Lexus Prays For Buyers As It Tosses $10K On The Hood Of LS 600h L Models

Low gas prices and even lower demand in the luxury market have conspired to short-circuit sales of premium hybrid-electric vehicles. Now, as the fourth quarter begins to wind down a fairly lousy year for auto sales - and new 2010 models are shouldering their way onto dealer lots - automakers are piling on some fantastic incentives in the hope of clearing out leftover big-money hybrids.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus premium division, owner of the market's most-expensive hybrid in its LS 600h L, rang in October with a bulging $10,000 dealer-cash incentive on the '09 model of the flagship hybrid. The company also is offered a bounty of $1,000 to any sales associate selling an '09 LS 600h L, which starts at $106,035.

Toyota doesn't break out sales of the hybrid LS in its monthly sales reports, but sales of the entire LS line are down 53.7 percent through September as sales in almost all luxury segments continue to fade.


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HSCenterconsole - 10/6/2009 3:49:00 PM

-14 Boost

And this was supposed to compete with real V12's. HA.

DinamoR - 10/6/2009 4:34:49 PM

+14 Boost

and how are the V12's selling? even the V8 brand new 7 series ain't doing good. People are not buying these expensive cars during a recession. even if someone has the money, they don't want to be seen driving a brand new $100+k car when other people are getting laid off

ghosthunter - 10/6/2009 4:59:57 PM

+7 Boost

and Benz S class wasn't giving out 10k discount?
and last gen BMW 7 wasn't giving out 10 K discount?

and the point of his article is?

enthusiastx11 - 10/7/2009 8:39:38 PM

-1 Boost

the 'point' is that lexus raved about how this car is sold out. right. bullshit again from their marketing machine.

re: V12s from mercedes and bmw. the lexus ls600 does not compete with them in performance, style or price. plus, the lexus LISTS for $40,000 less than the S600. so the S600 would have to be offered with a $50,000 rebate to equal the price of the LS600.

the point: the lexus can't even sell despite costing 1/3 less than the cars it wishes it could be.

DinamoR - 10/8/2009 1:13:57 AM

+2 Boost

enthusiast i won't even argue with you. you have the mental capacity of a retarded 10 year old. actually, i should appologize to all the retarded 10 year olds for comparing them to you

enthusiastx11 - 10/8/2009 11:19:06 PM

+1 Boost

you're right...facts are retarded. i hope i'm as smart as you one day.

Anthony - 10/6/2009 4:06:57 PM

+8 Boost

So the outgoing LS hybrid, about to be replaced with an updated new version, is being discounted at around 10%. This is news?

HSCenterconsole - 10/6/2009 4:15:14 PM

-10 Boost

Are these incentives because consumers don't want an ultra-luxury hybrid OR are they because consumers are having a hard time putting down $100,000+ for a Lexus? If it is the latter, then Toyota/Lexus is going to have an awfully hard time pushing the LF-A's off the lot.

Anthony - 10/6/2009 4:20:31 PM

+14 Boost

OR, are they because unemployment is about to hit 10%, our economy has just come out of a recession and all of the luxury auto market is down? You people still hate the LS hybrid this much? Sad.

Agent009 - 10/6/2009 4:21:01 PM

-7 Boost

HSCenterconsole - From the way I read it, it is a buyer cash back to either assist in down payment. Now why a buyer with such needs and means to buy such a car would worry that much about $10k is beyond me.

Anthony - This is news because the car was selling like hot cakes when it was introduced and now it has dropped so far that they are resorting to incentives to move the metal. Incentives will hurt your resale one of the claims to fame of this car. 2010 model are arriving and the have a backlog of 2009's in inventory. Someone is getting a decent deal after they discount the car even further.

HSCenterconsole - 10/6/2009 4:24:06 PM

-10 Boost

Just thinking out loud Anthony. You can hold the Toyota spin for a few minutes.

Anthony - 10/6/2009 4:27:01 PM

+10 Boost

Not using any Toyota spin, just using knowledge of current events and logic.

Agent009,
Yes, these will make a great deal to potential buyers, but I don't recall resale value being a "claim to fame" for this car.

DinamoR - 10/6/2009 4:36:07 PM

+2 Boost

LOL keep trying HS. LF-As will fly off the lot.

HSCenterconsole - 10/6/2009 4:40:12 PM

-8 Boost

Dinamor, let's use your logic:
"People are not buying these expensive cars during a recession. even if someone has the money, they don't want to be seen driving a brand new $100+k car when other people are getting laid off"

The LF-A is coming out soon. Listen to most economoists or portfolio managers and they will tell you the unemployment rate is going to remain around 10% for awhile. Using your logic, then the LF-A's won't be flying off the lot.

DinamoR - 10/6/2009 7:07:19 PM

+3 Boost

they'll only make 500 LF-As dumb dumb. Not in a year, or a month, TOTAL 500. Ever. They'll be sold out before they even real the dealerships.

