LFA and Paris Hilton
02-16-11, 03:35 PM
#46
Lexus Fanatic
You guys are all missing one big point: Let's hope she doesn't wreck it. Don't forget, Lindsay Lohan, with DWIs, has already wrecked two Mercedes SL AMGs....and Paris Hilton, mentally, seems to be more or less from the same mold.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-16-11 at 03:45 PM.
02-16-11, 04:07 PM
#47
Lexus Test Driver
Whatever happened to "drive how it was meant to be".
02-16-11, 04:44 PM
#48
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Yeah, let's hope Paris doesn't actually own the car, that it's either a publicity stunt or the boyfriend owns it. If that is the case, we can't really call the buyer selection process silly if she in fact does not own the car.
02-16-11, 04:56 PM
#49
Lexus Champion
Who cares if she owns it. She drives the other exotics she owns. Maybe she'll take an interest in the driving course? You never know. I still think this is just a prototype, and she'll get a pink one. If she's getting one. This might just be to show her what car she is getting, but in another color. I don't think she wants yellow. And that looks like it wasn't even delivered or anything. Weve heard nothing about it. I'm calling it a pre-production unit until we see some more info.
02-16-11, 05:23 PM
#51
02-16-11, 05:39 PM
#52
All this stuff about bad publicity is wrong. Who does Paris hang out with? The answer is other powerful people with lots of $$$ to spend. This is the smart way to get your brand/product known. If you think about it Lexus isn't a celebrities first choice unless it is a hybrid. Its always an exotic or Mercedes, BMW, Range Rover and so on. If Lexus did do this as publicity they were smart. Everyone on here saying its bad publicity would most likely never have the means to buy this car, so it won't tarnish the reputation of the LFA. It could potentially lead to other celebs buying the LFA, giving Lexus a boost. Im no fan of Paris and how much she makes for doing the stupid s*** she does, but I do see where this could help the brand. In all reality who says "im not going to buy a Mercedes cause Paris has one or Lohan crashed one?" Its a completely unrealistic argument.
02-16-11, 05:51 PM
#53
If Paris Hilton bought an LFA, good luck with the brand. That's sort of like when Britney Spears "bought" an SLR. Both may be fashion opinion leaders but both are regarded as the complete opposite when it comes to cars. So many of you think of the established exotics as the "posers brands" as some have said, well nothing will actually do that more putting the LFA in the hands of someone like that. If those established brands thought that someone like that would help sales, they'd have given them cars a long time ago. It's when real automotive opinion leaders actually go out and spend their own money to buy an LFA (no celebrity discount) that you end up getting the desired result. Pray that she buys a pink Prius instead.
02-16-11, 05:57 PM
#54
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I think it can be good for the brand as long as Paris drives the car a lot and doesn't do anything outrageously stupid with the car 
.
I do agree, having a celebrity with an exotic Lexus, as opposed to just a hybrid Lexus can certainly help the brand.
.I do agree, having a celebrity with an exotic Lexus, as opposed to just a hybrid Lexus can certainly help the brand.
02-16-11, 06:19 PM
#55
Honestly I think you guys are missing the point. The point being that what is important for Lexus is that the LFA be seen on the streets and it doesn't matter who's driving it.
I don't think Bentley's brand was devalued because Paris Hilton's boyfriend got a DUI in a Bentley, nor that the Mercedes SLR was devalued because Paris was often seen driving one. When I think Bentley, I think of those elegant cars I see every day around Miami, parked outside nice buildings and high end shopping malls. When I think Mercedes SLR, I think of Jeremy Clarkson racing the boat to Norway, and I think of the amazingly beautiful Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss which I once saw parked in Mayfair in London.
My point is these cars speak for themselves. They just need to be seen. The odd celebrity driver is a non issue. Everyone know that luxury cars are bought equally by those who deserve them and those who do not.
I don't think Bentley's brand was devalued because Paris Hilton's boyfriend got a DUI in a Bentley, nor that the Mercedes SLR was devalued because Paris was often seen driving one. When I think Bentley, I think of those elegant cars I see every day around Miami, parked outside nice buildings and high end shopping malls. When I think Mercedes SLR, I think of Jeremy Clarkson racing the boat to Norway, and I think of the amazingly beautiful Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss which I once saw parked in Mayfair in London.
My point is these cars speak for themselves. They just need to be seen. The odd celebrity driver is a non issue. Everyone know that luxury cars are bought equally by those who deserve them and those who do not.
that is what i think affects lexus' image. if they didn't have this "requirement" or process, then honestly i would just laugh and move on. like you said, it's just another person with another nice car, they drive around. but with what lexus trying to portrait with the car and selection process, a lot of question marks came up.
