Manila (of course, RX and ES take the top spots).
In short, it's doing fairly well here..........and I would personally choose the CT over a BMW 1series
=)
1) HEAVY emphasis for the F-program (as in FULL-FLEDGED F MODELS)
IS-F is superb but it's not enough. Time to bring in the GS-F, LS-F, RX-F and so on.
2) Enable greater customization (at the dealership level)
Where I'm from, I can't even order a GS350 F-sport without Mark Levinson (imo Lexus Premium Audio IS NOT ENOUGH especially when you're buying this segment AND that you want to spend as much as possible to get the most of your purchase). Blind Spot Monitoring is not available for Philippine-spec GS350 F-sport units.
Heck, I can't even specify if I want 19 inch F-sport stock rims............and just have to settle with those fugly *** tuning fork wheels (aka those wretched eyesores)
Yet when I go to the local BMW dealership, I can specify if I would want my M5 F10 to be installed with the blind spot monitoring system or if I want lane departure or lane change safety systems
OR
If I want to raise the speed limit of the M5 F10 from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 305 km/h (189 mph)
So yes, greater customization and option personalization would be welcome. Lexus Japan for instance has an L-select interior customization program for the Lexus LS.
Hope they introduce it TO ALL markets and territories.
So there that's pretty much it for me.
P.S.
I guess this thread is US-centric..........but for me, I would have to say that the CT is doing quite well. Here where I'm from (Philippines), the CT ranks within the top 5 of sales charts of Lexus Manila (of course, RX and ES take the top spots).
In short, it's doing fairly well here..........and I would personally choose the CT over a BMW 1series
=)
12-28-12, 09:25 AM
#36
Lexus Champion
Anyways, ditto about customization. This is a premium vehicle segment and imho, money is not a limitation. If a customer wants to go as far out will all guns blazing, then I say bring it
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