Agent009 - 10/7/2009 9:37:06 AM

+2 Boost

Anthony- "Resale is the claim to fame for this car" was not worded correctly it should have been the brand's claim to fame. I stand corrected.

enthusiastx11 - 10/7/2009 8:42:02 PM

-2 Boost

regarding "LF-A will fly off the lot.' they'll never be on the lot. they're only make 100. you could sell 100 of anything.

Joe_Limon - 10/6/2009 4:30:38 PM

+4 Boost

I don't think it is low gas prices that are killing luxury hybrids... these cars are expensive... fuel prices play such a small role in buying them.

FanboyOfTheTruth - 10/6/2009 4:37:20 PM

+10 Boost

According to Edmunds, the S600 and 750Li are being discounted just as much, so what's the point?

answer - 10/6/2009 4:43:54 PM

+10 Boost

Slow news period = time to bust out the anti-Lexus "stories".

david999 - 10/6/2009 4:46:46 PM

+8 Boost

Top of line S-Class has almost $24,000 discount and 750Li $18,000. Some high-end sports cars are almost $30k off.
This article posted by 009 is supposed to give the impression that Lexus is desperate for sales. Nothing but more flame baiting.

enthusiastx11 - 10/7/2009 8:43:54 PM

-3 Boost

the BMW and mercedes V12s cost $30,000 to $40,000 more than the LS. the fact the LS has to discount off of an already HUGELY discounted MSRP speaks volumes about the lack of interest and respect for the car amongst the wealthy.

thetruth01 - 10/6/2009 4:58:01 PM

+10 Boost

Edmunds.....Comparing all brands, in September Scion spent $311 followed by Honda at $808 per vehicle sold. At the other end of the spectrum, Cadillac spent the most, $9,233, followed by BMW at $6,321.

But that's not as fun and traffic generating as a good 009 headline!!

ceric - 10/6/2009 5:15:42 PM

+7 Boost

So, a $40K Mazda CX9 is having a $4500 rebate. A $100K vehicle is having a $10K rebate. Sounds reasonable to me. Do the math.

Agent009 - 10/7/2009 9:42:33 AM

-1 Boost

Huu76 - I posted and article on the BMW and Merc sales a while back. So they had their moment of exposure. It is simply Lexus time right now.

M53R - 10/7/2009 12:20:39 PM

-4 Boost

huu76

Over here in the middle east, the new 7 series costs around 35% MORE than the LS. And I'm pretty sure it also costs much more than the LS in NA too.

enthusiastx11 - 10/7/2009 8:45:02 PM

-2 Boost

huu: i hate you.

skinny - 10/6/2009 7:53:21 PM

-1 Boost

Lexus praying? It's more like everyone's praying for people to come to showrooms! Besides, BMW in good economic years was putting $7.5 to $10K in the incentives on the hood of the 7-series!

But the LS600h was a huge mistake from the beginning. The product makes no sense. The gas mileage is worse than the LS460, and it's still slower! What Lexus should have done is make a LS450h or something using the 3.5L V6 and hybrid powertrain and brought it in at about the same price as a regular LS.

Agent009 - 10/7/2009 9:40:32 AM

-2 Boost

I agree most companies are praying right now. But some of the comments coming out of Toyota lately are pretty scary.

The combination of a rising YEN, poor economy, bad press and seemly regular accusations of quality concerns have to be hurting them.

ThierryHenry14 - 10/6/2009 11:46:45 PM

+2 Boost

$1-2M is a very big exaggeration, I get your point... but I don't think many people will pay a huge premium for that car...

enthusiastx11 - 10/6/2009 8:31:37 PM

-4 Boost

why are there leftover '09 models of the LS600. lexus--and all the toyota freaks on here--told us a thousand times that they were sold out when they introduced the 09 model.

John_Stossel - 10/6/2009 9:48:49 PM

+4 Boost

The LS hybrid debuted as a 2008 model, the first allocation of which, sold out. Try again.

Willis - 10/7/2009 6:12:05 PM

-3 Boost

Sold out? Kinda easy for a vehicle that was OVERHYPED from the very beginning and then offered in what, 2,000 limited edition models? Wow, sold out! Wow!

John_Stossel - 10/7/2009 6:26:27 PM

+4 Boost

What's it to you Willis? Nobody cares that it sold out, except for you. It is merely a fact.

AMiodynski - 10/7/2009 2:05:35 PM

+5 Boost

Not sure where the information was gathered from, the Lexus is offering $6,000 in incentives, not $10,000...... Not really a big deal since most stores don't have one anyway.

enthusiastx11 - 10/11/2009 1:12:31 AM

0 Boost

discounts are given because demand is weak...so they're storing these LS600s somewhere....