Manaray

Here's a interesting piece of email I received...

> From : "info" <info@carlsson.co.jp>
> Subject : Re: Carlsson Lexus?
> Date : Wed, 17 Oct 2001 15:04:14 +0900

> Dear Sir,
> Thank you for your inquiry.
> However we are sorry that we have no body kits
> for Lexus GS, Aristo in our range. It seems that
> the car you found in the website only has
> Carlsson logo sticker, and wheels. Further to
> wheels in 114.3-5 we have the wheels for Lexus
> LS430 in our range now. They are 1/6Evo design
> 19" and 2/5 design 20" so far. Therefore, the new
> design 1/16 for Japanese cars is not available
> for the present.
> Thank you for your understanding.

> Best regards

> Carlsson Japan Ltd.

Welp, looks like Carlsson OFFICIALLY makes wheels for Lexus cars (at least for the LS430 which should fit the GS just fine)...

BTW: The body kit they're talking about is from a picture I sent them of a GS done up with a Carlsson body kit (which obviously isn't made by Carlsson)..

zushwa

I'd really like to see the 1/16's on a GS. Tight *** wheels. All in due time, I guess.

neomatrix

I guess I can come out of the closet now!!! he he he... When I first joined this forum 2 months ago, Carlsson was a big No-No. I was going to get the the OZ Opera instead for my 98 LS400 but I really liked the Carlsson 1/6 Evo and I couldn't find a similar style from the Japanese manufacturers. I looked around for about 6 weeks but I always keep going back to the Evo. Although Tirerack carried the Evo and I was told that Carlsson makes wheels for the Lexus, I didn't decide to get one until I TMEngineering verified this information for me. Now I am glad I followed my instincts and I am especialy happy to hear this news straight from Manaray!!! Thanks...

Will post pictures when I get a chance

Kaban

Well, duh.
Evo 1/6 has been on sell at Tirerack.com for Lexus for like half a year now. I've also mentioned it a while ago too. You just to stubbern or pride to accept that MB tuner DOES want to make stuff for Japanese cars.

Manaray

Well I've seen Carlsson wheels on Lexus cars (and other cars that are non-Benz cars) for a while now (it's nothing new)...re-drilling is a common practice...but until I got the word FROM Carlsson, I wasn't going to buy that they actually made 5x114.3. Knowing the history and attitude of German tuners first hand, I wasn't going to buy it until I got it from the horse's mouth...It's just like the whole Forged vs. Cast deal with the Blitz wheels...the guy that claimed that they were cast is supposidly a Blitz dealer...you can't believe everything you hear on the internet...

And I'm pretty sure that most MB Tuners DO NOT want to make stuff for Japanese cars. Otherwise, they ALL would...you have to understand how STUBBORN and PRIDEFUL the German Tuners are towards Japanese cars.

Also think about this, why are there no Carlsson ad's with Lexus cars (or non-Benz cars for that matter)....plus, nearly all of well known German tuners do NOT make anything for Lexus...Carlsson and MAE are the only exceptions (for now) and they ONLY make wheels (and Carlsson limits it to TWO specific wheels...the 19" 1/6 Evo and the 20" 2/5....the wheel I would get, the 1/16 does not have a 5x114.3 pattern...)

So it has nothing to do with my stubborness or pride...if Carlsson made the 1/16 in 5x114.3 with a 8.5" and 9.5" wide setup (in 20") with offsets to fit the GS, I would have no problems putting them on my GS...Maybe even some Brabus wheels...but if they have no intentions on supporting the Lexus market, then I have no intentions on supporting their products on my Lexus (no matter who the manufacturer is)...now if I had a Benz, that would be a different story...

If there was a German tuner that supported the Lexus market and they make high quality, functional products, I would support them for sure. I'm not anti-German by any means...hell, Heckler & Koch is one of my favorite gun manufacturers (as is Steyr, Sauer, Hammerli, Walther, etc..)...they're all German. IWC and Lange & Sohne are two of my most favorite watch companies...again, they're German. Hell German Porno is pretty good too!

Interestingly enough, I sent Carlsson GERMANY quite a few emails dating WAY back (several months up to just the other week) about this same question and they have STILL not answered me. And I know that email address is good because I've asked them about their products (for Mercedes cars) and they responded right away....so who's stubborn and prideful? It's OBVIOUS that Carlsson Germany (HQ) doesn't really like the idea of having their parts on Lexus cars (which is understandable because Lexus is not taken all to seriously in Europe)...

