Japanese Luxury Brands Striving To Define An Identity With New Halo Cars

Of the three Japanese brands, Lexus is most on game. The RCF and the GSF are two moves in the right direction and the LC500 is a huge indication that Lexus is on game. IF IF IF the new LS come to market looking drop-dead gorgeous--like it MUST do--then Lexus will be way out in front.

Infiniti has the right components, but it's styling and naming scheme are two massive strikes against it. The GTR should have been an Infiniti GTR and a 4 door sedan--let's call it the Skyline--should have been pulled from the GTR.

Acura is by far the most delusional. It thinks it can rechrome Hondas, slap on a halo car--the NSX--that in no way connects to the Acura Mercurys and call itself premium with a straight face. The Precision Concept--if built faithfully would be just a drop in the bucket. BUT if its styling quickly replaces the dowdy looking styling of the ILX and the TSX and if the RLX is forever banished in favor of a sedan not derived from the Accord, then Acura could have a shot, but Acura has always been a near-premium brand--a Japanese Muercury.

Of the 3 German...only Benz is a true luxury. are they lux? no..just another bland euro auto company.

Lexus has been on a tear the past two or three years and they are smartly maintaining that momentum. They need to now focus on the higher end of their model range. Lexus does run the risk of alienating its core buyers with their current approach and driving them to Genesis or Lincoln. They also run the risk of their styling coming off as gimmicky, with really short legs in terms of longevity of appeal.

Acura absolutely needs to commit to their words and they need to ignore the bean counters. We've been hearing about performance and such for years with little true end results. The exposure the NSX and Precision Concept is giving them this first half of the year cannot be ignored. Acura needs to introduce a flagship based on the Precision Concept, staying as true to that design as possible. Then they need to follow up with Type-S TLX and ILX, and completely redesign the RLX. The ILX runs the risk of being a forgotten soul with the incredible new Civic for sale so that should be first in line for a fix. Acura needs to focus on a complete line of premium cars, bridging the gap between the sedans and the NSX and upcoming baby NSX with an array of coupes.

Infiniti, to me, seems to be the odd-man out. The QX30 will do little for brand. Yes, it will increase sales, but I don't think it will do anything to elevate the image. The Q60 will sell well with existing G coupes owners and potential RC buyers, but it won't sway buyers of the 4 Series or A5. And the new C-Coupe is coming this year as well. No talk of a true flagship or halo car.

It really pains me too say this. But I agree. (lookout for the lightning).

Lexus has been on a roll and has realized that reliability was a one trick pony. It is much more than that and personality and "soul" are needed to get them to the top. They are learning this at an alarming rate (for the Germans at least) and will force the leaders to come up with something else to stay ahead. In the end we all win because Infiniti and Acura will follow right along.

Even WITHOUT a halo car, the Japanese luxury brands already have an identity:

Lexus: The guys who were best known for reliable, conservatively styled cars that were close to Mercedes' lower and middle end, but for a whole lot less money. Today, they're the guys who are known for their polarizing "Predator Face" styling, and occasionally creating sports cars with very impressive track numbers, but which attract frightfully few buyers.

Infiniti: The company that arrived on the scene with commercials that featured forests, streams and mountains but not cars(!), and left people wondering "what they hell are these guys selling?" Today, they're known as the constantly-shifting company that's trying desperately to understand who they are, and what image they want to present to the consuming public. Their distinct, though not widely appreciated styling language is not helping matters.

Acura: The first Japanese luxury car maker. They exploded on the US scene with the Acura Legend at a time when the Yen was cheap, resulting in a sedan that delivered a high level of fit and finish for what seemed like a steal. They're also famous for their NSX sports car, known for its futuristic (at the time) styling, excellent visibility, and noteworthy composure when pushed. Today, Acura is known for making conservatively powered, conservatively styled cars adorned with a grill that has been derisively dubbed "the parrot beak" for its obvious resemblance to its namesake. Acura also earned infamy for the arguably longest-hyped car, the all-new NSX 2, a car that was announced almost a decade ago, and is still keeping showrooms waiting. One of the least flattering things about Acura is that it has many of us wondering if we should keep calling it a "luxury" brand, as many manufacturers (Toyota, for example) have upped their game so significantly in the past decade that it appears non-luxury branded upscale offerings can be put in the same league as Acura.

So, do you believe if they make a halo car, it'll erase their reputation and people will think differently of them? I believe it'll be the same as their history and current reputation dictates... plus there's a rarely seen halo car they've made.