Billed as the last word in terms of Lexus performance and quality, the LFA supercar has now ended its production run, leaving the brand without a true halo model for its retail network.
As a result, given the new strategy for Lexus, which places an emphasis on passion and performance, as well as craftsmanship, Kazuo Ohara, executive vice president for the brand said Lexus is in need of another “halo” model in order to maintain momentum.
Speaking with Automotive News, Ohara said that, “ [if] we want to build a more emotional brand, then we need a halo car. We need that sort of car.”
However, given the realities of the marketplace today, it is likely that if such a car does materialize it will likely be much more mainstream than the LFA, with a lower price point. Industry observers point to the well-received LF-LC hybrid concept as possibly the inspiration for a new flagship model and although Ohara said the brand is “seriously considering” a new coupe as well as “working to prepare a new generation of powertrains,” he has so far declined to give any more specifics.
Although the LFA lost money from day one, in terms of an image builder for the brand, it more than served its purpose in boosting visibility. According to Mark Templin, global marketing chief for Lexus, “we got much more out of the LFA than I originally anticipated that we would, it energized people.”
The LFA helped usher in Lexus’ new trapezoidal design language , seen on cars like the recently redesigned, 2013 GS sedan. This and upcoming models could help push the brand’s sales north of 300,000 units (in November, 2012 sales stood at 213,559 units).
Nevertheless, Templin says, that despite seeing potential in those numbers he’s also aware of the fact that shoppers in the luxury segment don’t tend to do a lot of cross-shopping. As a result, the brand is looking to target younger buyers, people who perhaps haven’t even considered a luxury vehicle before instead of those who currently drive Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz models.”You don’t see a lot of movement between brands in the luxury space,” Templin remarked. “To capture a new generation of buyers, we have to be much more emotional in the way we appeal.”
