2010 Lexus RX

[MidnightDave]

Wow, thank Geawd you're arguing with Wimmer about Lexi v. MB, I thought for a minute you guys had three pages of dialogue about a Japanese minivan! ;-) I think you're all jealous of Wimmer's photographic prowess so you pick on his marque. J/K mostly.

BTW, yet another AMG stomped my @ss in the wifey's IS350 this week. Heritage or no, AMG builds some fast cars! I guess I'm just fueling a MB board somewhere where they're posting Lexus kills in a huge counter or something. I just can't help it. I love to see those big black coupes fall on their haunches and pull away from me.

Final note to Wimmer: I <3 the Casio analogy, that was priceless!

[nickdrinkwater]

Some do, but I doubt if you asked 100 MB owners why they bought their car more than five would say "because it has heritage." If that many.

I'd say that's even the minority among enthusiasts these days, beyond a handful car lines like Mustang.

They might not admit it explcitly or even realise it but that's doesn't mean it isn't true, i.e. a subconcious factor.

I'd agree with that, but history only as far as positive name recognition.

Again, I think it's fair to say history goes further than just name recognition.  If company has over the years consistently produced products that considered of the highest quality and leading their market, at the same time being innovative, then surely that history directly contributes to their relationship?  (I'm not thinking of any company in particular here, just generally).

Has anyone not reasoned that the reason for Lexus' success is the brilliant reputation of Toyota who are of course behind it?  Toyota, who have a history, albeit a short one, of producing things which are of consistently high quality...

[ifcar]

"If company has over the years consistently produced products that considered of the highest quality and leading their market, at the same time being innovative, then surely that history directly contributes to their relationship?"

I'm not sure a history of innovation would lead people to the current product unless the new one, too, is innovative.

But I'd agree with the rest, as long as it stays as general as "over the years." I don't think Lexus's prestige in the US suffers in the slightest because Mercedes and others have been around for decades more, because Lexus has had a very strong recent history.

History matters, but again it's more "what have you done for me lately": current product, recent past. It's how Cadillac, for example, was able to quickly bump itself up small notch from Lincoln following the 2003 CTS.

[cawimmer430]

Look, this whole arguing is getting us nowhere.

It's an issue of how we think - which is differently.


To me, Lexus will never have the brand prestige of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and others. Why is that? Simple. Look at the histories of Mercedes-Benz and BMW etc. It's that simple. I don't need to explain anything here.

The history of Lexus is pretty dull and unimpressive compared to these brands, especially since Toyota pumped so much money into them. Lexus had a successful customer base to start out with - old, but loyal Toyota customers who wanted something value-oriented and premium. With these people on hand and Toyotas financial power they were bound to succeed in the US.

Furthermore Lexus isn't exactly a global brand in the sense of its European rivals, which have global appeal because they choose to adapt to different market demands. Lexus doesn't. Selling the American viewpoint of what a luxury car should be anywhere else is not really a good idea.



My last post in here.