Unfair Treatment? Lexus Forced To Comply With Stricter Greenhouse Gas Requirements

German luxury auto makers including BMW AG and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz are close to benefitting from a U.S. concession that will allow them and a few other foreign makers to keep selling cars that emit more greenhouse gases than those made by mass-market rivals such as General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.

Under a provision of a plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Obama administration has proposed to set less stringent standards for car makers that sell fewer than 400,000 vehicles a year in the U.S. That target defines the major German brands as well as a few smaller Asian manufacturers such as Suzuki Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

The easier targets are expected to apply to a limited portion of a car maker's sales volume, and last for about four years -- unless the government grants an extension.


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HSCenterconsole - 8/3/2009 12:26:11 PM

+5 Boost

How is it unfair? Lexus is a division of Toyota.

Agent009 - 8/3/2009 12:46:00 PM

+2 Boost

Unfair in the context they are being held to a different standard. Or maybe better put that BMW, MB, and Audi are getting preferential treatment.

HSCenterconsole - 8/3/2009 12:58:28 PM

+3 Boost

I disagree 009. Lexus is a division of Toyota. If Daimler-Chrysler was still around, Mercedes would not be exempted either. Lexus benefits greatly from being a division of Toyota (parts and technology sharing, platform sharing, etc.). The exemption is based on overall units sold instead being based on competition or market segments.

FillorKill - 8/3/2009 1:23:09 PM

+14 Boost

When are the agents finally going to ban Mitchell/Mitchel. The joke has long been over played -- it wasn't funny to begin with either. Mitchell/Mitchel is just flooding the site with useless comments and is ruining the dialogue between real fans.

mpls - 8/3/2009 1:56:50 PM

+6 Boost

How about Audi/ Volkswagen ???

bintintin - 8/3/2009 2:19:00 PM

+1 Boost

Audi, although owned by VW, reports their financials/sales separate from VW. They are publicly traded which is something that Toyo/lexus does not do.

thetruth01 - 8/3/2009 3:05:45 PM

+3 Boost

It won't matter. They'll meet the requirements anyway.

dlin - 8/3/2009 3:20:44 PM

0 Boost

Unfair? Yes.

But does it matter? Challenge only makes a better man. It's not that TOYOTA or Lexus will extinct because of this requirement. Toyota can also spin off lexus operation to qualify for smaller volume car maker. There's too many ways around it.

I'm more interested to see why they do this to GM and Ford, and who's behind the lobbying. I bet you it's those German makers who simply cannot keep up :)

chano129 - 8/4/2009 8:06:08 PM

+1 Boost

why is it unfair to Lexus? what about other companies that are also there in this bind? Toyota have already has hybrid tech, the other companies are coming from behind, if anything it shouild be unfair for companies that donot have their own hybrid yet.