Lexus Makes Play For A Broader Audience
By George Polgar
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Lexus luxury division of Toyota is facing the inevitable generational shift, as the brand formula of impeccable reliability and comfort has amassed a mostly older audience.
The good news is that with longer life expectancies, energetic lifestyles and control of a massive $3 trillion in wealth, aging boomers will be buying cars for another decade or more!
For Toyota, a good share of its most recent 6.9 percent sales increase is tied to popular Lexus models like the RX 350 small SUV and the flagship LS luxury sedan.
Lexus has already committed to the younger skewing fun-to-drive F-Sport series, and pop cultural design cues like the menacing Darth Vader front fascia introduced a few years ago.
And while the well-received IS 350 F-Sport sedans and coupes are not quite as track ready as the $375,000 Lexus LFA, they do fit a lot of the "must haves" of maturing Gen X buyers, especially comfort, convenience and reliability in the $50,000 price range.
Lexus is vying more for vigorous performance credibility with the hot new 2015 RC F coupe packing a 5.0 liter 467 horsepower V8.