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New Lexus Chief to Focus More on Personalization

Agent009 submitted on 04/24/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 1:18 PM
from: www.carbuyersnotebook.com

[44] user comments | category: Misc News

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New Lexus Chief to Focus More on Personalization

Jim Farley, the new U.S. head of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus division, said Friday he wants to take customer service to the next level by focusing more on personalization, which is something he learned about at the youth-oriented Scion brand.

In one of his first interviews since being named general manager of the Japanese car maker's luxury unit on Thursday, Mr. Farley said he is in the "shut up and listen" phase in his first position as head of a division. Mr. Farley succeeded Bob Carter, who became head of the Toyota division.

Mr. Farley, who was group vice president of Toyota marketing, added that his focus at Lexus will be on product execution, customer service and dealer profitability.

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GX470guy - 4/24/2007 2:21:35 PM

-2 Boost

OOOOHH!!! I can PERSONALIZE my beautifulsexyluxuriousreliable LEXUS!!! this is 2 good 2 be true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can get my dream car- a chrome LEXUS LS600HL with a chrome interior and pink wheels!!!!

MMM... LEXUS....

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Rupert - 4/24/2007 5:57:28 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

are you sexylexusdude reincarnated?

Agent63 - 4/24/2007 10:09:20 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I think several "lexus" guys have came back or created more than one name to fill these boards with moronic comments. I'm not surprised that they do that.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/25/2007 10:37:16 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

Oh, GX470guy, you could put on those rockets that you've always wanted. Lexus Quality and Reliability will save you under any circumstances, though.

EnnNorak - 4/24/2007 3:04:16 PM

+3 Boost

Forget personalization Lexus! -- You can start by making the front passenger seat adjustments identical to those of the driver's seat. Also, the single lounge seat optional on the LWB version of the new LS460 is a feeble atttempt at mimicking the Maybach which has two such rear seats in its LWB version. Lexus should simply copy the size and adjustments of the ubercomfortable Mercedes S-Class seats.

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Ironman273 - 4/24/2007 3:28:40 PM

+3 Boost

Umm.. most of the current Lexus cars have the exact same controls on the passenger side as the driver's side, including lumbar control and height adjustments. Most manufacturers drop those 2 settings from their passenger side seats. I'm not sure what Lexus you're referring to, though.

Also, the Mayback seats don't recline 45 degrees like the ones in the Executive package LS460L. Feeble or not, it's a feature that's not available in any other car under $100K.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/24/2007 5:41:09 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

Ours doesn't. The RX330 has an eight-way driver's seat with a four-way passenger's. My S4 has twelve-way seats on both sides.

Will_ - 4/24/2007 11:43:11 PM

-2 Boost

I don't believe the S-Class seats to be anymore comfortable than the seats in the rear of the LS430...

gsh23 - 4/24/2007 3:30:54 PM

-3 Boost

grabbing at straws here guys.....

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david999 - 4/24/2007 4:39:30 PM

0 Boost

The dealership experience is already top notch. Leave it to Lexus to set the standard even higher for its customers.

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indifferent - 4/24/2007 8:40:30 PM

+2 Boost

really? I realy have not had a good experiance with any of the Lexus dealerships in the last few years. I remember back in 1991, they were great. You would walk in and they would treat you like royalty. Now your a customer, that is it. Buy their car or get out. I just bought an MB and since then have recieved 5 differnt letters updating me on the status of my sales rep (she left the dealership). When i bought my lexuses, the sales person forgot about me. When i went back to buy a new one, i had no reason to go to my original dealership. MB and even Honda have better dealership experiences than Lexus does. Well, atleast for me.

EL34 - 4/24/2007 8:37:05 PM

+3 Boost

Have you ever noticed every single Lexus has chrome wheel and BMW's, Audi's & Mercede's don't?

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EL34 - 4/24/2007 8:38:26 PM

+5 Boost

wheels.

I guess because it's the only way to make a Lexus look good.

GX470guy - 4/24/2007 10:48:37 PM

+2 Boost

chrome wheels please the LEXUS GODS!!! they are extremely gaudy, like most LEXUS models!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i LOVE gaudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmm... Lexus...

Rupert - 4/25/2007 6:16:17 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

Americans love all that stuff! You bought enough Cadillacs with it and Lexuses.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/25/2007 10:39:39 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Okay, stop with the stereotyping, please. I don't have one sliver of chrome anywhere on or in my car. The buttons are small and of high quality. The leather is stiff and hugs you on turns. The wood is some of the best in the business. I would never choose a Cadillac as my daily driver, or in the foreseeable future, a Lexus.

GX470guy - 4/24/2007 10:48:51 PM

+2 Boost

LEXUS

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S4cabriofoxone - 4/25/2007 10:40:09 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Good job, doggie. Now fetch!

