2016 Lexus RX
09-10-15, 11:04 AM
#106
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09-10-15, 11:18 AM
#107
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Pointless? Losing couple million and handing it to the competition is OK I guess. Look, I could care less on the design for the most part. I get it. However, by purposely eliminating your more conservative demographic Lexus essentially sent millions of dollars to the likes of Porsche, Audi and Mercedes. From a marketing & revenue stand point why would you do that? Especially when you could have built on the NX for one group while at the same time kept the RX for the very people that helped cement your name? 
Then build another that would be a true monster with V8TT down the line and so forth. Versatility is the name of the game. Now Lexus has pretty much one look across the board. Why do that? You want that front end or....that same one over there? Then you wonder how each will differentiate itself from each model. One guy spends 35k while another 65k and they both almost kook the same. Didn't Toyota learn this years ago when customer complained about this very same issue?
Then build another that would be a true monster with V8TT down the line and so forth. Versatility is the name of the game. Now Lexus has pretty much one look across the board. Why do that? You want that front end or....that same one over there? Then you wonder how each will differentiate itself from each model. One guy spends 35k while another 65k and they both almost kook the same. Didn't Toyota learn this years ago when customer complained about this very same issue?
09-10-15, 11:33 AM
#109
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Some people commented about the spindle grill, especially its size. I actually love this design. It looks like a shield of armor, primarily the F-sport one. Kudos to Lexus for taking design risks. This is a sign of confidence.
09-10-15, 11:41 AM
#110
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But you do admit that it was a risk, correct? And, in the auto business, that is the very definition of a risk......that some people aren't going to like it.
09-10-15, 11:56 AM
#111
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Of course it is a risk. But taking no risk would have meant sticking to the same basic design that has sold well for years. The risk there is that your brand will ultimately be viewed as stale. It's a given that not everyone will like new designs, especially the people who are used to seeing the old one. That's par for the course. All automakers face that reality. I'm not really sure what your point is.
09-10-15, 12:16 PM
#113
Lexus Fanatic
Of course it is a risk. But taking no risk would have meant sticking to the same basic design that has sold well for years. The risk there is that your brand will ultimately be viewed as stale. It's a given that not everyone will like new designs, especially the people who are used to seeing the old one. That's par for the course. All automakers face that reality. I'm not really sure what your point is.
09-10-15, 12:26 PM
#114
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Lexus has to take the risk or the RX becomes irrelevant. It needs to stand out good or bad with design compared to the competition which did not exist as much during previous designs.
09-10-15, 12:28 PM
#115
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Of course it is a risk. But taking no risk would have meant sticking to the same basic design that has sold well for years. The risk there is that your brand will ultimately be viewed as stale. It's a given that not everyone will like new designs, especially the people who are used to seeing the old one. That's par for the course. All automakers face that reality. I'm not really sure what your point is.
09-10-15, 12:57 PM
#116
Lexus Champion
09-10-15, 01:44 PM
#117
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09-10-15, 01:59 PM
#118
I won't be too worried about "losing a coupe of million". Lexus/Toyota know how to make cars, and more importantly, they know how to make money. Your concern about them losing out to the Germans because of the new RX design is not only premature, it also strikes me as naive. The new RX may be radical in design, but the corporate culture of Lexus/Toyota is still conservative to the core. I will not be surprised if they have done extensive market research which led to this decision. Let's wait for the market's reaction to the new RX. If the RX sells well, then Lexus/Toyota will be vindicated.
Most aggressive new Lexus designs have been the most successful ones - first IS and then NX.
Rest assured that all future Lexus vehicles will follow that path... record sales and record profits in the history of brand have made sure of that.
As to nativity of some comments - what surprises me is that some people making such comments have been following the auto industry for a long time now yet are still thinking their own personal opinions mirror the worlds. For instance, I never liked any previous RX and still I did not think that Lexus will lose buyers because I personally didnt like it.
There are many industry publications one can read today to see what is going on in the auto industry, who is making money, who is hot, and who is having problems. So there is really no need to use personal opinions instead of the facts.
09-10-15, 03:14 PM
#119
There are some facts, not opinions.
09-10-15, 03:32 PM
#120
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A fact is also that IS hade the worst engine options on the market until today. The 250 engine and its gearbox was not among the better ones when I bought one back in 2006, and totally unmarketable the last 5 years. The hybrid alone is not enough and the 350 is not an option for many markets. I would say that the main reason that IS still sells "OK" is the superb design !