Debunking the Lexus age myth
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: MA
Toyota and Lexus as a company, always had problem attracting young buyers. Which is not a deal to Lexus becuase most of the people who can afford Lexus are older buyers anyways. Once Lexus gain market share, the natural progression is to expand into the younger buyer's market. Which I believe they have started a few years ago. Products like the IS-F, F-sport packages, and the soon to be LA-F and GS-F will certainly help, but I think is tough for any company, even Toyota, to be everything to everyone. Which is why I dont think the Lexus youth movement will be hughly successful.
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Toyota and Lexus as a company, always had problem attracting young buyers. Which is not a deal to Lexus becuase most of the people who can afford Lexus are older buyers anyways. Once Lexus gain market share, the natural progression is to expand into the younger buyer's market. Which I believe they have started a few years ago. Products like the IS-F, F-sport packages, and the soon to be LA-F and GS-F will certainly help, but I think is tough for any company, even Toyota, to be everything to everyone. Which is why I dont think the Lexus youth movement will be hughly successful.
Again, the IS 300 had the LOWEST AVERAGE AGE of ANY LUXURY CAR BUYER. Lexus has clearly seen LONG AGO it needed younger buyers, thus the pretty radical IS 300 here in 2001 (that Europe got as an IS 200 in 1998).
Lexus realized the ES 300 was NOT attracting young buyers, even as they tried to market it as sporty as late as 1997 with the 3rd gen. When they saw the figures, they decided to have TWO distinct vehicles at the same price point. ES/IS
The strategy has worked. The IS has gotten younger buyers to Lexus, the ES older ones. The ES is the volume Lexus sedan here so by "average" the age will be higher as they sell more ES than IS.
Trexus went into medium/median...
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: A better place
Toyota and Lexus as a company, always had problem attracting young buyers. Which is not a deal to Lexus becuase most of the people who can afford Lexus are older buyers anyways. Once Lexus gain market share, the natural progression is to expand into the younger buyer's market. Which I believe they have started a few years ago. Products like the IS-F, F-sport packages, and the soon to be LA-F and GS-F will certainly help, but I think is tough for any company, even Toyota, to be everything to everyone. Which is why I dont think the Lexus youth movement will be hughly successful.
Toyota has in the past been able to attract younger buyers, they just didn't do it on a long-term consistent basis.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,054
Likes: 103
From: Southeastern PA
Indeed, they are not the same. While the OP mentions both, each stat that is given is done deliberately, and correctly identified as either MEAN/MEDIAN, and each is done to make a point in response to the cited and quoted articles. The numbers given in the OP talk about:
1) Power MEAN age
2) CNWR MEAN MB age; 3) CNWR MEDIAN age
4) AutoPacific MEDIAN age
And then:
5) IS MEAN age, 6) ES MEAN age.
That's what's available based on quite a bit of searching. A lot of us, self included, are well aware of MEAN (mathematical average), MEDIAN (central number in an ordered list), and MODE (most frequently appearing number). However, the article whose quotes lead off this thread, states:
"Lexus made its name with baby boomers. They're aging, and the average age of Lexus owners is increasing with them. [...] The median age of a Lexus owner is 56, according to data from consultant AutoPacific. That's more than a decade younger than Buick, but years older than the median BMW, Infiniti or Audi buyer."
It talks about average age (MEAN) and then sites a stat (MEDIAN). Looking at the article, that is the only age stat it cites. Using the actual MEAN age stats, as provided in the OP via Power, the difference is approximately 5 years between brands--undermining the point of the article (a 'decade' difference than other BMW, others--not true). Moreover, the individual model MEAN ages are given to prove another point--"the IS sport sedan, but they haven't been able to penetrate younger buyers" is UNTRUE (lowest MEAN age in class). Also C&D's "the brand’s average buyer age is 61" is UNTRUE (the MEAN of 61 applies to ES only). In the latter's case, they completely misread the stat; the former, competely ignored the model MEAN number.
Overall, I feel that the MEAN age is more significant, but the article which mentions 'average age' does not provide that figure, only MEDIAN age info. MEDIAN age info can also be a useful tool, but by no means is it to be confused with the MEAN.
So in answer to your post, no, they are not one and the same, each piece of statistical data is identified as such. However these are the two measures of central tendency that are publicly available on the subject, and both have been used--but again they are not the same. And in summary, many of us haven't forgotten HS-level stats; and having plotted MEAN/MEDIAN relationships in college, the difference is crystal clear. But a number of so-called automotive journalists at Detroit and C&D cannot be trusted to accurately convey such data.
1) Power MEAN age
2) CNWR MEAN MB age; 3) CNWR MEDIAN age
4) AutoPacific MEDIAN age
And then:
5) IS MEAN age, 6) ES MEAN age.
That's what's available based on quite a bit of searching. A lot of us, self included, are well aware of MEAN (mathematical average), MEDIAN (central number in an ordered list), and MODE (most frequently appearing number). However, the article whose quotes lead off this thread, states:
"Lexus made its name with baby boomers. They're aging, and the average age of Lexus owners is increasing with them. [...] The median age of a Lexus owner is 56, according to data from consultant AutoPacific. That's more than a decade younger than Buick, but years older than the median BMW, Infiniti or Audi buyer."
