Lexus Hopes Marvel's Black Panther Makes Them As Iconic As Tony Stark Did For Audi

In Marvel Studios’ upcoming Black Panther blockbuster, the superhero king of Wakanda surfs through a city clinging to the roof of his Lexus LC 500 supercar as his sister pilots it remotely.

The Toyota Motor Corp. brand is trying to use the excitement of that cameo to end a seven-year drought as U.S. luxury sales leader.

The prominent role in the Walt Disney Co. movie, the first major superhero film to feature a black actor in the lead role and a largely black cast, is no accident, says Cooper Ericksen, Lexus’ vice-president of marketing. To succeed in shifting toward a more sporty, high-performance image, Lexus needs to reach a new audience.

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bw5011 - 1/22/2018 2:20:53 PM

-4 Boost

Lexus can be in every movie and will not have any more or fewer customers. Lexus is the car you get when you can't afford a real luxury car or when you're above the whole luxury thing but don't want to get a Honda or Camry. They should really try to market more to the Driving Miss Daisy types.

Car4life1 - 1/22/2018 3:01:20 PM

+4 Boost

I'm no Lexus fan but even I'm confused as to what the hell you are talking about, and of all movies...miss daisy...ok

knowitall1985 - 1/22/2018 4:52:31 PM

+2 Boost

Sometimes it's better to be assumed the village mute, than confirmed the village idiot.

bw5011 - 1/22/2018 10:04:05 PM

-2 Boost

Lexus buyers are the oldest on the road with exception to MB drivers. Most people watching super hero movies dont care about a car in a movie. Most millennials don't even have drivers license and the people than can afford a car over 50k are not letting a movie influence their decision.

zlives - 1/22/2018 8:01:55 PM

-1 Boost

do you perchance work for toyota/lexus as they are hoping the same thing :)

countguy - 1/22/2018 3:32:46 PM

+9 Boost

If you purchase a car based off of a movie then please turn in your drivers licence. Audi R8 owners please lineup first.

carsnyc - 1/22/2018 7:03:36 PM

+1 Boost

Most hated makes (premium) by Autospies in decreasing order:
-Tesla
-Cadillac
-Acura
-Audi
-Infiniti
-Lexus
-BMW
-Volvo
-Mercedes

carsnyc - 1/22/2018 7:17:41 PM

+1 Boost

*I should have said by the people on Autospies, not by Autospies.com

zlives - 1/22/2018 8:03:30 PM

0 Boost

If audi actually ever produced the e-tron i may have bought it... but then again i liked the e-tron concept before it was tied to the movie.

the italian job did make me a fan of the old gti's

EVisNow - 1/23/2018 2:38:21 AM

+2 Boost

I wouldn't buy a car because of a movie, but there are many people who do. Ford is still milking the Mustang Bullitt 50 years after the movie. Chevy Corvette and Camaro as real life autobots ? Cadillac sells tons of cars to pimps and hip-hop wannabes thanks to B movies and social media. So there you go, if it sells then why not ?

TomM - 1/23/2018 6:55:39 AM

-3 Boost

While I would not buy a car because of a movie alone - seeing something special in a movie MIGHT have me consider at least testing a car - which is basically all that the manufacturers really want - to get you to their salespersons. (Example - Aston and James Bond Movies). I have only owned one car that I never drove before it was mine - my first car was in the garage of a property I inherited before I was old enough to drive.

So - if a manufacturer is bringing out a new car - having it in a movie can't hurt - and could help.

AS far as the most hated premium cars list - that list includes several brands that are not premium top level - but are second level.

cidflekken - 1/23/2018 3:28:23 PM

+2 Boost

I guess it wouldn't hurt to appear in a high-profile movie. But now would be the time to determine the true impact. It's been 10 years this year since the R8 appeared in Iron Man, so those younger viewers of the movie (target demographic of 15-18-year-olds) are now at an age and/or income level where they might start buying into a luxury brand.