Infiniti plans new Flagship sedan
05-15-13, 02:48 PM
#31
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An obvious troll?? 
wow, just wow.
I've owned Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura models, so I actually speak from ownership experience, unlike some other people.
I'll say it again. It is an overly dramatic assertion to claim the current generation TL is a "sales disaster" when it just sold 3000 units in the month of April, 5 years after it debuted. 
, wow, just wow.Maybe you are not old enough to work but in business when your volume selling product becomes a product outsold by your other products after its re-design, that usually means people get fired, heads roll and it is a disaster. If Trump redesigns his condos and his occupancy goes from 90% to 45% that is a disaster. If Delta changes its planes and ridership goes from 100k to 50k, that is a disaster.
05-15-13, 03:33 PM
#32
If we base a product's success entirely from the company's sales targets without looking at other factors, a company could just set very very low expectations and their products could be a smashing success even if the target was 5,000 per year and it sells 6,000 in a year. I don't think the TL is a "sales disaster", its sales are quite good even if it didn't meet the unrealistic initial sales goal. I'm sure Acura has toned down their expectations since then.
05-15-13, 03:45 PM
#33
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If we base a product's success entirely from the company's sales targets without looking at other factors, a company could just set very very low expectations and their products could be a smashing success even if the target was 5,000 per year and it sells 6,000 in a year. I don't think the TL is a "sales disaster", its sales are quite good even if it didn't meet the unrealistic initial sales goal. I'm sure Acura has toned down their expectations since then.
100k-50
and
70k-35k
After a redesign, this place would be up in flames.
If the BMW 3 series went from say
100k-50k
or the E-class went from say
60k-30k
After a redesign, they would all be called failures.
Volume cars that don't sell volume are well, quite the PITA for a brand.
05-15-13, 03:51 PM
#34
One of the local Infiniti dealer had a get together for the Q50 and had a pre-production one there. Here are some pics: - sorry for the bad iphone pics:
Last edited by huy33; 05-15-13 at 03:55 PM.
05-15-13, 03:51 PM
#35
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If we base a product's success entirely from the company's sales targets without looking at other factors, a company could just set very very low expectations and their products could be a smashing success even if the target was 5,000 per year and it sells 6,000 in a year. I don't think the TL is a "sales disaster", its sales are quite good even if it didn't meet the unrealistic initial sales goal. I'm sure Acura has toned down their expectations since then.
Some here would have you believe that "sales targets" are the be all and end all in determining how well a model is selling. But when you actually look at the numbers (you know people that are actually buying these cars) and compare it to the competition you see that the TL is selling just fine within its class and certainly not a "sales disaster" or "sales flop".
05-15-13, 03:55 PM
#36
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Excellent post
Some here would have you believe that "sales targets" are the be all and end all in determining how well a model is selling. But when you actually look at the numbers (you know people that are actually buying these cars) and compare it to the competition you see that the TL is selling just fine within its class and certainly not a "sales disaster" or "sales flop".
Some here would have you believe that "sales targets" are the be all and end all in determining how well a model is selling. But when you actually look at the numbers (you know people that are actually buying these cars) and compare it to the competition you see that the TL is selling just fine within its class and certainly not a "sales disaster" or "sales flop".
Makes absolutely 0 sense.
A volume vehicle selling at HALF the rate is fine. That is some serious kool-aid.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...n-refresh.html
Honda has refreshed the design of its Acura TL, toning down some of the bold lines that may have contributed to lackluster sales.
The TL is exclusively produced at the Marysville assembly plant. Last year, the model sold 34,049 units, up slightly from the prior year, but way down from a high of 78,218 in 2005.
The TL is exclusively produced at the Marysville assembly plant. Last year, the model sold 34,049 units, up slightly from the prior year, but way down from a high of 78,218 in 2005.
At the height of its popularity in 2005, Acura moved 78,218 copies of its mainstream luxury sled, putting the TL behind only the BMW 3 Series and Lexus ES in luxury car sales. But then two things happened to turn the TL's world upside-down. First, vehicle sales took a dive beginning in the second half of 2008, and at the same time, Acura unveiled a newly styled TL that stoked more controversy than conquests.
In the world of luxury sedans, the Acura TL has lost its way.
A radical redesign in 2009 left many loyal fans of the extremely popular sedan perplexed.
A radical redesign in 2009 left many loyal fans of the extremely popular sedan perplexed.
Anywhoo, about that new flagship...
Last edited by LexFather; 05-15-13 at 04:08 PM.
05-15-13, 04:25 PM
#37
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Right so the TL which used to sell like an ES which now sells nothing like an ES when both are the brands volume sedans are a great thing for Acura.
Makes absolutely 0 sense.
A volume vehicle selling at HALF the rate is fine. That is some serious kool-aid.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...n-refresh.html
http://autos.aol.com/cars-Acura-TL-2012/expert-review/
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/acura-tl/
Anywhoo, about that new flagship...
Makes absolutely 0 sense.
A volume vehicle selling at HALF the rate is fine. That is some serious kool-aid.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stor...n-refresh.html
http://autos.aol.com/cars-Acura-TL-2012/expert-review/
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/acura-tl/
Anywhoo, about that new flagship...
Still looking for the article that calls the current generation TL a "sales flop" or even worse a "sales disaster". Something tells me you're not going to find it
No one said that the current generation TL is selling as well as the previous generation, but to call it a sales flop is simply spreading misinformation.
05-15-13, 04:32 PM
#38
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Getting back on topic, no flagships sell as well as they did 7-10 years ago. If you look at the sales numbers of the LS, 7, & S from 2003 and compare them to 2013, the differences in the number of units sold per month is astonishing. When Infiniti comes out with this new flagship, they will be lucky to move 300-400/month. They've been out of the flagship game for awhile and unless they undercut the other players significantly and offer more for less, they will have a hard time moving many units. Lexus sold 700 LSs in April. That number is weak compared to what it used to be. I primarily blame the significant price increases as the reason for the decline.
05-15-13, 04:45 PM
#39
And yet the ES is also down from its high of 82,867 sold in 2007. If the ES sells at the rate it did in the first 4 months of 2013 it will sell about 66,000 units by the end of the year, which is a lot better than the TL's projected 29,000 units, but still way down from the ES high. And that is with the new ES in its first full year on the market and the TL's 5th year.
In general, I think the luxury market is still recovering from the recession and it didn't help the Japanese luxury marques that they were hit with the dual combo of the tsunami/earthquake. The German brands were less affected by it and took advantage to steal the American luxury market.
In general, I think the luxury market is still recovering from the recession and it didn't help the Japanese luxury marques that they were hit with the dual combo of the tsunami/earthquake. The German brands were less affected by it and took advantage to steal the American luxury market.
05-15-13, 04:52 PM
#40
Anyway why can't we give props to Infinit for at least looking to play in the flagship arena again? It's at least better than Acura's efforts with the last generation RL and the new RLX, which has now stepped out of the flagship arena and ruined the legacy of their.... Legacy. I also give props to Infiniti (and actually Acura)for looking to bring a halo flagship sports car in the next few years. The Japanese luxury marques need to boost their collective image even if they are competing with each other.
05-15-13, 04:54 PM
#41
Whatever they come out with as flagship, it will be super low volume seller.
They'd better design it so it ages well, because they can't afford to update it frequently.
It's a bigger chance to screw up, since these models can have 8-9 year life cycles, and you don't want to be DOA for that long.
They'd better design it so it ages well, because they can't afford to update it frequently.
It's a bigger chance to screw up, since these models can have 8-9 year life cycles, and you don't want to be DOA for that long.
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