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After 4 years on the market at 87,217 units, the current generation 4GS hasn't sold quite as well as its predecesdor the 3GS which managed 99,987 units despite the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, however I highly doubt the GS will be cancelled because it is merely a sporty cosmetic & suspension derivative of the Japanese Domestic Market Toyota Crown which will be released soon, so the development costs of the 5GS won't be great, but you never know what will happen.
The 5th year of the 3rd gen sold 7430 copies. The 5th year the 4th gen was available it sold 14,878.
The 3rd gen started stronger but fell off quicker. 4th gen GS sales have been more even.
If they replace midsize rear drive 5GS with next generation front drive Camry-based AWD 7ES, then does that mean that they'd also replace the next generation compact rear drive 4IS with a front drive Corolla-based AWD, and the next generation full size rear drive 6LS replaced by a front drive Avalon-based AWD full size sedan?
Also, why was this forthcoming 2018 Toyota Crown-based 5GS with 4GS 18" luxury alloy wheels caught testing at the Nurburgring only recently?
Actually, I could see the reverse. They could leverage the RWD Crown and sell the IS as the RWD Lexus sport sedan and the ES as the FWD luxo barge. They would have to make the next IS slightly bigger but the IS sells way more than the GS so they would never get rid of it.
I wouldn't be surprised either way...just a matter of product positioning at this point.
Actually, I could see the reverse. They could leverage the RWD Crown and sell the IS as the RWD Lexus sport sedan and the ES as the FWD luxo barge. They would have to make the next IS slightly bigger but the IS sells way more than the GS so they would never get rid of it.
I wouldn't be surprised either way...just a matter of product positioning at this point.
Did you know that Toyota has had a "compact midsize" luxury sedan for decades.
It is called the Cressida/Mark II/Mark X and shares the same platform and engines as the Toyota Crown and Lexus GS.
It used to be called Mark II, but is presently called Mark X.
The luxury version was called the Cresta.
The sports version was called the Chaser.
The export version was called the Cressida for markets like the USA before Lexus was created.
The Mark X is bigger than the IS, but smaller than the Crown/GS.
The Japanese Domestic Market prefers a car that is bigger than the compact IS, but smaller than the midsize Crown/GS.
20 years ago, the Toyota Mark II was Japan's top selling car altogether.
1988-92 Mark II base JDM
Cresta luxury JDM
Chaser sports JDM
Cressida exported
1992-96 Mark II
Cresta luxury
Chaser sports
By 1992, because the Lexus luxury division was already created, there was NO longer a Cressida for export markets.
1996-00 Mark II
Cresta luxury
Chaser sports
2000-04 Mark II
2004-09 Mark X
2009-onwards Mark X
Japanese Domestic Market prefers touchscreens over Lexus's 5-way joystick.
07-23-17, 03:25 PM
