AJT123

Lexus possibly going all electric? A sad day.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/jalopni...1846172068/amp

Lexus sales — especially its sedans — were down big last year. A lot of that can be chalked up to the pandemic, but Lexus is taking the opportunity to change up its brand. Yes, it’s probably going full electric

Lexus will unveil an overhauled “brand vision” this spring, underpinning a new model that arrives later in the year and kicks off the premium brand’s “next generation” of product.

Lexus offered a peek at the new look with a teaser photo of a concept vehicle that will also debut this spring. The vehicle, obscured in shadow, is shot from either the front or rear, with the brand name printed in all caps across the width of the car, replacing the oval L-badge.

[...]

Toyota’s premium brand offered scant details about the upcoming makeover.

“This spring, we will unveil our new brand vision, along with a new concept, which illustrates our intentions for the future and marking the beginning of the next generation of Lexus,” Lexus said in a statement on Monday. “Furthermore, we will launch the first model under our new vision within this year, and we will continue to introduce new models next year and beyond.”

gengar

If true I'm actually OK with this. If they're going boring and mainstream anyway, might as well adopt the tech.

AJT123

I’m starting to think my only option for an ICE moving forward will be a truck, possibly heavy duty.

At least I was alive when cars were good, only for the first half of my life.

UDel

Another reason I won't be buying Lexus in the future.

Sales for Lexus sedans were down last year because they have not updated most of their sedan lineup, killed entire lines, and the LS has been a huge disappointment that never should have been signed off on.

Stroock639

from what i could tell at my time with toyota, all their previous efforts to be fun have transitioned to being at the forefront of hybrid and EV technology, which they do very well... the new mirai actually kind of impresses me

if it's not gonna be a V8, a full electric LS would actually be kinda cool assuming they do it right

AJT123

I guess the next gen LS will be full EV.

Motorola

The Jalopnik article doesn't say anything remotely of that sort.

AJT123

It strongly infers it.

They're not Car and Driver credible but for Internet they're okay.

And the move wouldn’t surprise me.

At least Lexus is doing SOMETHING, even if it’s something I don’t want. The brand has no appeal anymore to me personally other than LC and LX.

mikedozz

I agree, I would rather some new and sexy designs with (hopefully) more performance, I would make the jump. I might hold onto my GS even longer until I see what new model sedans they have coming, hope a GS replacement!! Something sleek n sexy.

SW17LS

Electric cars are/will be good too. Different, but good. Imagine the silence of a full EV Lexus LS?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

right up top it says: "Yes, it’s probably going full electric"

seems pretty clear to me that's their take. Whether it's right or not, who knows.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

when was the last time either of you bought a lexus and what year was/is it? If it's been a decade or more and/or you don't buy new, then you're not really an important customer to lexus.

Hard to believe but for me until recently the last lexus i bought was 20 years ago! But now i have another Lexus (V8) and it's glorious.

I really think electric cars have enormous possibilities too.
The other day i was driving uh, swiftly, and a Tesla 3 went blasting by me. yup, they're fast! And SIMPLE too.
The ICE evolution has come to the end of the road (no pun intended).

SW17LS

Get in a Tesla and put the hammer down, the V8 gets forgotten pretty quick lol. If we get to where we have 10 minute recharges, or huge range where nobody needs to recharge out in the world, nobody is going to care we don’t have ICE cars anymore

SW17LS

Let’s put it this way. If they made an EV Lexus LS or S Class with all the same style and interior quality and panache with a 400 mile range, I would buy it now. For 99% of my driving, that is all the range I would ever need. Only time i would have to worry about charging it outside my garage would be when I drive to WV alone 2-3 times a year and I would just take the van and leave my wife the EV. Whenever we travel as a family we take the van anyways. What keeps me out of a Tesla is I don’t like them as cars, not that they are EV. Non Tesla EVs don’t have the range and aren’t the kind of cars I like.

I probably have one more ICE lease and then I bet there’s an EV option I would be swayed by.

mmarshall

One thing, bit, that you may be overlooking, is that not listening to important customers will often make them unimportant customers....or no customers. Each potential customer lost takes a potential sale with it......and auto companies are not in the business of losing customers (or, at least, should not be). Like it or not, there is going to be a significant market for ICEs for a long time yet...that's a given, and beyond debate. I'm afraid GM is making the same mistake.....and they are going to lose at least some of the customers they had before.....in addition to those they have lost in the last couple of years by their own marketing actions.

I do, however, disagree with UDel on one point. Lexus sedan sales went down recently not because Lexus didn't change them enough, but because of exactly the opposite.....they were changed too much.