Lexus, the premium brand of Toyota, is seriously looking at introducing one or more of the hybrid models in its arsenal as demand for the revitalised range grows - with Lexus currently outselling its direct opposition in each segment against BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
Speaking at the opening of the first stand-alone independent Lexus dealership in the country on William Nicol Highway in Bryanston, senior manager of Lexus, Brian Hastie, said interest in Lexus had grown significantly since the new range was introduced and the hybrid variants were a “definite possibility”.
The Lexus revamp began last year when the new IS250, GS300 and LS460 were introduced - the IS immediately becoming a finalist in SA Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Car of the Year competition and, although it did not win, the LS460 went on to win the World Car of the Year award recently.
Lexus has hybrid variants in each of its ranges - IS, GS, LS and the RX off-road - that operate on the same principle as the Toyota Prius where the engine automatically and seamlessly switches from electric power to petrol according to engine load.
Toyota, as the parent company, has firm policy geared to environmental issues with its cars and is actively researching alternate fuels and sources of power.
The Prius is currently the only hybrid vehicle available in South Africa.
“Close analysis of the Naamsa sales figures shows we are well ahead in sales against our opposition in the German camp,” says Hastie.
“Since its launch the LS460 has consistently outsold the BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 and is nipping at the heels of Mercedes-Benz - the only instance in which Lexus is not well ahead of its rivals.”
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