Lexus Global Sales Top 580,000 Vehicles - How Long Until They Can Hope To Eclipse The Germans?

Globally they still have a long way to go but domestically here in the US, LEXUS will surpass the Germans this year. The problem globally is the same as the US, people like their entry level cars only.

The problem for Lexus is that while they are experiencing growth (11.7% YTD), so are the Germans. Mercedes is up 15% over last year, BMW is up 7.5%, and Audi 3.4%. Mercedes and BMW's respective growth rates equates to a larger total-unit increase than Lexus' growth rate.

From the looks of recent events, some "Germans" have likely just become far more vulnerable than others.

Lexus won't do that well in a few years.

"More Japanese school pupils commit suicide on September 1 each year than on any other date, according to figures collated by Japan's suicide prevention office over a period of more than 40 years.

The grim spike in the statistics is linked to the typical start date of the new school term after the summer holiday has ended.

"The long break from school enables you to stay at home, so it's heaven for those who are bullied," Nanae said. "When summer ends, you have to go back. And once you start worrying about getting bullied, committing suicide might be possible.""

"Nanae thinks the Japanese education system's focus on collective thinking is at the root cause of the problem."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/01/asia/japan-teen-suicides/

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"Gov’t Report: Fukushima released up to 181 Quadrillion Bq of cesium, Chernobyl was 105 Quadrillion — Radioactive material to flow from Japan “for years to come” — Fukushima radionuclides have now spread “throughout N. Pacific”"


http://enenews.com/govt-report-fukushima-already-released-181-quadrillion-bq-cesium-chernobyl-estimated-105-quadrillion-radioactive-material-continue-flowing-ocean-years-fukushima-radionuclides-spread-north-pac

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"Japan revisionists deny WW2 sex slave atrocities"

" "As a defeated nation we only teach the history forced on us by the victors," he says. "To be an independent nation again we must move away from the history imposed on us. We should take back our true history that we can be proud of."

In this "true" history of the 20th Century that Mr Tamogami talks of, Japan was not the aggressor, but the liberator. Japanese soldiers fought valiantly to expel the hated white imperialists who had subjugated Asian peoples for 200 years.

It is a proud history, where Japan, alone in Asia, was capable of taking on and defeating the European oppressors. It is also a version of history that has no room for the Japanese committing atrocities against fellow Asians.

Mr Tamogami believes that Japan did not invade the Korean Peninsula, but rather "invested in Korea and also in Taiwan and Manchuria"."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33754932

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"Fukushima2020? Disaster-stricken area hopes to host Tokyo Olympic events

The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee further attempted to assuage fears by saying the radiation level in Tokyo was “the same” as in other major global capitals such as London, New York and Paris.

But Mitsuhei Murata, a former Japanese ambassador to Switzerland, said it was “immoral” to invite people to the Olympic Games in Japan, saying “the health environment cannot be secured,” the UK Independent cited him as saying at the time.

He called for the bid to be rescinded. "

https://www.rt.com/news/214983-fukushima-host-olympic-radioactive/

"There is no reason to believe that radiation leaks at Fukushima will be contained by 2020, so the Tokyo Olympics can become impossible, nuclear technology historian Robert Jacobs told RT."

http://www.rt.com/op-edge/fukushima-impossible-tokyo-olympics-2020-895/

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"Japan’s Fukushima Badly Wants To Host 2020 Tokyo Olympics

"It wasn't clear what exactly type of games or events the radiation-riddled Fukushima prefecture can handle. Uchibori did say the prefecture already has existing facilities that can be used for the preliminary events. Reuters believed that if approved, Fukushima can host the soccer matches."

http://www.ibtimes.com.au/japans-fukushima-badly-wants-host-2020-tokyo-olympics-1401134

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"U.S. slams Japan over sex trafficking, forced labor

The United States has censured Japan for failing to halt the trafficking of women and children for sex, and for ongoing “conditions of forced labor” within a government-run training program for non-Japanese.

In its annual review of human trafficking worldwide, the U.S. State Department on Monday called Japan a “destination, source and transit country” for people subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation, urging the government to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law and offer specialized care for victims."

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/07/28/national/u-s-slams-japan-sex-trafficking-forced-labor/#.Vgdvvc-FOpp

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"Subaru’s secret: Marginalized foreign workers power a Japanese export boom

What Subaru does not tout is that its boom is made possible in part by asylum seekers and other cheap foreign laborers from Asia and Africa."

http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/japan-subaru/

"130 ‘radioactive’ Japanese cars banned from entering Russia

The Fukushima nuclear plant was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami in March 2011, which resulted in the world’s biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Leakage of radiation-contaminated water has been the major threat to population and environment of Japan and neighboring states from the very beginning of the crisis at the facility, situated just 250 kilometers from Japan’s capital city, Tokyo.