Richie

Manaray, Carlsson have just released some parts for the french Citroen cars. Talk about bad taste in cars!!!

Kaban

It's just that on the thread title you make it seems like it is only offical now and before it was all a fluke, but it's been offical for a long long time now.

Although their marketing people didn't do a very good job but neverless they still did try to market them. I mean I knew about it and I only started looking when I got my GS 5 month ago, and other people knew about it too and already driving around with EVO's now. They just didn't bother putting it on their sig, or post much for obvious reasons....
I've talked to several people with Carlssons via PM and they're very nice people with very respectable backgrounds, some even offer to meet me in person to let me see the wheels. But if they feel not welcome at CL because of the mods then it is Clublexus.com's lost.

When I knew about Evo's I also asked for their info, but what do I get? 2 pages of noise only 1 or 2 helpful response. I've then send a e mail to them too (German HQ) they replied back to confirm that they do sell Evo's for Lexus.
Maybe its because of their stubborness and pride also come with sensitive skin, you just have to ask the right way then they will respond to you.

I know what you mean by not supporting a company if they dont want to sell us stuff, I agree with you too, to a certain extent. I mean if a German tuner came out with a proprietary product that boosts something nicely (quality) I would retrofit it no matter who make it.

Manaray

The email I send Carlsson Germany was the exact same one I sent to Carlsson Japan (copy/paste)....I'm still waiting for a reply from Carlsson Germany...

You should have posted your email from Carlsson regarding the 5x114.3...most people are skeptical (esp. on the internet) when you just say someone else said something...

The reason why I said it's official is because until I heard from Carlsson, I wasn't going to buy it...I need PROOF. Know what I mean?

As for people not feeling "welcome" because they put Mercedes tuner wheels on their Lexus, whatever, it's THEIR loss if they don't want to come to Club Lexus...I take a LOT of ***** all the time because of my opinions and whatnot...doesn't seem to stop me from coming to Club Lexus...it shouldn't stop them either...

I'm glad to see that Carlsson is now SORT OF supporting Lexus (but Citroen?)...now let's see them ADVERTISE that...I doubt they will...

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

Carlsson's 3 steps to failure:

1) Make parts for Citroen
2) Make parts for an ugly Citroen model
3) Make ugly parts for an ugly Citroen model

darn...

I wouldn't be surprised if they make some rims and Hyundai models. (VeilSide did...... and it turned out fugly.)

Kaban

I hope they won't make rims for Hyundai too. They just came out with a new model I forget the name but it has a knock off C-Class head light. They even run the commercial all day long like its cool or something.

Kaban

Well...let me just dig in my recycle bin and find that 4 month old e mail...when I write a personal letter to someone it's private I won't save it thinking I might need to prove it someday. For the skeptical peep poles they're out of luck I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone.
I don't know what to say when they ignore you e mail... all I can suggest is you rewrite it in a more friendly tone, remember Germans=Stubborn+Sensitive

The people who felt not welcome not because their mods it's because of a select few who we shall remain anonymous will go out of their way to bash, attack, slam untill they foam at the mouth to have it their way.

I can't speak for anyone, but a forum is only worth something when peeps post their knowledge. I am sure they still read and visit this forum, but just don't post. Instead they bring their knowledge to somewhere else. They don't loose anything, but we do. We loose their information...

Richie

Manaray, if you want I can deliver the letter personally when I go to the Essen Motor Show on the 5th of december in Germany.

Globe, I totaly agree with you on the Citroen parts. That's a bad choice on their part.

neomatrix

Here's my 98 LS400 with 18" Carlsson Evo. Nothing flashy here but I like the classic look on this large sedan. I plan to lower my car next year with Eibach/Bilstein combo. BTW, I am trying to convince my brother-in-law to get the 19" Lowenhart LD1 for his Black 98 GS400. That is what I would get if I had the Lexus GS.

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

Not to be mean to Koreans, but Hyundai/Kia/Daewoo all sucks in terms of design, performance, quality, originality, and everything else. The only advantage is that their cars are cheap. I wouldn't keep a Korean-made car if they gave it to me for free.

Manaray

Richie - Hey, tell Carlsson that they should FULLY support Lexus in America (at least)...body kits, suspension, engine upgrades, and ALL wheels. They have to remember than in America, 20's wheels on the GS and LS is hot...I hate it when some companies make wheels that only fit a particular model (like Brabus who only makes fitments for the MonoBlock III for the S-class only...)

Kaban - I'm going to try again...this time I'll pre-face it with a Mercedes question and then just "happen" to throw in the question about Lexus...