Henry I am not completely disagreeing with you. Not sure how Lexus handles the LFA as a "gift" and Paris isn't exactly a model celebrity so not sure how they feel with her in it. Thus I am not really upset at the comments and totally understand where people are coming from. Not sure who else would be a "negative" celebrity in peoples eyes if they get another LFA.
We know Lexus is popular in Hollywood for its hybrids. Now there is a chance it will be popular b/c of the LFA.
On the other hand celebrities drive all sorts of exotics all the time so this is nothing new and almost non-news to me. I guess what makes it news is that Lexus tried to screen people for the car. They clearly felt that selling the car to this guy was a good move for the LFA from an exposure perspective. I had no idea who this guy was and what Paris was doing until today
Whats funny is pink is a color option from Lexus.
Good post.
We know Lexus is popular in Hollywood for its hybrids. Now there is a chance it will be popular b/c of the LFA.
On the other hand celebrities drive all sorts of exotics all the time so this is nothing new and almost non-news to me. I guess what makes it news is that Lexus tried to screen people for the car. They clearly felt that selling the car to this guy was a good move for the LFA from an exposure perspective. I had no idea who this guy was and what Paris was doing until today
Whats funny is pink is a color option from Lexus.
Good post.
I actually think the whole "Lexus choosing buyers" thing is foolish anyway. Why are we really letting a company decide who can buy from them? Even worse, why would we let society decide who can buy a product (which is what many of you are doing in this thread)? It reeks of a perverse faux elitism. If someone has money, why not let them buy something? I thought that was the whole point of this country, that as long as you have worth (whether that means actual money, productivity, or credit) - you have the freedom to make these choices.
That said, the reason I'm willing to cut Lexus quite a bit of slack for having a buyer selection process (other than the limited run, which is no longer relevant) is because the whole thing is overblown. And as usual, it's people who never actually went through the "application" process who are doing the (over)blowing. The only thing I was ever asked was my Lexus ownership history and a few months later I had my allocation. Whoever that celeb was who went on whatever radio show to whine about getting rejected, I doubt he actually got rejected - and if he did, I doubt it was anything but that his finances weren't in order. (Or maybe he managed to **** someone at Lexus off.)
If anything, Lexus just wanted to prevent speculation. I don't think it was ever an "enthusiast" thing, otherwise why would I get one? I never told Lexus I was ever going to drive it. Of course, now that the LFA isn't sold out in the US, I suppose the "choosing buyers" issue is not relevant.
Anyway, if Paris Hilton wants to buy an LFA or her boyfriend wants to buy one for her, good for them. And good for Lexus making a product that people want to buy. Hopefully we'll see her LFA on the road soon. I just think it's too bad so many people cast such harsh judgments just because they disagree with her lifestyle choices.
If we were to actually consider the nonsensical vitriol of irrelevant fanboys and commentators everywhere, we might wind up concluding that the LFA itself is more negative than positive. The much more attractive alternative is to enjoy greatness when we see it and dismiss BS for what it is.
That said, the reason I'm willing to cut Lexus quite a bit of slack for having a buyer selection process (other than the limited run, which is no longer relevant) is because the whole thing is overblown. And as usual, it's people who never actually went through the "application" process who are doing the (over)blowing. The only thing I was ever asked was my Lexus ownership history and a few months later I had my allocation. Whoever that celeb was who went on whatever radio show to whine about getting rejected, I doubt he actually got rejected - and if he did, I doubt it was anything but that his finances weren't in order. (Or maybe he managed to **** someone at Lexus off.)
If anything, Lexus just wanted to prevent speculation. I don't think it was ever an "enthusiast" thing, otherwise why would I get one? I never told Lexus I was ever going to drive it. Of course, now that the LFA isn't sold out in the US, I suppose the "choosing buyers" issue is not relevant.
Anyway, if Paris Hilton wants to buy an LFA or her boyfriend wants to buy one for her, good for them. And good for Lexus making a product that people want to buy. Hopefully we'll see her LFA on the road soon. I just think it's too bad so many people cast such harsh judgments just because they disagree with her lifestyle choices.
If we were to actually consider the nonsensical vitriol of irrelevant fanboys and commentators everywhere, we might wind up concluding that the LFA itself is more negative than positive. The much more attractive alternative is to enjoy greatness when we see it and dismiss BS for what it is.
yeah sure zach might not have the money (anything can be true). but remember s2000tois350 talking about his allocation and his phone call with the GM where he said 3-4 other very rich customers are all mad? well, how to explain them then? maybe the GM was bluffing.
and the fact that lexus didn't look at your driving background (unless they have CIA looking into you), like CDNROCKIES, maybe just enough to prove and show how much hype and bs lexus put up. see, we aren't the one brewing bs, we are just sticking to what lexus said and claimed, and putting it side by side with the conflicts we see here, and question about what's going on
i am happy to see the lfa on the road, and probably won't care much about who's driving it (unless that's me of course). judgment on her that's a simple fact of celebrity life, they are just center of discussion. of course, except that for paris, she basically made her life a very negative topic to talk about
I thought they were screening to avoid the car ending up in the hands of collectors who rarely drive it and keep it for the odd track outing. If 500 cars ended up the hands of people like that, the only time guys like me would see an LFA would be on TV.