However, the plant’s operator, TEPCO, did not acknowledge that contaminated water was escaping from the Fukushima plant into the ocean, and that it was unable to stop the leaks, until July 2013"

http://www.rt.com/news/japan-russia-fukushima-cars-201/

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"Food produced around the Fukushima nuclear disaster site could be making its way on to British shelves because of loopholes in safety rules, The Independent can reveal.

Products contaminated by radiation, including tea, noodles and chocolate bars, have already been exported from Japan under the cover of false labelling by fraudsters."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-from-fukushima-could-be-hitting-britains-shelves-through-legal-safety-loophole-10174298.html

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A total of 70 used cars imported from Japan and found to have increased levels of radiation are being stored in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and cannot be sent back, according to Silk Road Reporters citing local news outlets. Car retailers in Kyrgyzstan, who have been importing significant numbers of used cars from Japan for resale in the country, have been finding cars that exhibit levels of radiation above normal. Several batches of cars have been seized by the government during the last three years and have at times been sent back to Japan through an agreement with the Japanese government. However, irradiated cars keep turning up in Bishkek, the capital, and not all of them are being detected in a timely manner.

"These cars cannot be dispatched back. Neither China nor Japan will accept them. For this reason, we have to keep them here and deal with their further disposal," Tolo Isakov, director of the Disease Prevention Department in Bishkek, told the AKIpress news outlet, according to Silk Road Reporters.

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/radioactive-cars-japan-keep-turning-central-asia

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Japan is a country of fraud and liars. This country produces nothing but radioactive wastes and lie to the people saying "Oh hey, we make reliable cars, so just buy our crap. Radiation? Who cares, just buy our garbage, they are reliable!"

This is exactly why the Japanese "luxury" cars can NEVER be anything like the European luxury brands.

Germany is trying hard to correct their problems but Japan will NOT even bother. The Japanese government and their companies are filled with corruption, and they produce nothing but radioactive wastes.

And those who keep deboosting my comments, I bet they would love to live in their radioactive dreamland "Japan" or something. Otherwise, I don't see the point of deboosting my comments. Pathetic.

The thing is, the Americans basically just buy any cheap cars and many Americans practically don't care how the cars perform, so it's obvious as to why cheap and reliable entry level Lexus cars sell.

Without the entry level cars, Lexus is practically nothing and nobody. Lexus, Infiniti and Acura only sell well in the U.S. and nowhere else.

I actually agree with this comment.

nobody wants to listen to your hate speech so just STFU.....

And nobody here is interested in your dumb insults, as you yourself are "Nobody".

And I didn't know speaking the truth was called "hate speech". Somebody needs to go back to school and learn the definition of words again.

And I'm really sorry, but I guess you didn't know the seriousness of the Japanese radiation. I'm sorry, are you crying like a baby now? Aww, poor soul.

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"130 ‘radioactive’ Japanese cars banned from entering Russia

The Fukushima nuclear plant was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami in March 2011, which resulted in the world’s biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Leakage of radiation-contaminated water has been the major threat to population and environment of Japan and neighboring states from the very beginning of the crisis at the facility, situated just 250 kilometers from Japan’s capital city, Tokyo.

However, the plant’s operator, TEPCO, did not acknowledge that contaminated water was escaping from the Fukushima plant into the ocean, and that it was unable to stop the leaks, until July 2013"

http://www.rt.com/news/japan-russia-fukushima-cars-201/

--

"Food produced around the Fukushima nuclear disaster site could be making its way on to British shelves because of loopholes in safety rules, The Independent can reveal.

Products contaminated by radiation, including tea, noodles and chocolate bars, have already been exported from Japan under the cover of false labelling by fraudsters."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-from-fukushima-could-be-hitting-britains-shelves-through-legal-safety-loophole-10174298.html

--

A total of 70 used cars imported from Japan and found to have increased levels of radiation are being stored in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and cannot be sent back, according to Silk Road Reporters citing local news outlets. Car retailers in Kyrgyzstan, who have been importing significant numbers of used cars from Japan for resale in the country, have been finding cars that exhibit levels of radiation above normal. Several batches of cars have been seized by the government during the last three years and have at times been sent back to Japan through an agreement with the Japanese government. However, irradiated cars keep turning up in Bishkek, the capital, and not all of them are being detected in a timely manner.

"These cars cannot be dispatched back. Neither China nor Japan will accept them. For this reason, we have to keep them here and deal with their further disposal," Tolo Isakov, director of the Disease Prevention Department in Bishkek, told the AKIpress news outlet, according to Silk Road Reporters.

