Early Lexus IS Sales Pace Feverish

Toyota recorded 4,447 Lexus IS sales in the U.S. in November, a best-ever tally for the vehicle.

DETROIT – Early sales of the all-new Lexus IS sports sedan have been better than expected, a Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. official tells Ward's

“We expected to sell 3,300 in the first month and we sold nearly 4,500,” says Bob Carter, group vice president and Lexus general manager. The new '06 IS went on sale Oct. 17.

Toyota recorded 4,447 IS sales in the U.S. in November, a best-ever tally for the vehicle, which includes the base IS 250, all-wheel-drive IS 250 and the IS 350 model.

The IS 250 was the top seller, with 2,899 units sold, while combined sales of the previous-generation IS 300 and IS 350 equaled 1,548 units.

Carter says he is pleased with the fact some 60% of early IS buyers are new to Lexus.

He says vehicles being traded in include such head-on competitors as the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, as well as a variety of V-8 equipped SUVs, such as the Ford Explorer.

Meanwhile, he says demand for the RX 400h hybrid-electric cross/utility vehicle remains strong, and the model is shaping up to “be about 25% of total RX sales.”

Toyota says it sold 1,722 RX 400h CUVs in November.

While focus groups told Lexus the RX 400h styling should be identical to the standard RX 330, owners have been clamoring for some differentiation.

Some owners are asking, “Can we just get a decal?” Carter says.

For this reason Lexus will add special hybrid badging as a running change to the vehicle. While still subtle, RX aficionados will take notice, he says.

Toyota recently added a front-wheel-drive version of the RX 400h and made the navigation system on the AWD model optional, resulting in a price drop for the variant.

Carter says the FWD model was pulled ahead, having originally been slated to debut in the RX 400h's third model year, to satisfy buyers in warm-weather states where AWD is not necessary.

Source:
WardsAuto.com