SW17LS

Again though, sales are up not down. Those consumers will be dead long before consumers of my generation. If you capture us now, you have 50 years of buying dollars.

To hear you talk every car should be designed for people in their early 60s because thats the only worthwhile consumer and thats just BS.

mmarshall

Actually, no, not true....and certainly not BS. I'm all for sports sedans, sports cars, CUVs, coupes, etc..... having their market share. And I, for one, certainly wouldn't want a world filled with nothing but Grandma/Grandpa vehicles....I myself enjoy driving a sport-oriented car every once in a while. There has just been such a huge emphasis on youth and sportiness in the last several years, though....more, IMO, than the actual market demographics today dictate. And, don't forget that, today, because of a number of factors affecting life-expectancy, age 60 is not considered old. In my county in Northern Virginia, the average life expectancy of males is over 83....for females, even higher. That means that the average 60-year-old will probably be buying new cars for another 20 years or so....one quarter of their life.

Also, notice my logo. it says........"Let's talk CARS", not just traditional Cadillacs and Lincolns.

SW17LS

Then why do companies see an increase in sales when they direct their lineups towards a sportier overall feel? You also assume that everybody over age 60 wants a soft, plush wallow Town Car like vehicle. I know and work with LOTS of successful people in their 60s who make huge incomes and spend heavily on cars...they want sportier cars.

The proof is in the pudding...look at sales. These companies demographically know what they are doing.

Yet, somehow conversations always seem to wind up back there. You grind this axe all over the place, consistently.

mmarshall

Not worth arguing over. You and I have both known a lot of people that fit those demographics, and a lot who don't.


Sales are likely to rise or fall, even apart from age or marketing-trends, simply because the world population is growing, especially in car-markets that are just now emerging, and from more people of all ages with money to spend. The growth of new-vehicle ownership in China and India, for example, has been astounding.

Cadillac and Lincoln, though, both seem to be in the dumps where sales are concerned.

In this thread, I was only replying to what the Lexus CEO himself said in the quoted article.

And, before we get too far off topic, the thread-issue was the spindle-grille. I myself an not a fan of it, but respect the views of those who are.

SW17LS

So any sales increase or decrease has nothing to do with product development directions these companies are making, but has everything to do with rising populations?

How, pray tell, does new vehicle ownership in China and India impact sales figures of new vehicles in the US?

Thats weak.

mmarshall

No...I said that population increase was a factor, not necessarily the controlling issue.


The conversation (and thread-topic) originally started with the Lexus CEO concerning himself with sales (or non-sales) from the Lexus spindle-grilles. He based his view of it mostly on an age-related issue with his callers. I was pointing out that in today's market, sales not only can depend on a number of other factors as well (such as growing world population), as Lexus is a company that sells vehicles in number of countries, not trust the U.S. As CEO, he has to be concerned with sales overseas as well as in the U.S. Look at what has happened recently to both Cadillac and Lincoln, for example.

SW17LS

You need to actually read what you are replying to.

Here is the quote:

First off, Lexus does not have a CEO. Lexus is not a company, its a marketing division within Toyota. Secondly, the person quoted was Group Vice President and General Manager of Lexus US Jeff Bracken...he is discussing US sales and does not have to be concerned with overseas sales seeing that his scope of focus is Lexus US.

mmarshall

True, but U.S. Lexus sales alone won't necessarily cut it. Lexus is a global company (company, in the sense of the word as I'm using it, even if you don't agree).

And I think we've dominated this thread long enough. Let somebody else in. I'm done for the night.

SW17LS

But thats what the quote you were replying to was talking about...and the US is by far Lexus' biggest and most important market...and its the market Lexus was specifically created to serve. Failure or success here is absolutely vital to Lexus. You clearly misread or misunderstood the quote, whether you're willing to admit that or not.

To speak to that point though, sales are up here, there, everywhere since the introduction of the spindle grill and Lexus' more dynamic direction...so I'm not so sure you really have a point at all.

Toys4RJill

You are absolutely correct. The new generation of consumers is what Lexus is after and that is the only way Lexus will grow. Worldwide and North America the capturing the new generation is essential.

All the legacy vehicles such as the ES and LX are not going to get new buyers into the door. The new generation like "sporty" and Lexus hit the mark with the F-sport models.

I personally do not like the front end of most Lexus models however I completely understand why they are doing it.

spwolf

if we are discussing sucess of spindle grille, then we have to discuss sales and not imaginary information. Spindle grille is probably huge influencer on purchase decision, and there are many other brands and competitors that people buy without having to buy Lexus if they dont like it.

So no, you can not disregard growth in sales as "simply because world population is growing.

So yes, people like it... heck, Lexus just said that 50% of IS sales are for IS F-Sport with huge front grill. Thats easily a design decision, as people are paying a lot of money extra for that grill.

gyrase321

I like the spindle grill. It makes a Lexus vehicle stand out from a distance. The GSF's grill is striking. Looks like a medieval armor shield.

SW17LS

I've made this comment before, but its very true. In design, you don't make something that some people truly love, without it having the potential for some other people to hate it. When something impacts you on an emotional level, which is what they are trying to do with bold design and the spindle grill is part of that, that emotion has the potential to be negative and positive.

The fact that some people hate it is actually a good thing.

Gojirra99

My favorite spindle to date still on the RC F, works the best with the rest of the car too

SW17LS

I agree 100%...