April 2013 Sales Thread
05-02-13, 02:53 PM
#62
Pole Position
Shame cause GS is the best car Lexus has right now. It's perfect in sizing, much more of a car than IS would ever be and its still a car and not a limo like LS. It's materials, fit and finish is on flagship level unlike in ES. It drives like an IS and its way much more involving unlike ES or LS.
Simply GS is no compromise car and its has best features of IS, ES and LS so why is nobody recognizing that? I am not sure but whole midsize luxury segment to me seems more of a status segment than any other segment that sells in high volume. Most of the people will finish their "luxury cars" careers in this segment and they simply want to crown it with a benchmark. I am sure that even if Rolls Royce offeres a midsize car at the median price it would have a hard time breaking 2,000 units a month, that's how deep pillars known as MB and BMW in this segment go.
My only gripe is that GS is the most conservative Lexus looking car and that doesn't differentiate it enough from ES. Even LS looks a lot more daring than GS in any trim. Exterior design begs for IS like refresh that is for sure And why there is no GS300h announced for US market is a mystery as well. Are they afraid that they will not sell enough of them? Or they are afraid that it will take a chunk out ESh sales?
Simply GS is no compromise car and its has best features of IS, ES and LS so why is nobody recognizing that? I am not sure but whole midsize luxury segment to me seems more of a status segment than any other segment that sells in high volume. Most of the people will finish their "luxury cars" careers in this segment and they simply want to crown it with a benchmark. I am sure that even if Rolls Royce offeres a midsize car at the median price it would have a hard time breaking 2,000 units a month, that's how deep pillars known as MB and BMW in this segment go.
My only gripe is that GS is the most conservative Lexus looking car and that doesn't differentiate it enough from ES. Even LS looks a lot more daring than GS in any trim. Exterior design begs for IS like refresh that is for sure And why there is no GS300h announced for US market is a mystery as well. Are they afraid that they will not sell enough of them? Or they are afraid that it will take a chunk out ESh sales?
05-02-13, 03:15 PM
#63
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GS sales seem so sporadic...some months it is at 1,800 - 2,000, others it is at 1,200 - 1,300. Up then down, up then down, etc.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
but it seems 2013 inventory is getting low. I started a thread where in the SE region a red leather F-sport now seems non-existent. That might explain some of the low sales.I do agree they really are stinking with GS marketing and advertising and I'm about to drop the bomb thread on Lexus very soon.
05-02-13, 03:24 PM
#64
GS sales seem so sporadic...some months it is at 1,800 - 2,000, others it is at 1,200 - 1,300. Up then down, up then down, etc.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
The last Lexus ads I really liked was the "Hard Way" campaign that had several ads including the one with the LS and LFA.
05-02-13, 03:57 PM
#65
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in 2007, the brand new L finesse 4LS broke a huge 35k figure, Benz did great too but it only barely broke 26k. BMW never really does good in the flagship segment. Their 7 reached only 14.7k.
Lexus had a HUGE sales advantage over their competitors. almost 9k more than MB, and 21k (!!) more than BMW.
That was when the LS was $62k, 7 $75.8k, and S $85.5k. That is a significant pricing advantage that the LS enjoyed, and as a result, Lexus did great. It beat MB and destroyed BMW.
----
Fast forward past the Japanese tsunami incident to 2011 and the LS moved 9k, the S 12k and the 7 11k. The pricing on the LS moved up to 69k base, and ontop of that the LS never improved. Last year it finished with a measly 8k, while everyone else broke 11k.
MB and BMW have easily taken over as the leaders and the LS is lagging behind. Not only that, the 4.5LS acting as a placeholder until the next one is going to hurt doubly bad if the 5th generation isnt a smash hit.
April 2013 looks bad as the LS is on a downward trend. 700 for Lexus, 871 for BMW, and 1103 for MB.
7 series
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
LS
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
S class
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
Hopefully the lowered pricing on the IS will help to take share from the C and 3.
05-02-13, 06:21 PM
#66
GS sales seem so sporadic...some months it is at 1,800 - 2,000, others it is at 1,200 - 1,300. Up then down, up then down, etc.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
GS will never sell like the E or 5 because of the ES. That said, I would still like to see it around 2,000 units a month consistently. However, to achieve that, Lexus needs to get more aggressive with ADVERTISING. I've never seen an ad for the GS 450h - the halo car of the GS lineup. When the car came out, the ads focused on the car's technology - not the luxury, the design, the quality, etc. I just remember seeing a GS 350 zip through refrigerators, washers and phones while the voiceover tried convincing me that Lexus was making progress.
Some days, I swear that Lexus themselves hate the GS.
05-02-13, 08:16 PM
#67
Pole Position
Shame cause GS is the best car Lexus has right now. It's perfect in sizing, much more of a car than IS would ever be and its still a car and not a limo like LS. It's materials, fit and finish is on flagship level unlike in ES. It drives like an IS and its way much more involving unlike ES or LS.
Simply GS is no compromise car and its has best features of IS, ES and LS so why is nobody recognizing that? I am not sure but whole midsize luxury segment to me seems more of a status segment than any other segment that sells in high volume. Most of the people will finish their "luxury cars" careers in this segment and they simply want to crown it with a benchmark. I am sure that even if Rolls Royce offeres a midsize car at the median price it would have a hard time breaking 2,000 units a month, that's how deep pillars known as MB and BMW in this segment go.
My only gripe is that GS is the most conservative Lexus looking car and that doesn't differentiate it enough from ES. Even LS looks a lot more daring than GS in any trim. Exterior design begs for IS like refresh that is for sure And why there is no GS300h announced for US market is a mystery as well. Are they afraid that they will not sell enough of them? Or they are afraid that it will take a chunk out ESh sales?
