Quote:
Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
Hybrids outsell the petrol versions like 3 to one, some models even greater than that. Hybrids in Europe are exempt to lower taxes due to emissions and in the U.K they are not charged a congestion charge. They also make great company cars.
The Lexus strategy in Europe will be hybrids and diesels....the new CT-h hatch will help sales there as well.
V-8s will still be sold here.  |
This is what Lexus UK replies:
"""Sales of non-hybrid LS, GS and RX in recent years were such a small (single digit) percentage of the overall sales - i.e. demand was very low - it makes little sense to incur the cost of re-engineering them to meet lower emission limits when we have the hybrids that already do that and more.
The historic sales split in favour of hybrid over the petrol derivatives suggests that boot space is not a major factor in the purchase decision.
Lexus is the only premium brand in the UK to offer hybrid, indeed half of all hybrid cars currently on sale in the UK are Lexus models, making hybrid a strong USP for us.
Streaming the range, IS apart, to be all hybrid, is a logical step.
Scott Brownlee
Head of PR
Toyota and Lexus in UK"""
Lexus UK claims that sales of petrol only engines has been less than 10%. Bear in mind that this is UK only. Every European Union Member State has different emission regulations. For the UK one of the major emission tax levels is 225 g CO2/km, i.e. more of less same as GS300 at 224 g CO2/km. The congestion charge concerns London and is indeed an important factor.
Nevertheless, the semi-British (owned now by Tata Motors of India) luxury car manufacturer Jaguar has launched several new V8 models in the last half a year.
As for diesels, Lexus has at least until now firmly denied plans to expand the diesel engine range in Europe beyond the IS 220d. They have said that hybrids are Lexus' diesels. As for IS, they do not have a hybrid version, hence the diesel.
Lexus UK seems not to mind to loose <10% of sales, many of these buyers probably migrating to Jaguar, BMW or Mercedes. They also do not seem to recognise the brand marketing value of a top of the range V8.
...indeed Lexus needs to have a more powerful V8 to justify it more clearly. GS-F (V10 or tuned V8) will be even more marginal in terms of sales than a 'normal' V8.
V8 dropped from GS line up in the UK
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