Lexus Deserves Top US Luxury Brand Title

At least, this is what a top executive from within the Toyota-owned brand think. Lexus is currently involved in a fierce battle with Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the luxury sector, but the company still leads the class with around 5,000 vehicles in front of the rest of the contenders, according to Automotive News.

However, this should be Lexus' year, said Brian Smith, who serves as vice president of sales and dealer development. “If you are talking luxury cars and SUVs, Lexus will repeat. If you include commercial vehicles, then the race will be a bit closer.”

And numbers should continue their growth in the months to come, mostly because the company has very high expectations from the newly-released CT 200h. Although it competes with Volvo, Audi and BMW, Lexus hopes the CT 200h range will sell around 1,000 units per month, as the model is especially aimed at people aged in between 30 and 40.

When the CT 200h will reach US consumers on March 1st next year, it will become the fifth Lexus hybrid offered in the U.S., following the RX 400h/450h cross/utility vehicles, the GS 460h and LS 600h upper-middle and large sedans and the HS 250h. The hybrid is estimated to achieve 43/40 mpg (5.5-5.9 L/100 km) city/highway in normal driving mode.

Lexus sold a total of 9,188 units last month, a decrease of 12.4 percent as compared to the same month of the previous year. ES luxury sedan continued to be the company's best seller with 4,070 units, followed by IS with 2,557.