What is Lexus up to now?

[Altezza]

Article I stumbled upon at Autoweek (long): Lexus Interview (http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carnews&loc_code=index&content_code=03048241)

In a nutshell, the most interesting points:

- All vehicles to be redesigned by '07

- Sedan, coupe, convertible edition of IS with optional AWD and optional engines for it's second shot at the BMW 3-series

- Lexus will no longer rebadge JDM Toyotas to be sold as Lexus in North America

- Lexus no longer to use Toyota engineering teams for its projects. Lexus will have its own teams dedicated purely to the Brand.

- LS430 will no longer be flagship model. Lexus to introduce a super luxury car to compete with MB S600 and BMW 7.

- And my favorite: creation of an M / AMG type performance subdivision!!

[1badPT]

Originally posted by Altezza
...
- All vehicles to be redesigned by '07
...


Thats because they need to wait for all the other manufacturers to release their models, so they can copy them :eek:


:guns: :devil:



:burnout:

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by Altezza
And my favorite: creation of an M / AMG type performance subdivision!! wasnt that always around as L-tuned?

[ZorroAMG]

Originally posted by 1badPT


Thats because they need to wait for all the other manufacturers to release their models, so they can copy them :eek:


:guns: :devil:



:burnout:

HAAHAHAHAHA EXACTLY!

Quote from Car & Driver

"The LS is nothing but a poor facsimile of the S-Class Mercedes.."

Weaksauce those Lexus' are.....

[Altezza]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
wasnt that always around as L-tuned?

L-tuned was all based on appearance and nothing noteworty for performance. It plain sucked compared to M or AMG.

[M3STIMini]

What is this supposed to be like some TRD hybrid? Because TRD puts out some awesome stuff as it is (not to the public tho...)

[ninjak84]

Originally posted by Altezza
- Lexus no longer to use Toyota engineering teams for its projects. Lexus will have its own teams dedicated purely to the Brand.

After Toyota did such a good job in F1 this year?!?!?!
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mo_virgin]

Will Infinity Have A Performance Division...??? Any Rumors?

[rage2]

History has shown, that companies that take a good product and make it BETTER will always succeed. Microsoft's doing great. Toyota's #2 now.

Sure Lexus's may be copying great designs, but you gotta admit, they're pretty damn good at it, AND they're doing a better job than the original. Ask any Mercedes owner about quality and you'll know what I mean :).

[switch]

Originally posted by 1badPT


Thats because they need to wait for all the other manufacturers to release their models, so they can copy them


Bahahahahahahaha.

[cujo_cjc]

awd is300 coupe! :hitit:

[1badPT]

Yeah I don't doubt they are good - they should be at the price they charge. It just seems odd that they have absolutely no originality in their designs.

The SC430 = Audi TT
The GS = Nissan Maxima
The LS430 = Mercedes Benz S Class etc.

I'm sure there's more but you get the idea. Its almost like each reveal of a new Lexus is more of a "guess which model we ripped off this time".

[Seanith]

Originally posted by 1badPT
Yeah I don't doubt they are good - they should be at the price they charge. It just seems odd that they have absolutely no originality in their designs.

The SC430 = Audi TT
The GS = Nissan Maxima
The LS430 = Mercedes Benz S Class etc.

I'm sure there's more but you get the idea. Its almost like each reveal of a new Lexus is more of a "guess which model we ripped off this time".

Sure these cars look alike, but when it comes down to it the Lexus ones IMO are superior except for the LS430 and the benz which i don't know enough to compare. I mean take a look at the GS400 or something, and tell me it doesn't look 10x sexier than a Maxima.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by rage2

Sure Lexus's may be copying great designs, but you gotta admit, they're pretty damn good at it, AND they're doing a better job than the original. Ask any Mercedes owner about quality and you'll know what I mean :).
For sure Lexus has MB beat when it comes to quality and customer service

[ZorroAMG]

Not my era though Redlyne..;)

[rage2]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Not my era though Redlyne..;)
haha dude, new cars are all that matter. It's not like they make money on used cars haha.

[ZorroAMG]

I know, just making the point that they don't make em like they used to..LOL

[Inthered]

Originally posted by rage2

haha dude, new cars are all that matter. It's not like they make money on used cars haha.


:rofl:

[max_boost]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
I know, just making the point that they don't make em like they used to..LOL LOL

I think back in 1990, Lexus had only one car in their division. Has anyone seen the very first LS400's? It looked almost identical to the Camry:rofl:

[ninspeed]

Originally posted by rage2
History has shown, that companies that take a good product and make it BETTER will always succeed. Microsoft's doing great. Toyota's #2 now.

Sure Lexus's may be copying great designs, but you gotta admit, they're pretty damn good at it, AND they're doing a better job than the original. Ask any Mercedes owner about quality and you'll know what I mean :).
Thats all 3m does.... makes things better

[XylathaneGTR]

3 lexus models are the top selling in their classes in the US...
According to this magazine i have laying around in my house...

GS series, LS 430, and, the ES300/330

Its some JD Power magazine...

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by max_boost
LOL

I think back in 1990, Lexus had only one car in their division. Has anyone seen the very first LS400's? It looked almost identical to the Camry:rofl:
The LS's were there own car, theyve always had a v8. The ES 300 series were the ones identical to Camry', they still are even today. If you think back even further remeber the es250 it was nothing but rebadged cressida

[bigboom]

Originally posted by mo_virgin
Will Infinity Have A Performance Division...??? Any Rumors?

what's wrong with nismo?

[m10-power]

Originally posted by 1badPT


Thats because they need to wait for all the other manufacturers to release their models, so they can copy them :eek:




Isn't that the truth

[benyl]

Originally posted by cujo_cjc
awd is300 coupe! :hitit:

:werd:

[thich]

Originally posted by bigboom


what's wrong with nismo?

I think he just meant if Infiniti will get its own luxury hi-end performance manufacturer.

altho i agree.. what's wrong with nismo? :D

[20incheyes]

Originally posted by 1badPT


Thats because they need to wait for all the other manufacturers to release their models, so they can copy them :eek:


:guns: :devil:



:burnout:

prettty much

[mx73someday]

The ES250 is not a rebadged Cressida, it's still a Camry. Cressida is FR, not FF.


Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2

If you think back even further remeber the es250 it was nothing but rebadged cressida

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by mx73someday
The ES250 is not a rebadged Cressida, it's still a Camry. Cressida is FR, not FF.


For some reason I was certain the 250 was a cressida, you never see them around anymore so what did the cressida evolve into?

[mx73someday]

It didn't evolve. It got canned as the Toyota flagship car in North America for conflicting with the Lexus lignup.

The Cressida family (Cresta/Mark II/Chaser) continues on though in Japan, big RWD twin-turbo Luxury heaven.

[benyl]

The Cressida was replaced by the Avalon.

[blinkme_210]

Originally posted by mx73someday
It didn't evolve. It got canned as the Toyota flagship car in North America for conflicting with the Lexus lignup.

The Cressida family (Cresta/Mark II/Chaser) continues on though in Japan, big RWD twin-turbo Luxury heaven.

:werd: