Lexus Reduce Number Of Uk Cars

[simon k]

went into my local lexus centre for the so called vip weekend, whilst there i was told that next year lexus are reducing the number of cars they have to send from 12,000 cars down to 8000 cars,

i can only assume its due to lack of demand?

[kam05]

I'm not surprised by this, Lexus don't have low a c02 petrol engine or a decent diesel engine and with high taxes in the UK more and more people want low c02 cars. I hear Infiniti are about to launch a range of cars in th UK, IMHO they should have entered the UK market 10 years ago, not many people want high producing c02 cars, unless they have a footballers salary to run such high c02 vehicles.

Lexus are concerntrating on hybrid technology, time will tell if it was worth the gamble spend so much money on R&D hybrid technology, maybe they should have produced a decent diesel engine in the first place?

[Gord]

went into my local lexus centre for the so called vip weekend, whilst there i was told that next year lexus are reducing the number of cars they have to send from 12,000 cars down to 8000 cars,

i can only assume its due to lack of demand?

In Japan Toyota/Lexus have had to lay-off over 800 staff, due to sales :o

[DJ Wozza]

Big expensive & thirsty cars are always going to be hit first when times are hard...

[bob.grainger]

I was told this by my local Lexus Sales Manager more than 2 months ago, prior to the financial meltdown. He said that the background reason is that too many dealers are selling the cars at discounted prices and that as a result Lexus vehicles are losing their 'exclusive' status, compared with BMW and Mercedes, so supply would be reduced to try to restore their status.

Don't know how true this is - just repeating what I was told

[swfcdan]

went into my local lexus centre for the so called vip weekend, whilst there i was told that next year lexus are reducing the number of cars they have to send from 12,000 cars down to 8000 cars,

i can only assume its due to lack of demand?

how was the weekend? any good deals? i didnt get time to get down

[John Lawley]

Lexus are concerntrating on hybrid technology, time will tell if it was worth the gamble spend so much money on R&D hybrid technology, maybe they should have produced a decent diesel engine in the first place?

Or better yet what noone has done and make a good diesel hybrid...

[simon k]

swfc dan,

i called in on sat, it was very strange security gaurd on the gate only letting you in if you had a pass, all the windows blacked out, red carpet on way in and geeeted with a glass of champers,

the cars on the forecourt had been reduced betwen £500 and some as much as £2000

they had reduced new ones inside such as the is 250sr for 19k, sales guy said they had a target to sell 14 cars over the weekend and they had done 12 already.

wasnt tempted im thinking of hanging on to mine untill april and then getting a boxster or Z4.

[swfcdan]

swfc dan,

i called in on sat, it was very strange security gaurd on the gate only letting you in if you had a pass, all the windows blacked out, red carpet on way in and geeeted with a glass of champers,

the cars on the forecourt had been reduced betwen £500 and some as much as £2000

they had reduced new ones inside such as the is 250sr for 19k, sales guy said they had a target to sell 14 cars over the weekend and they had done 12 already.

wasnt tempted im thinking of hanging on to mine untill april and then getting a boxster or Z4.

Sounds odd indeed. I'm currently hunting for a Z4 at the moment. There are lots about, but need to sort out exactly how much i have to spend and B) do my research on the car

[Parthiban]

Or better yet what noone has done and make a good diesel hybrid...

I think it hasn't happened because a diesel engine cannot cope with being stopped and started over and over, but I might be wrong.

I'm currently hunting for a Z4 at the moment. There are lots about, but need to sort out exactly how much i have to spend and B) do my research on the car

Be careful with the Z4, especially the early ones, as my brothers (one of the first) has been a nightmare. Also make absolutely sure you can cope with the ride everyday, I'm not sure I could.........

[Yeldarb]

Having had a Z4 and a Boxter S I would go for the Boxter every time. The BMW failed to raise so much as a smile, the Boxter makes me smile every time I look at it, let alone drive it and it out handles the Z4 easy in every day driving!! The 2 cars are just in different leagues.

The down side of a Boxter or any Porsche is the tyre cost you must use their compound (N2) and at £200 each on the back it can hurt the wallet!! Funny thing is the engine is hidden away fron view, a way of saying "nothing to touch in there mate, leave it alone!!"

[ihpj]

I'm not surprised by this, Lexus don't have low a c02 petrol engine or a decent diesel engine and with high taxes in the UK more and more people want low c02 cars. I hear Infiniti are about to launch a range of cars in th UK, IMHO they should have entered the UK market 10 years ago, not many people want high producing c02 cars, unless they have a footballers salary to run such high c02 vehicles.

Lexus are concerntrating on hybrid technology, time will tell if it was worth the gamble spend so much money on R&D hybrid technology, maybe they should have produced a decent diesel engine in the first place?

I completely agree with you. Infiniti launched too late in the US and have been savaged by Lexus. Infiniti never really established themselves over there and now with all this doom and gloom, want to bring 4L+/monster V8-something vehicles to the UK - it is a recipe for disaster and they do not appear to have learnt from their previous misadventures in the US. They seem intent on doing the same again in Europe. Altho' no doubt these cars should be bargains in the second hand market :)

As for Lexus and diesel, it is about brand association. When you think about a 'decent diesel' you think German, not French, Italian or Japanese. If I were to say: 'Small and chic city car' you'd think Renault/PUG? Same with hybrid. It is not that they cannot develop a decent engine, but rather the branding. By creating a distinct difference between their brand and the others, the Japanese have gone hybrid (well petrol/electric hybrid to be exact). And this is their product, what makes their brand unique.

[kam05]

I'm not surprised by this, Lexus don't have low a c02 petrol engine or a decent diesel engine and with high taxes in the UK more and more people want low c02 cars. I hear Infiniti are about to launch a range of cars in th UK, IMHO they should have entered the UK market 10 years ago, not many people want high producing c02 cars, unless they have a footballers salary to run such high c02 vehicles.

Lexus are concerntrating on hybrid technology, time will tell if it was worth the gamble spend so much money on R&D hybrid technology, maybe they should have produced a decent diesel engine in the first place?

I completely agree with you. Infiniti launched too late in the US and have been savaged by Lexus. Infiniti never really established themselves over there and now with all this doom and gloom, want to bring 4L+/monster V8-something vehicles to the UK - it is a recipe for disaster and they do not appear to have learnt from their previous misadventures in the US. They seem intent on doing the same again in Europe. Altho' no doubt these cars should be bargains in the second hand market :)

As for Lexus and diesel, it is about brand association. When you think about a 'decent diesel' you think German, not French, Italian or Japanese. If I were to say: 'Small and chic city car' you'd think Renault/PUG? Same with hybrid. It is not that they cannot develop a decent engine, but rather the branding. By creating a distinct difference between their brand and the others, the Japanese have gone hybrid (well petrol/electric hybrid to be exact). And this is their product, what makes their brand unique.

I too totally agree with you on the branding issue.

I think Lexus or Infiniti cannot achieve big sales in the UK with big/thirsty engines, so they are limiting themselves to markets where petrol/tax is cheap (cheaper than UK/Europe). Cars like Lexus and Infiniti should sell like hotcakes in the US, Middle East etc....

But......

With the economic downturn, I'm not so sure....