How Long Will It Take? Lexus Sets Goal To Again Overtake The Germans In US

With the new NX coming out to market and current leases on IS, RX and ES running from $250 to $399 per month LEXUS might take the crown by the end of the year or early 2015 here in the US. Worldwide, not much progress being made.

The "Germans'" (BMW, Mercedes, and arguably Audi) unit sales aren't that high compared to the Asian makes, so beating their unit sales numbers isn't a big deal. Being recognized as an equal is a big deal, and then also beating their unit sales numbers, now THAT's a big deal.

Lex makes great cars, but they're not considered "equals" to the German makes. That does not imply that they're inferior. It just means that today's BMW shopper isn't thinking, "Lemme see, a BMW or a Lexus? I'm not sure."

Considering how long everybody and their uncle has been chasing the venerable 3-series, and how often we've heard of a car maker alleging to have created or planning to build a "3-series killer," I'm not worried that it'll happen any time soon.

BTW, I currently have 2 older BMWs, and am not a fan of anything they create today. Still, I tip my hat to their success and consistently winning formula. That's hard to match.

You're right. Lexus isn't considered an equal to the Germans.
They're considered better.

They already did: IS=Corolla, ES=Camry, RX=Highlander/RAV4. Except for the LS460 (which I personally own one) all their cars are using the same chassis (rebadged) just like VW is (same strategy).

@fourtyfour the IS is built on a shortened version of the rear-wheel drive midsize platform introduced for the third generation Lexus GS and also used on the Japanese-market Toyota Crown and Toyota Mark X. Still they are all rebadged Toyotas. So your point is mute,want to buy a used LS460?

The big sellers in the Lexus line are the RS and the ES350 - hardly competitors for the German cars

However - somewhere along the line - someone is going to have to DEFINE what these market segments actually are. AS far as I am concerned - the Luxury Market - should be split. BMW has high end cars - but they primarily sell small sporty cars - not large luxury cars. Mercedes has spot their offerings - making AMG the sporty cars - and moving the c class more toward Luxury car offerings.

Lexus may compete at the LOW end luxury area - maybe competing with BUICK - but they really do not compete with BMW or Mercedes. Cadillac cars are clearly trying to compete with BMW with the ATS/CTS twins - but they went too far - to allow these cars to actually compete in the Luxury car market because their cars are too small.

And there is still no reasonable explanation for crossovers and 4x4's - in the car market and how to figure out what they represent.

Right now - there are only two who have CLEAR vision of their market - Rolls Royce and Bentley - in the High Luxury Car Market.

Considering the fact that the Germans are reaching as low in the market as they can (X1 at $30k and the CLA lower than that) this year it won't happen, but next year, with the RC and NX launching, they can do it.

The CLA does not sell for less than 30K, neither does the X1. Serious question, are you retarded? Sticker prices for those vehicles are just a trick to get buyers in the door, because neither sells for 30K. Damn is everyone on this site slow or what?

They won't top Mercedes or BMW for 2014, but in 2015 they definitely have a shot. The RC and NX are going to sell like hotcakes. The ES and RX already do. Mercedes will continue to pump out the CLA, GLA and new C and S-Class models. Not sure what else BMW can introduce in the U.S. market for 2015, as they sell everything now. To a lesser degree, the C63 AMG, AMG GT, S550 Hybrid and the S600 Maybach will put up some numbers in April 2015. The S-Class Cabriolet will arrive next summer/fall and is sure to be a hot item. Then the big numbers come next fall in the case of the new GLC (GLK), GLE Coupe, GLE Facelift (ML) and the GLS (GL) facelifts. Not sure when the C Coupe arrives. OH BMW will introduce the 6-Series facelift and 3-Series facelifts for the 2016 model year also. MB will have the C450 and a C250 diesel for the 2016 MY also. Going to be a big race for all 3.

All this 'rebadging' bashing is total bullshit. A PLATFORM is just that...a PLATFORM. You can take a house foundation and price the same house out in different communities based on the quality of materials to build the house in each community. Auto dealers have been following this same concept since the beginning of the automobile. To create separate and unique platforms for every model in a line-up would put manufacturers out of business.

I think this lack of understanding is just the basic ignorance of auto newbies who are grasping at straws for the 'mine is better than yours' argument.