Premium car brand pricing; Lexus and Acura
- Thread starter dnewton3
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In 1991 Opel Calibra had .25cd while later models of Opel had higher. Same happened to all other manufacturers due to pedestrian and car passenger protection requirements. Still, while LS was good vehicle, it could not hold candle to E38 or S from 90’s.The culture was different in the 1980's. Imagine when the 1990 LS400 came out in 1989, they nailed all 4 tenets: top speed, mpg, wind resistance, and quietness. It's why my mattress has a .27 cd (although we all remember from physics this number is only a value in the overall equation but it's what people use to measure goodness, like HP), when my 335i is over .30 cd.
Heck, in 1989, BMW accused Toyota of selling the LS400 below cost. That's how good it was.
I've driven at least pre-pandemic all the Lexus vehicles, and the LS500 was particularly disappointing. RX was a total disaster. LC was nice but then again it's very expensive. So to say they have nothing like a M4 CSL, true, nothing. But BMW today is very mainstream, unlike 20 years ago. I'll always call out the turn signals, wiper controls, cruise control, and number one, steering feel, then that no stick is even available today on any car other than a base M3/M4 or M2 if available . They've even relegated sticks to lower models within that line. Japanese seem to be coming back with cars that are stick only, like that Corolla GR. Gotta love that YouTube where a GR blows the doors in of a E63 wagon at the ring. maybe it was Doug driving the wagon
As for Corolla, I am not sure it is competition to E63 or something like that. There is more to it that ring time, or 0-60. But, I do agree that it is good opportunity. How good of real sports vehicle will be, is up in the air. People expected a lot from new GR86, just to turn out to be abysmal in track environment.
That is why I think Toyota had opportunity with IS500 or generally IS. But, it is amateur attempt to make sports limousine. If they invested bit more time, introduced stick in 2GR-FKS models etc. I think they would take a lot of audience from Germans who just decided to live with automatic. Stick uptake among BMW owners was 8%, while among Audi 5%, MB somewhere around 2%. That is low, but still a lot of people when it comes to real number.
G20 is much better drivers car than F30 was.What I would be curious about is the G series BMW 3. If I'm not mistaken, taken with a grain of salt, CR considers that car reliable. It's no longer sporty like the 3 once was (3 Series was a 10 Best like 23 years in a row and has long since been removed from that list), but I totally get that we have to look forward, not live in the past. Since those G's are a dime a dozen as loaner cars, maybe they at some point will have normal used pricing again. CPO is another money maker for the dealer, one thing to realize is there's usually a deductible and it's not the same as a factory warranty, many things are excluded. my .02
p.s. your screen name was my corporate network login for 8 years...it was because I had no middle initial. Memories
Overpriced Nissan.
No sig but I can assume you don't own a premium brand...any premium brand will cost more generally speaking than it's company's mainstream brand...that's the point. Even the standalone German brands carry a premium.
Don't forget that a Porsche is just an overpriced Corvair... And a Plaid is an overpriced Bolt.
By the way, pictures do not do justice to the gorgeous Taycan. These EVs are stunning.
That's funny, the Taycan was the first Porsche that I've ever thought "That thing is hideous". Although I will say the view from the rear is far better than the front.
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Yeah but we should consider that if you went to West Point or the Naval Academy, you'd get both $500 discounts and now your in the 453 range, a lot more palatable...
For that kind of money, I'd at least demand I get the promised engine displacement. (Sorry, I like to rib Toyota and its dealers about the V35A and the obvious marketing lie they use to sell it.)
It is a Toyota but can tell you it’s a different driving experience of comfort, quietness, etc.
Originally, the LS was a Toyota Celsior
GS was a Toyota Aristo
SC was a Toyota Soarer
IS was a Toyota Altezza
ES was a Toyota Vista
RX was a Toyota Harrier
... then eventually, Toyota made Lexus an actual separate brand, where there was no longer a Toyota badged version of the same Lexus vehicle
