is the LWB still in short supply?
11-29-07, 10:14 AM
#16
craig, as i explained, yes that's correct. at the end of the 07 cycle, lwb was in EXTREMELY shortage, that's because lexus had to switch most of the lwb chassis to make the ls600hl to keep up with the demand
11-29-07, 10:17 AM
#17
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& from what I can see, they don't even offer LWB for the LS460 in Japan & some other countries, so they may not have planned to produce a lot of LWB cars to begin with . . . (I saw a LS460L on the road last week in HK though)
11-29-07, 10:29 AM
#19
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Has demand for the 600hL been that high? My impression is that the US first-year sales target was actually lowered at one point.
The LS460 has been out long enough that Lexus should have been able to adjust its mix of lwb and swb.
11-29-07, 11:05 AM
#20
and in japan, the first 3 months i think they sold about 4500 ls600 or something like that. i was some crazy numbers.
the 600hl is still a very hot car i believe. and in the US, that hurts the production on the ls460l i think
11-29-07, 11:10 AM
#21
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well, in the US, all 2000 ls600hl were spoken for already (some were bought by dealership and just sit there to be sold, but doesn't matter since they were sold according to lexus corp)
and in japan, the first 3 months i think they sold about 4500 ls600 or something like that. i was some crazy numbers.
the 600hl is still a very hot car i believe. and in the US, that hurts the production on the ls460l i think
and in japan, the first 3 months i think they sold about 4500 ls600 or something like that. i was some crazy numbers.
the 600hl is still a very hot car i believe. and in the US, that hurts the production on the ls460l i think
I seem to remember that the US first-year goal was cut from 2000 to 1000. I may be wrong, or maybe it was more than offset by greater than expected demand from Japan.
11-29-07, 12:36 PM
#22
I know that they had 2,000 preorders in the US, not sure about how many they were expecting. Last month, October, they recorded 175 units sold for the LS 600h L. The forecast cuts I've seen have been for Lexus Japan in general, compared with overly-optimistic launch forecasts in 2005; in 2007 they finally reached parity with the German imports in sales figures, largely due the introduction of the LS and LSh.
The LS 460 L is a unique proposition, in that yes it is not marketed in Japan (although some examples are shown in dealerships, and the 600h/600h L are marketed), and in some countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, elsewhere) the LS 460 L is solely marketed--no LS 460. In Europe, the LS 460 is primarily marketed, but the Exec package is offered and of course comes only on the LS 460 L.
Who knows, maybe one day Lexus may follow Mercedes, being the first to drop the SWB model completely in the US. Audi, BMW, Lexus offer the choice of both.
The LS 460 L is a unique proposition, in that yes it is not marketed in Japan (although some examples are shown in dealerships, and the 600h/600h L are marketed), and in some countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, elsewhere) the LS 460 L is solely marketed--no LS 460. In Europe, the LS 460 is primarily marketed, but the Exec package is offered and of course comes only on the LS 460 L.
Who knows, maybe one day Lexus may follow Mercedes, being the first to drop the SWB model completely in the US. Audi, BMW, Lexus offer the choice of both.
Last edited by encore888; 12-02-07 at 08:59 PM.
11-29-07, 03:45 PM
#23
11-29-07, 10:51 PM
#26
Yeah I couldn't test drive it =(. Would anyone like to hook me up with an LS600h L test drive?? I've driven pretty much all the other hybrids except the Altima and the Aura.
11-30-07, 09:38 AM
#27
As far as Exec Seating not being always special order, when I bought mine at the end of September, I just walked into the dealer wanting one (in silver/grey like my previous 91 LS400). They had one that had just arrived with the silver/grey color. The salesman said it was only the 4th one that they had received. He didn't say whether they had been special ordered or not. Certainly I didn't special order mine. It is possible that someone ordered the Exec Seating and then cancelled the order, but I don't know that. Now mine is a very late 2007 (July production), so I don't know whether they have changed policies for the 2008 models.
11-30-07, 10:11 AM
#28
As far as Exec Seating not being always special order, when I bought mine at the end of September, I just walked into the dealer wanting one (in silver/grey like my previous 91 LS400). They had one that had just arrived with the silver/grey color. The salesman said it was only the 4th one that they had received. He didn't say whether they had been special ordered or not. Certainly I didn't special order mine. It is possible that someone ordered the Exec Seating and then cancelled the order, but I don't know that. Now mine is a very late 2007 (July production), so I don't know whether they have changed policies for the 2008 models.
11-30-07, 10:21 AM
#29
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bah.. did you change your profile pic? lol. I thought it was someone else cause I didn't read the screenname associated with that photo.
Yeah I couldn't test drive it =(. Would anyone like to hook me up with an LS600h L test drive?? I've driven pretty much all the other hybrids except the Altima and the Aura.
Yeah I couldn't test drive it =(. Would anyone like to hook me up with an LS600h L test drive?? I've driven pretty much all the other hybrids except the Altima and the Aura.
& I have yet to test drive a LS600hL myself.
I didn't notice.