Simply GS is no compromise car and its has best features of IS, ES and LS so why is nobody recognizing that? I am not sure but whole midsize luxury segment to me seems more of a status segment than any other segment that sells in high volume. Most of the people will finish their "luxury cars" careers in this segment and they simply want to crown it with a benchmark. I am sure that even if Rolls Royce offeres a midsize car at the median price it would have a hard time breaking 2,000 units a month, that's how deep pillars known as MB and BMW in this segment go.
My only gripe is that GS is the most conservative Lexus looking car and that doesn't differentiate it enough from ES. Even LS looks a lot more daring than GS in any trim. Exterior design begs for IS like refresh that is for sure And why there is no GS300h announced for US market is a mystery as well. Are they afraid that they will not sell enough of them? Or they are afraid that it will take a chunk out ESh sales?
Then again, I'm no longer too hung up on sales. As long as I get to purchase and enjoy the 4GS, all I care is that the 4GS sells well enough for Lexus to continue production of the car.
There is also the global perspective : The ES is largely confined to the China and NA markets while the GS, like the IS/LS, is Lexus' truly global car.
Last edited by natnut; 05-02-13 at 08:24 PM.
05-02-13, 08:32 PM
#68
Lexus Champion
I actually agree with every single point you make. Lexus should have made the F-Sport front end the default on the GS and also the tri-projector all LED headlights standard. That would have completed the aggressive styling that they were going for on the GS.
Then again, I'm no longer too hung up on sales. As long as I get to purchase and enjoy the 4GS, all I care is that the 4GS sells well enough for Lexus to continue production of the car.
There is also the global perspective : The ES is largely confined to the China and NA markets while the GS, like the IS/LS, is Lexus' truly global car.
Then again, I'm no longer too hung up on sales. As long as I get to purchase and enjoy the 4GS, all I care is that the 4GS sells well enough for Lexus to continue production of the car.
There is also the global perspective : The ES is largely confined to the China and NA markets while the GS, like the IS/LS, is Lexus' truly global car.
05-03-13, 02:34 AM
#69
05-03-13, 10:54 AM
#72
Ya i would agree with you that flagship sales are much lower than before, but taking a look at the history of the S class vs the 7 and the LS, Lexus has suffered a TREMENDOUS drop.
in 2007, the brand new L finesse 4LS broke a huge 35k figure, Benz did great too but it only barely broke 26k. BMW never really does good in the flagship segment. Their 7 reached only 14.7k.
Lexus had a HUGE sales advantage over their competitors. almost 9k more than MB, and 21k (!!) more than BMW.
That was when the LS was $62k, 7 $75.8k, and S $85.5k. That is a significant pricing advantage that the LS enjoyed, and as a result, Lexus did great. It beat MB and destroyed BMW.
----
Fast forward past the Japanese tsunami incident to 2011 and the LS moved 9k, the S 12k and the 7 11k. The pricing on the LS moved up to 69k base, and ontop of that the LS never improved. Last year it finished with a measly 8k, while everyone else broke 11k.
MB and BMW have easily taken over as the leaders and the LS is lagging behind. Not only that, the 4.5LS acting as a placeholder until the next one is going to hurt doubly bad if the 5th generation isnt a smash hit.
April 2013 looks bad as the LS is on a downward trend. 700 for Lexus, 871 for BMW, and 1103 for MB.
7 series
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
LS
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
S class
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
Hopefully the lowered pricing on the IS will help to take share from the C and 3.
in 2007, the brand new L finesse 4LS broke a huge 35k figure, Benz did great too but it only barely broke 26k. BMW never really does good in the flagship segment. Their 7 reached only 14.7k.
Lexus had a HUGE sales advantage over their competitors. almost 9k more than MB, and 21k (!!) more than BMW.
That was when the LS was $62k, 7 $75.8k, and S $85.5k. That is a significant pricing advantage that the LS enjoyed, and as a result, Lexus did great. It beat MB and destroyed BMW.
----
Fast forward past the Japanese tsunami incident to 2011 and the LS moved 9k, the S 12k and the 7 11k. The pricing on the LS moved up to 69k base, and ontop of that the LS never improved. Last year it finished with a measly 8k, while everyone else broke 11k.
MB and BMW have easily taken over as the leaders and the LS is lagging behind. Not only that, the 4.5LS acting as a placeholder until the next one is going to hurt doubly bad if the 5th generation isnt a smash hit.
April 2013 looks bad as the LS is on a downward trend. 700 for Lexus, 871 for BMW, and 1103 for MB.
7 series
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
LS
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
S class
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01...s-figures.html
Hopefully the lowered pricing on the IS will help to take share from the C and 3.
05-03-13, 11:52 AM
#73
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Ya the LS was first in January, but after that, it has been on a downward trend. It went from 1k to 700.
Benz on the other hand has only fallen under 1k in Jan and Feb, in Mar and Apr, it pulled over 1.1k each.
Things dont seem to be boding very well for the L, but i do share your hope that the next LS will help Lexus retake the sales crown.
Benz on the other hand has only fallen under 1k in Jan and Feb, in Mar and Apr, it pulled over 1.1k each.
Things dont seem to be boding very well for the L, but i do share your hope that the next LS will help Lexus retake the sales crown.
05-03-13, 01:52 PM
#75
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Ya that would be a valid point. But regarding 2012's sales, pretty sad. 
I do think that the US would benefit with either a GS250 or 300h. The smaller gas efficient engines would be great.
I do think that the US would benefit with either a GS250 or 300h. The smaller gas efficient engines would be great.