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/radioactive-cars-japan-keep-turning-central-asia

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For a long time - Lexus made Buicks - ie - entry level premium cars. Remembering that for a long time - the Buick was considered the car of Doctors. Not Flashy - but reliable. I disagree that they are a LUXURY car manufacturer - their ONE luxury car - the LS - is not competitive. Essentially they sell a lot of small Suvs and a Front Wheel Drive Camary derivative on the low end of the scale. That is why I prefer to name them a premium car manufacturer - NOT a Luxury car manufacturer (Rolls and Bentley are Luxury car manufacturers - at one time so was Cadillac - and Lincoln - when they only made large cars)

And in the USA - a large contingent of Older people buy cars - and tend to buy entry level premiums like Buick and Lexus. For them - virtually ALL cars go much faster than they will, accelerate quicker than they will - stop shorter than they will try to - and perform far more that adequately for their transportation needs (THey are unlikely to be racers). Since they have the money to spend - they want a car that implies status FOR THEM. Lexus does that.
Since they can only go as fast as any other person on the road - and they are more likely to obey speed limits now - A huge engine and lots of power are secondary to the tissue holder and the various Tug Straps in the cars that allow them to get in and out.

If you are going to consider the Germans as a unit - Lexus does not really compete with them - making money is their game

I agree. I mean, the Europeans and the Americans all have something for their luxury brands. As for Cadillac, they have an Escalade which is considered a status symbol by a lot of celebrities, and as for European, there are M4, M5, M6, S65 AMG, G Wagon, S5, S7, A8, 911 GT3, Aventador, 458 Italia, F12berlinetta, Phantom, Ghost, Continental GT, P1, DB9, Veyron and the list goes on and on.

And yet, is there a SINGLE Japanese "luxury" car that comes to your mind right away? Other than RX and ES? Which both are nothing but mere entry level junk that try hard to be "luxury" cars. And practically no one cares about Infiniti and Acura as they are utterly ignored by pretty much everyone.

Japanese cars are the personification of efficiency, like it or not.

Japanese cars are the epitome of efficiency, like it or not.

In the US consumers have had more years to recognize quality and value from Asian brands, and don't care to be gouged in the service department, so Lexus is doing very well. In Europe there is strong nationalism which limits Asian imports. Recently saw a Top Gear replay of how Honda in the UK is largely an old folks brand, which makes sense that they are first to recognize the quality and value. Also buyers are preferring quiet and comfort over performance factors that are only experienced on a track or speeds not legal in the US.

I agree with that too. AS cars became more and more powerful again - they were again capable of things that you simply cannot do on public roads. Tv Commercials with cars taking a 4 wheel skid into a parking space is unlikely something that any one of US us going to do in our lifetime. Years ago - they made an oil additive that showed an engine frozen in a block of ice - that started with the additive - and someone asked me if I was impressed. I replied - I you regularly wake up with your engine frozen in a block of ice - I would consider parking somewhere else first.

So - for most of us (ANd I am from an are of Englishtown NJ where we have a drag strip - and once had a stock car track) - most of the minute advantages of one super car over another will never be noticed by us in reality. But as you grow older - you ache in new places - and the ability to get comfortable in a car is more important than if it has a .1 faster 0-60 time.

With Audi harpooned over the diesel mess, Lexus is in a good position to grab sales. Lexus has better reliability and durability than the Germans.

Japan has RR. What is RR, Rolls-Royce? Range Rover? No.

Japan has, Reliability & Radiation. ;)

MDarringer I don't agree about Lexus - Audi was a conservatively styled car - the new Lexus Designs are anything but that. THere was a time when Lexus cars were more conservative and might have taken some sales - but today they are just too swoopy for Audi customers.

The question to me is - what will replace having a Diesel Engine - Lexus does not have those. THe combination of good low end performance and great fuel mileage cannot be duplicated by most Hybrids - and even though I drive a Hybrid - they simply are not fun to drive. Audi customers were largely at the lower end of the premium Market - A3/A4 and the like - but with good driving dynamics - and I would guess BMW and Mercedes would get those customers before Lexus. In fact - I would suggest that Cadillac MIGHT have an opening here - although their styling is no as conservative - it is not the cow catcher grill of Lexus.

@TomM If you're looking at truth vis a vis reliability look at the warranty incidence rate of Lexus versus the Germans, and quite simply Lexus products not to "visit home" very often.

GMCadi"l"ac?? LOL

I actually thank you for even taking your time to make a fake account of mine. I can pretty much tell you are too desperate. You are jamesridick or whatever it is called, am I right?

And it's ok. I'm flattered. I can tell you were so angry after reading all those sources that I have given you.

Why are you mad at my sources? Are they from me? No, they are from the legit media, not me.

Jamesridick, it's about time you got banned from this website. Even though I appreciate the fact that you have proven that I am quite popular on this website, you are basically impersonating.

So, with this GMCadi"l"ac and jamesridick, you both need to be banned. I'm sorry to hear that you were unable to handle the truth.

By the way, James, did you check whether your Lexus is irradiated or not? Because the Japanese don't do that for you, you know?

I'm just worried about your health, that's all.

And just so you know, thanks to your fake account, I'm sure more people will take my comments more seriously from now on. Because hey, who even bother making a fake account of "nobody"? ;)

Isn't the internet wonderful?

Yo GMCadillac....everyone here knows your just JDMuscle with a different handle. Doesn't matter what handle you use...your bipolar Japan worship dribble is garbage.