So much for predictions of the 4GS being a flop
03-05-13 | 11:46 AM
#407
Driver
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 181
Likes: 1
From: NY
It's interesting to me to notice the nature of the threads in this forum, being mostly about the pleasure of ownership, or about what's next, or "how to..." type subjects; unlike competing brands' forums where noticeable are threads of frustration among some users.
Which brings me to another boring comment: I think Lexus is on the right pat but I agree that "if" they care selling as much as competitors they have to expand the options...and on my personal point of view, I appreciate their courage in manufacturing a car with such a deign, but they need to refine it more now. It needs to be more coherent and original not only on the front side.
In the same time, I like the fact that I don't see a car like it everywhere I look. We can't have it both ways I guess..
Which brings me to another boring comment: I think Lexus is on the right pat but I agree that "if" they care selling as much as competitors they have to expand the options...and on my personal point of view, I appreciate their courage in manufacturing a car with such a deign, but they need to refine it more now. It needs to be more coherent and original not only on the front side.
In the same time, I like the fact that I don't see a car like it everywhere I look. We can't have it both ways I guess..
03-05-13 | 07:31 PM
#408
Lead Lap
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,664
Likes: 18
From: TX
I honestly think the GS not offering a 4 cylinder or higher MPG hybrid is hurting it. The GS offers basically one engine, 306hp that takes up 90% or more of sales. The other model is a 450h that costs 65-80k. This is the OLD WAY of doing things.
Imagine if the GS had a 200hp 4 cylinder. Yeah that was crazy to say 10 years ago but times have changed and the Germans do it. For 42k Audi sells a 200hp CVT FWD A6 for example. BMW has the 240hp 4 cylinder 530.
Lexus needs to advertise better for it. It is beyond me how they had driving events for the past GS but not this one? Surely people would be stunned to see how good of a driving car this is, feel the interior for themselves and the features.
And the styling is handsome but outside the aggressive face is very inoffensive overall and maybe they should have pushed more for the rest of the vehicle.
And please do not go in the sales thread in car chat, your head will explode
Imagine if the GS had a 200hp 4 cylinder. Yeah that was crazy to say 10 years ago but times have changed and the Germans do it. For 42k Audi sells a 200hp CVT FWD A6 for example. BMW has the 240hp 4 cylinder 530.
Lexus needs to advertise better for it. It is beyond me how they had driving events for the past GS but not this one? Surely people would be stunned to see how good of a driving car this is, feel the interior for themselves and the features.
And the styling is handsome but outside the aggressive face is very inoffensive overall and maybe they should have pushed more for the rest of the vehicle.
And please do not go in the sales thread in car chat, your head will explode
03-05-13 | 08:02 PM
#410
Lead Lap
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,664
Likes: 18
From: TX
It can be done. The turbo 4 cylinder A5 I test drove was smooth as silk. I still would opt for a 6 cylinder, but it would open up the car to a new group of buyers. Come to think of it, I would rather the GS stay relatively exclusive as long as it makes enough money for Lexus to remain focused on it. When it becomes a numbers game you see them at every stoplight.
03-05-13 | 08:31 PM
#412
It can be done. The turbo 4 cylinder A5 I test drove was smooth as silk. I still would opt for a 6 cylinder, but it would open up the car to a new group of buyers. Come to think of it, I would rather the GS stay relatively exclusive as long as it makes enough money for Lexus to remain focused on it. When it becomes a numbers game you see them at every stoplight.
03-05-13 | 08:39 PM
#413
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,602
Likes: 88
From: Singapore
I agree re: the 4 cylinder, but the 5 Series and A6 are turbocharged and Lexus always goes naturally aspirated to maintain reliability. I saw how A5 sales increased when Audi went from the V6 to the Turbo 4 and dropped the price by a couple of thousand $. However, when Infiniti put a smaller V6 in the G37 (G27?) to increase sales it flopped and is no longer available. If/when Lexus can perfect turbocharging or supercharging they can pick up market share.
The beauty of hybrid is that the torque is instantaneous and available from zero revs onwards. That would go a long way towards mitigating the lack of low-end torque in small capacity naturally aspirated 4/6 cylinder engines.
Audi/BMW engines are statistically the most unreliable (from another thread where a UK insurance firm did a study on engine reliability) and I suspect it is in no small part due to the turbo/supercharging.
Reliability is a core value of Lexus. I doubt they'll surrender it so easily unless they've tested the heck out of any new upcoming tubocharged engine before releasing it onto the market. Also HYBRID is another Lexus core value : they'll probably choose hybrid over force induction if given the choice.
03-06-13 | 03:44 AM
#414
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 58,081
Likes: 2,786
From: Maryland
People don't buy hybrids because they cant afford fuel.
04-02-13 | 11:01 AM
#417
Guest
Posts: n/a
To be honest I was thinking the drop off was going to continue but maybe Lexus has a nice niche with the GS.
THe ES always outsells the GS, it is their volume sedan, it outsells the IS too. I'm glad both models are co-existing! The ES is also 10k less base for base than a GS.
04-02-13 | 03:19 PM
#419
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 19,951
Likes: 171
Lexus probably wants to have ES as "low-end" mid size class option and GS as high end. Too bad they cant market hybrid properly as they priced it too much for non-performance car. 2k/month of sales is fine... would be more with cheaper engine but thats what ES is there for.... 76k hybrid loaded while rest of them are around 60k, thats just too much of an difference to pay of ever.
04-02-13 | 10:42 PM
#420
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,602
Likes: 88
From: Singapore
Lexus needs the GS300h, a supercharged GS460 F-Sport with a 380hp 2GR-FSE V6, a GS coupe and a GS-F. If it had anything close to the selection of engine/body variations the Germans had, sales would be a lot better.
As it is, the sales trend is stablizing. It seems like small but significant number of car enthusiasts and cognoscenti are discovering the value of the GS every month, leading to respectable monthly sales.
As it is, the sales trend is stablizing. It seems like small but significant number of car enthusiasts and cognoscenti are discovering the value of the GS every month, leading to respectable monthly sales.