Lexus' goal was to sell the car to people who will drive it, park it on the streets, make it visible to the people.
Lexus' goal was to sell the car to people who will drive it, park it on the streets, make it visible to the people.
but with the hype they put up? meh
02-16-11, 06:20 PM
#56
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Hopefully Paris does not ruin the perfect LFA like she did with her Bentley by turning it into pink on wheels.
02-16-11, 06:43 PM
#57
Lexus Champion
you are missing the point on this car in a few of your posts. all along the way, lexus says they want to select the owners for their enthusiasm as well as the fact that they will appreciate the engineering of this car, one that lexus is proud of (from engineering stand point).
that is what i think affects lexus' image. if they didn't have this "requirement" or process, then honestly i would just laugh and move on. like you said, it's just another person with another nice car, they drive around. but with what lexus trying to portrait with the car and selection process, a lot of question marks came up.
that is what i think affects lexus' image. if they didn't have this "requirement" or process, then honestly i would just laugh and move on. like you said, it's just another person with another nice car, they drive around. but with what lexus trying to portrait with the car and selection process, a lot of question marks came up.
It wouldn't matter to me one little bit if the car had just been put up on the open market and sold to the highest bidder. To "sell" it in the way that Lexus did and then, apparently, show that it was all a dog and pony show devalues the significance of Lexus in the supercar segment.
your post basically summed up the controversy and the uncertainty. yes, things could be overblown, but why? to me that's because of the picture that lexus tried to paint since the very beginning regarding the purchase program. if you ask me now, yes, i think they probably care about finding enough people with money to pay for the car than to find out about their driving background. but that doesn't de-value what they said in the beginning
yeah sure zach might not have the money (anything can be true). but remember s2000tois350 talking about his allocation and his phone call with the GM where he said 3-4 other very rich customers are all mad? well, how to explain them then? maybe the GM was bluffing.
yeah sure zach might not have the money (anything can be true). but remember s2000tois350 talking about his allocation and his phone call with the GM where he said 3-4 other very rich customers are all mad? well, how to explain them then? maybe the GM was bluffing.
"Ummm....yes Mr. Buffett....we didn't think you were worthy of buying our car previously as you aren't enough of an "enthusiast" to project the image we are looking for....but we weren't able to sell them all....so if you still want one we'd now be happy to take your money."
Imo, if this is the route they planned all along, they should have opened it up freely and let guys like Leno, Seinfeld, etc. put them in their garages....even if only to be a part of a collection. At least you could respect them as dedicated car guys.
The very wealthy do NOT like to be told they can't have something. To first be told that they were not selected and then find out the car isn't sold out and that the selection process is a joke will cause many of them to avoid the brand like the plague.
and the fact that lexus didn't look at your driving background (unless they have CIA looking into you), like CDNROCKIES, maybe just enough to prove and show how much hype and bs lexus put up. see, we aren't the one brewing bs, we are just sticking to what lexus said and claimed, and putting it side by side with the conflicts we see here, and question about what's going on
i am happy to see the lfa on the road, and probably won't care much about who's driving it (unless that's me of course). judgment on her that's a simple fact of celebrity life, they are just center of discussion. of course, except that for paris, she basically made her life a very negative topic to talk about
i am happy to see the lfa on the road, and probably won't care much about who's driving it (unless that's me of course). judgment on her that's a simple fact of celebrity life, they are just center of discussion. of course, except that for paris, she basically made her life a very negative topic to talk about
I'm not hating on the LF A....I love it. However, Lexus shady portrayal of how the "selection" process works reflects very poorly on them and will not endear them to people with the kind of money to buy this car.
02-16-11, 07:20 PM
#58
Anyway. I think the LFA is a great car, and it doesn't matter to me who they sell it to.
But my favorite sports car right now is the McLaren MP4-12C. Amazing technology in that one. I can't imagine if they could combine the chassis of the MP4-12C with the engine of the LFA.
But my favorite sports car right now is the McLaren MP4-12C. Amazing technology in that one. I can't imagine if they could combine the chassis of the MP4-12C with the engine of the LFA.
02-16-11, 07:44 PM
#60
Lexus Test Driver