High Hopes? Lexus Targets BMW With European Only 2010 1-Series Competitor

How come it is Brilliant. Someone in Lexus PR was like, Umm, BMW has a 1 series, Infiniti is building a 1-series competitor for Europe, maybe we should do the same thing.

— montyz81 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 2:18:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

i could not have said it better.......montyz81

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 3:54:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Hey, according to your previous statements this means Lexus no competes with Kia and Suzuki.

— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 4:56:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

NEGATIVE!

— Type707 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/8/2009 1:20:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

fwd. i can see the comparisons now...

— 1995e34 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 1:58:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Many americans are simply looking at the badge. So yes a $25,000 Lexus would sell in the US. But would Lexus want to stoop that low?

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 4:02:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

They will once BMW and Mercedes stoop to that level too. Lexus is simply reacting to market demand just like any smart company would. Autospies is also doing the same thing that's why every thread is laced with flame inducing topics. Would other site stoop to this level?

— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 5/7/2009 4:11:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Lexus should have made it years ago. Audi sell its A3, the rebadged Golf with 30% higher price for equally equipped versions with same engines since 1996 and score 200.000 units annually in Europe itself.

— AutomotiveEngineer (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 2:36:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Current IS is already that size of E46 3. Unless they make it bigger I cannot imagine coming up w/ another midget 1 series competitor.

— dlin (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 3:55:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Simple fact is, that to compete in Europe, Lexus must introduce smaller vehicles like Mercedes,BMW and Audi already have been doing for years.

— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 8:21:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Funny how the Europeans who are supposed to know what luxury is have a love affair with cheap tin cans.

Europe deserves a rebadged Yaris, not like they'd know the difference anyway.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/6/2009 10:54:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Could be a tough road for Lexus.

Not exactly desirable cars in Europe, unless, it is a hybrid that can avoid congestion charges.

— Agent00R (View Profile)

Posted on 5/7/2009 1:22:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Lexus selling well in Europe? That is as likely as a vegetarian eating meat.

It just won´t happen that a rebadged Toyota is a success over there - check the actual sales Numbers for Lexus in Europe, if you are interested:

Year 2008, Lexus cars sold in Europe: 45.240 (-16% to 2007)
Source: http://www.blogspan.net/presse/toyota-verkaufszahlen-2008-in-deutschland-und-europa/mitteilung/22575/

Any German Premium Brand sold more cars in Germany solely, than Lexus was able to "Sell" in whole Europe:

Year 2008, sold in Germany:
Lexus: 3.745
Audi: 251.393
BMW (without MINI): 253.967
Mercedes: 327.965
Source: http://www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/fileserver/vogelonline/issues/kfz/sonst/2008/1912.pdf

These guys know what is good, and as a matter of fact they have enough own premium labels, which deliver them quality products since years.

Answer to the question: Ridiculous attempt. Period.

— agent507 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/7/2009 5:08:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Hmm, the Brtish mags have been raving about the IS-F, and one mag has been quite endured with their grey IS-F, and wish that Lexus actually brought the IS350 over. So a 1 series, that is actually sporty (knowing lexus is will be 'almost' sporty)would be good for the line up.

— Inline6 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/7/2009 5:21:18 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Go Go BMW , Please stop copy the king is to much and constanly stop.
Create and design your own machine.

— pepito66 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/7/2009 11:03:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

READ THE ARTICLE, "The new Lexus model will be distinctly a hybrid patterned after the 2010 Toyota Prius, will be a compact hatch equipped with FWD and targeted to rival the highly-economical 4-cylinder diesel lineup of German brand."

so they're rebadging the prius and calling it a lexus. same HS model we'll be getting here. just another to-yo-ta.

— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 5/10/2009 11:55:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0