GX470guy - 4/25/2007 10:41:19 PM

+1 Boost

BARK BARK BARK!!!!

TPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmm... Lexus!

cdoke - 4/24/2007 11:40:39 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

It does not surprise me that they have chosen to pursue increased personalization. I believe that this is where the luxury market is going in general, and what the consumers will begin to insist upon more vehemently. I, personally, would like to see the day when you could get your car adorned in Lalique is you so desire. A Lalique “Leaper” would be particularly beautiful I believe.

Be that as it may , I have no illusions, the days of the personalization of the Duesenbergs and Isotta Fraschinis of the world is probably over, unfortunately.

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cdoke - 4/24/2007 11:43:19 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

...Of the level of personalization, that is.

Will_ - 4/24/2007 11:46:32 PM

+4 Boost

I too would like to see more personalization among luxury brands. For one thing, I'm tired of so few interior color options. I would like to personally order a Black Sapphire LS600hL with a cool interior color like burgundy. Also, more wheel options would be nice. I do appreciate Mercedes for having such options like that...

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cdoke - 4/25/2007 12:53:51 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

... not really, deary. The most customizable vehicles at the present moment are probably the ultra-luxury marques. Even so, the level of customization available is nothing like what was once available about 70-80 years ago. An example is when you bought a Duesenberg, what you actually had without your customizations was the Chassis. EVERYTHING, from the materials , whether it be Rain Tree [a beautiful sort of Dijon mustard colored wood] or Leopard, to the BODY of the car itself. All of it was make to your exact specifications. When you went in to discuss these options an artist was there to provide sketches of anything you wanted to talk about. That is personalization.

...what we have now are usually just aggrandized options.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/25/2007 2:25:04 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

Audi Exclusive and Mercedes-Benz designo, perhaps?

Rupert - 4/25/2007 6:26:27 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

cdoke, that's coach-building. Bentley, Rolls, Duesenberg, Mercedes, they all did it. Bentley's Mulliner options is completely personal, as is Maybach, but designo is pretty good, you can get granite gear surrounds. And with enough money, merc will do anything for you.
I love Duesenburgs, and Delage, Delahaye, Pierce-Arrow, Packard, Cord, Peerless...
Screw it I love the 1930s. Anybody have a couple of hundred grand for a Merc SSK roadster? Or a Packard 11th Series?

GX470guy - 4/25/2007 10:43:04 PM

0 Boost

eh, take from my LEXUS FUND. LEXUS was #1 in the 1930s, and sales are all that matter!!!! and they still ARE!!!!!!!!!!!! lexus heritage, prestige, Quality and Reliability are the best EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmm... Lexus...

cdoke - 4/25/2007 11:15:17 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

AH I forgot to mention Mulliner. For me true cutomization is when you can modify the body. I do recall being in a Wide-Body Bentley Mulliner in my day. I don't think there really is a difference between true personalization and coach-building. Coach building is the ulitmate expression of it.

...and I know they all used to do it...I just like writing Duesenberg and Isotta Fraschini for some reason. You won't find either of these for a couple hundred grand though. Fortunatly or unfortunatly, depending on how you look at it.

Rupert - 4/26/2007 11:32:31 AMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

I'm being racist by accusing Americans of the ultimate crime....liking beige leather and chrome...

And peasants? What has this got to do with peasants?

All I'm saying is that Americans express a large preference for easy riding, leather and big buttons cruisers, like Cadillac, Lincoln etc. Look at Caddy from the 50s to the early 00s! That's what I'm talking about...Cadillac, Lincoln, Ford, Buick etc all offer chrome wheels, beige leather and fake wood and it seems to be markedly popular.
I'm sorry I offended you so much by daring to suggest that...

And Europe wins on the "no-taste" front. We have Russia, where gold-thread carpet is the highest fashion.

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Rupert - 4/26/2007 6:31:08 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Those people are peasants. We have plenty, we call them football players. I laugh at pimped out cars (we call the Hondas/other random small cars with the spoilers "chav-chariots" in England.) I love it when I see the most pimped out BMW possible, chromaflair paint (changes colour as you go round it) chrome grills, giant spoilers and airdams, vents, 2 tone seats...then you go round the back and what does it say? Yep, 320i.
Generally anything overly flashy is now call chav in England, a Gucci Merc is, so are spinners and so is gold thread carpet. (It's carpet, usually gold coloured, with gold thread in it make it sparkle :S )

This is what I'm talking about when I was talking about the American taste

http://www.bobbittville.com/CadillacElDorado-PerrieSmith.jpg

why?????

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bevisroy - 4/26/2007 6:36:08 PM

+1 Boost

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz specs show 5.4)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the Lexus people.....

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