We’re No. 4! Lexus Happily Growing Worldwide

By adpock - October 8, 2015

2015-lexus-nx-200t

Europe has always been tricky terrain for Lexus. Since debuting the IS there in 1999, Lexus has slowing been getting a foothold in the European auto market. The same can be said for the rate of growth worldwide. But things are definitely looking up.

There are three main reasons why Lexus hasn’t been able to take over the world: Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. It’s still just not easy competing against the entrenched luxury brands. But Lexus doesn’t let that bother them, they just go out there, work hard everyday, and shoot for a respectable 4th Place finish in global luxury sales. Which is where Lexus ended up last year, after selling 582,000 units globally.

After seeing all-time sales’ records in the past two years, Lexus targeted 10% year-over-year worldwide growth for 2015, and they are well on the way. The NX’s global popularity is one of the biggest reasons why, particularly in Europe, where it’s easily Lexus’s top-selling model.

Another big reason is the popularity of hybrids, again, particularly in Europe, where diesel is declining in popularity in response to tougher emissions restrictions. According to WardsAuto: “Hybrids accounted for 62% of Lexus’ record 31,600 first-half deliveries in Europe, Toyota Europe says, noting in Western Europe 96% of the vehicles it sold there in the first six months were hybrids.”

And that’s just Europe. But Lexus is sold in 90 of the major automotive markets around the world. Which, for the record, is about half the markets the German brands are in. So if you want a further breakdown of Lexus’s strategy to rule 4th Place in the auto world, head on over to Wards and dive in. They interview a few high-ranking Lexus executives, and break down the numbers even further.