It talks about average age (MEAN) and then sites a stat (MEDIAN). Looking at the article, that is the only age stat it cites. Using the actual MEAN age stats, as provided in the OP via Power, the difference is approximately 5 years between brands--undermining the point of the article (a 'decade' difference than other BMW, others--not true). Moreover, the individual model MEAN ages are given to prove another point--"the IS sport sedan, but they haven't been able to penetrate younger buyers" is UNTRUE (lowest MEAN age in class). Also C&D's "the brand’s average buyer age is 61" is UNTRUE (the MEAN of 61 applies to ES only). In the latter's case, they completely misread the stat; the former, competely ignored the model MEAN number.
Overall, I feel that the MEAN age is more significant, but the article which mentions 'average age' does not provide that figure, only MEDIAN age info. MEDIAN age info can also be a useful tool, but by no means is it to be confused with the MEAN.
So in answer to your post, no, they are not one and the same, each piece of statistical data is identified as such. However these are the two measures of central tendency that are publicly available on the subject, and both have been used--but again they are not the same. And in summary, many of us haven't forgotten HS-level stats; and having plotted MEAN/MEDIAN relationships in college, the difference is crystal clear. But a number of so-called automotive journalists at Detroit and C&D cannot be trusted to accurately convey such data.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,054
Likes: 103
From: Southeastern PA
Not really. AMG models are, IMO, grossly overpriced, and many, if not most, younger people simply don't have the money to afford them, though some can at least partially get around that by leasing (or, if you are like Lindsay Lohan and have already wrecked two of them) 
.
.Same as TRDFantasy notes:
My point is, young people cannot afford any AMG cars, but they DREAM about them, and it gets young people talking about and thinking about Mercedes. Most young people don't even think about Lexus.
How many coupes and high-performance cars does BMW have? Not much at all, yet it has a GREAT reputation among young people, because everybody loves and dreams about the M cars.
How many coupes and high-performance cars does BMW have? Not much at all, yet it has a GREAT reputation among young people, because everybody loves and dreams about the M cars.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,472
Likes: 252
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,472
Likes: 252
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Yes, I know that part of that is a stereotype. I was responding to the previous poster, who brought it up.
That's not surprising. I know you live in Silicon Valley, which, like my own D.C. Suburbs, is a vast high-tech region, with a lot of high-paying jobs and well-heeled car buyers. Here, of course, we not only have high-tech jobs, but a lot of high-paid Government people as well....that, of course, just adds to luxury-car sales/leases.
Around here AMG's are frequently driven by youngish professionals, especially the C and CLS versions.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 8,809
Likes: 143
From: MA
Interesting--I would have thought that, while young people can't affort AMG models, they may covet them, and view them like other sports cars. I know I did as a teenager, before AMG was brought in-house, and every drug dealer on Miami Vice drove one (in the mono-chrome paint style).
Same as TRDFantasy notes:
Same as TRDFantasy notes:
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,277
Likes: 354
From: Canada
That is exactly it, you ask any teenager on the street what is their dream car, they might say, AMG, M series or R8. It would be hard to find any teenagers who would say, LS or IS-F. Maybe the new LA-F will change Lexus's image, but like I said before. The LA-F will have to be a grand slam to change a line up like Lexus has.
I do think they should keep their comfort-oriented models just the way they are though..
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The LF-A being a grand slam is still not enough as it's too inaccessible. You don't build a following with ONE great sports car that 99.99 % of people can only read about & not actually own or drive. They need to add more Lexus sports coupes with F-models to go with the LF-A to change Lexus image.
I do think they should keep their comfort-oriented models just the way they are though..
I do think they should keep their comfort-oriented models just the way they are though..
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,277
Likes: 354
From: Canada
In the long term, teenagers do grow up, & they will be able to buy the AMG's.
Most of the AMG's I saw around here are driven by middle age people , some with graying hair and usually in the slow lane, seemingly have no interest whatsover to drive fast under any circumstances, except for the C55 & C63, there are quite a few young Asian immigrants owners, most likely bought for them by their rich dads ...
Most of the AMG's I saw around here are driven by middle age people , some with graying hair and usually in the slow lane, seemingly have no interest whatsover to drive fast under any circumstances, except for the C55 & C63, there are quite a few young Asian immigrants owners, most likely bought for them by their rich dads ...
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In the long term, teenagers do grow up, & they will be able to buy the AMG's.
Most of the AMG's I saw around here are driven by middle age people , some with graying hair and usually in the slow lane, seemingly have no interest whatsover to drive fast under any circumstances, except for the C55 & C63, there are quite a few young Asian immigrants owners, most likely bought for them by their rich dads ...
Most of the AMG's I saw around here are driven by middle age people , some with graying hair and usually in the slow lane, seemingly have no interest whatsover to drive fast under any circumstances, except for the C55 & C63, there are quite a few young Asian immigrants owners, most likely bought for them by their rich dads ...
The Used market gives automakers a chance to show their stuff to even more people. M and AMG cars have huge depreciation and with more and more of them being sold, more and more people get to experience the brands. It allows "youth" to buy one.