Lexus New Products are Lacking
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 8,563
Likes: 389
From: PA
Might be driving the CTS-V this Sat. at an autocross event. If it's the V, it will be the first time I've ever driven a car with over 600 HP.....500, been there, done that lol
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Pit Crew
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 178
Likes: 11
From: TN
Now that looks more like it! A properly proportioned coupe. It would need at least 400+hp it would be a player. I gotta say I'm still not sold on the SPINDLE grilles.
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Pit Crew
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 178
Likes: 11
From: TN
I envision the cut glass to have a smooth outer layer (lens), making cleaning easier and reducing the probability of the passengers being CUT (pun intended) lol.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 35,285
Likes: 309
From: ON/NY
I don't know what Buick has to do with Lexus in this thread. Buick is doing pretty well for GM in China and they are selling pretty well in the United States. Buick is an alternative to regular brands such as Toyota and brands such as Lexus, Acura or Cadillac.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,874
Likes: 3
From: Canuckistan
The LC was an exception in that Japan took the US design and tried their best to replicate it. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the LS500.
Spindle and sport-focus will and has resulted in good short term gains, but as a long term strategy it will fail.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 35,285
Likes: 309
From: ON/NY
The concepts are designed in the USA, the production cars are designed by incompetent designers from Japan.
The LC was an exception in that Japan took the US design and tried their best to replicate it. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the LS500.
Spindle and sport-focus will and has resulted in good short term gains, but as a long term strategy it will fail.
The LC was an exception in that Japan took the US design and tried their best to replicate it. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the LS500.
Spindle and sport-focus will and has resulted in good short term gains, but as a long term strategy it will fail.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,309
Likes: 31
From: Canada
The concepts are designed in the USA, the production cars are designed by incompetent designers from Japan.
The LC was an exception in that Japan took the US design and tried their best to replicate it. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the LS500.
Spindle and sport-focus will and has resulted in good short term gains, but as a long term strategy it will fail.
The LC was an exception in that Japan took the US design and tried their best to replicate it. Too bad they couldn't do the same with the LS500.
Spindle and sport-focus will and has resulted in good short term gains, but as a long term strategy it will fail.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,784
Likes: 1
From: California
This is a rant in hopes that Mr.Toyoda is listening...before you send me hate mail, let me explain. I have worked as a Lexus Svc Advisor and been immersed in the Lexus world for several years. I own 2 Lexus currently, and had two others in the past. My allegiance is to Lexus. My favorite book is "The Lexus Story". I have been fortunate to enjoy and participate in the glory days of sales and marketing successes during the 2000-2006 years when Lexus owned the Luxury segment. However, the glory days are over. Lexus RULED the Luxury sedan segment only to lose it back to the Germans. I currently work for Nissan/Infiniti and I see up close their product and marketing strategies. The new 400hp twin turbo V6 is awesome. They are outselling the IS/GS by a large margin. Lexus WAS state-of-the-art but today the competition has copied us and caught up to us. Lexus innovations like French-stitched leather, premium materials, top tier service departments, in-store bistros, door-to-door vehicle service, all copied by competitors. The new Q60S coupe is beautiful in design, luxurious in appointments, and fast in performance. The Q50S is another sales success. Mr. Toyoda states he wants LEXUS to be more performance oriented and that is GREAT. However, he isn't offering products to compete. The F products are top notch, but fall short of competitors in their price category. There is talk of nuking the next gen GS! We need to regain #1 status. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE the RC-F (naturally-aspired V8 is rare today), but due to the construction of the platform, the car is too heavy to compete. The LC500 is awesome and a possibly segment-leader. The new LS is astonishingly elegant and luxurious. But, if Lexus cannot create new innovations, we are in trouble. Am I the only one who feels Lexus has lost it's way? Please provide positive feedback and reasons to support why I should remain optimistic about the Lexus brand. 
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Pit Crew
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 178
Likes: 11
From: TN
I agree. I feel that Toyota/Lexus is lacking in many many areas. I use to own mainly just Toyotas/Lexus but now I've strayed away from them. If I ever get rid of my ISF(maybe I just might) I don't think I see myself purchasing another product from Toyota/Lexus. They are too conservative and dare I say "boring".
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,285
Likes: 43
From: NV
I agree. I feel that Toyota/Lexus is lacking in many many areas. I use to own mainly just Toyotas/Lexus but now I've strayed away from them. If I ever get rid of my ISF(maybe I just might) I don't think I see myself purchasing another product from Toyota/Lexus. They are too conservative and dare I say "boring".
When Lexus decided to axe the 4-door IS F for 3rd gen, I considered a Porsche as a DD for the first time, bought a Cayman, and I've never looked back. Just more proof that if you give a satisfied, lifelong and loyal customer any reason to even glance elsewhere, you just might never get him back.
I won't go as far to say that Lexus is boring, but I agree 100% that TMC has been far too conservative. Even just going on the official websites and looking at the lineup of models/variants offered by MB, BMW, or Audi, and then Lexus, there's no other possible conclusion than that Lexus is incredibly conservative. There's a lot to be said for a steady, slow, and safe business strategy, but it also means there are a lot of customers who won't even consider Lexus. In my case, I'm looking to replace the IS-F with a luxury car that offers more utility but is still sporty. Unfortunately, I certainly won't find that at Lexus over its competitors.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 247
From: NY
In the same boat - looking to get rid of my IS-F, which is something I never would have imagined saying even just 2-3 years ago. What really turned me off from Lexus was killing off the F for 3IS, which meant there was no Lexus I was interested in buying. More generally, I've lost faith in TMC/Lexus as a whole because of the lack of any concrete sportscar follow-up to the LFA/86, especially with rumors circulating that we may not see the FT-1/Z4 until 2019 (if we do at all....).
When Lexus decided to axe the 4-door IS F for 3rd gen, I considered a Porsche as a DD for the first time, bought a Cayman, and I've never looked back. Just more proof that if you give a satisfied, lifelong and loyal customer any reason to even glance elsewhere, you just might never get him back.
I won't go as far to say that Lexus is boring, but I agree 100% that TMC has been far too conservative. Even just going on the official websites and looking at the lineup of models/variants offered by MB, BMW, or Audi, and then Lexus, there's no other possible conclusion than that Lexus is incredibly conservative. There's a lot to be said for a steady, slow, and safe business strategy, but it also means there are a lot of customers who won't even consider Lexus. In my case, I'm looking to replace the IS-F with a luxury car that offers more utility but is still sporty. Unfortunately, I certainly won't find that at Lexus over its competitors.
When Lexus decided to axe the 4-door IS F for 3rd gen, I considered a Porsche as a DD for the first time, bought a Cayman, and I've never looked back. Just more proof that if you give a satisfied, lifelong and loyal customer any reason to even glance elsewhere, you just might never get him back.
I won't go as far to say that Lexus is boring, but I agree 100% that TMC has been far too conservative. Even just going on the official websites and looking at the lineup of models/variants offered by MB, BMW, or Audi, and then Lexus, there's no other possible conclusion than that Lexus is incredibly conservative. There's a lot to be said for a steady, slow, and safe business strategy, but it also means there are a lot of customers who won't even consider Lexus. In my case, I'm looking to replace the IS-F with a luxury car that offers more utility but is still sporty. Unfortunately, I certainly won't find that at Lexus over its competitors.
I'm confused. You plan on getting rid of the ISF because there wasn't a F for the 3rd gen? Did your ISF all of a sudden turn into a pile of crap or any less enjoyable? Buying the Cayman seems like a change of taste and needs more than anything else. If you need a tall sports car with a good size trunk, good that you got the Cayman.