LEXUS AUSTRALIA SETS HISTORIC RECORD (4 January 2007)
LEXUS AUSTRALIA SETS HISTORIC RECORD
Embargo: 12 noon, Thursday 4 January 2007
Luxury motor vehicle manufacturer Lexus has set an all-time annual sales record to continue its phenomenal rise in the luxury car segment.
Sales figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) today reveal Lexus delivered 7162 vehicles in 2006, breaking the sales record it set the previous year.
The VFACTS announcement credits Lexus with an increase of 19.3 per cent over sales figures from 2005 - an outstanding result given the growth from 2004 to 2005 was also over 19 per cent.
The figures cement the end of an historic year for Lexus, with record monthly sales results, industry accolades, and the introduction of its first two hybrid vehicles - GS450h and RX400h.
In October, Lexus recorded its best ever monthly sales figures of 916 units, obliterating the previous record of 716.
Lexus also passed a significant sales milestone in Australia, reaching 40,000 units during October.
It is the fourth successive year Lexus has claimed a podium position among all luxury makes, but the gap between first and third has never been closer.
Lexus received the highest accolades from industry awards in 2006, winning a trifecta of trophies at the national motoring clubs' Australia's Best Car Awards - Best Luxury Car (GS450h), Best Prestige Car (IS250) and Best Luxury 4WD (RX350 Sports Luxury).
It is the record-breaking fourth year in a row that the RX has collected the Best Luxury 4WD award.
The company's new hybrid additions have generated great demand in 2006.
Lexus hybrids have a whole new set of characteristics, creating a synergy between fuel economy, low emissions, quietness, high performance and outstanding luxury.
The GS450h has performed well beyond expectations, delivering on average around 25 vehicle sales per month, with only supply limiting demand.
The RX400h is a welcome rival to its diesel competitors, and is also delivering well above anticipated figures with 188 sales in its first three months.
Lexus star performers in 2006 continued to be the IS250 and RX350.
Lexus delivered 3381 of the IS model to eclipse the previous record of 1809 that the model achieved in 2005.
The company delivered 2703 RX models to beat the previous record of 2563 RX sales set in 2005.
"Consumer confidence in Lexus is high, in part based on the seamless technology developments introduced in new models," Lexus Australia divisional manager John Roca said.
"In 2007 Lexus intends to extend its technological advantage by introducing the world's first V8 petrol-electric hybrid technology into the luxury market - enter the LS600hL," he said.
"The LS600hL will make 2007 an extremely significant year in the history of Lexus, as will the introduction of our flagship LS460.
Both the LS460 and LS600hL will feature breakthrough innovations which redefine the concept of luxury, performance and vehicle safety.
LS460 will be the most highly specified luxury sedan ever built by Lexus and is due for launch in April 2007.
The long wheelbase Lexus LS600hL, due for release in July, will be the forerunner of a new breed of super-performance energy-efficient sedans.
"We are set to launch our most comprehensive attack on the upper luxury market in Australia," Mr Roca said.