When the new BMW 7-series was introduced last week, there was certainly some criticism of the exterior, particularly in its likeness to the Lexus LS. When comparing the direct side profiles, I saw a passing resemblance, but couldn't understand the big fuss. Then I saw this action montage:

That's just unfortunate.

[Images assembled by chonnes04]

With the year-to-year decrease in Lexus US auto sales becoming more and more pronounced, I thought it might be a good idea to do some number comparisons as a way to get some perspective.

First thing, here's the raw facts of Lexus' first-half sales when compared to the competition:

Even with the 14.1% drop in sales, Lexus is still managing to stay ahead of BMW. Admittedly, Lexus' percentage change is the highest of the group, but it's not entirely unexpected.

Right from the start, it was clear that Lexus USA wasn't expecting 2008 to be a banner year. General manager Mark Templin even went as far to say "If I sell 1,000 more cars this year, I'd be happy." This would indicate that there was a scheduled holding pattern in effect, due to the current economic climate in the United States.

It's unfortunate, then, that the latest updates to the Lexus lineup are the most expensive. The LS 600hL, the LX 570, and the IS-F are all big-budget vehicles, and aren't the type to boost the unit numbers. Contrast this to BMW's introduction of the 1-Series, and the dropping gap between the two companies makes complete sense.

One thing's for sure, it's going to be a real competition to see who ends up on top this year.

The latest in Youtube user bajabusta's trip down the Motorweek memory lane is this comparison test between the Lexus LS 400, BMW 740i, Mercedes 400E, Infiniti Q45 & Cadillac STS, divided into two parts:

The Mercedes 400E seemed out of place in the comparison until some research showed that a 1993 S-Class started at $69,900, $13,500 over the most expensive car here (which, ironically, is the Mercedes 400E).

Considering that fifteen years have passed since these cars were brand new, it still amazes me just how timeless that first LS design really is. The rest of these cars have a very dated look.

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Bonus: One other Motorweek segment of note is this footage from the 1992 Tokyo Motor Show, which shows a brief look at the newly introduced Toyota Aristo (otherwise known as the first-gen Lexus GS 300):

The Luxury Institute has released their annual report on the top prestige auto brands in the USA, and Lexus ranked #2, just behind Porsche and in front of Mercedes. Here's some details about the survey:

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 1,642 wealthy American consumers, with an average income of $349K and average net-worth of $3.7 million, was surveyed online.

"We conduct our surveys with independent panels of wealthy consumers with results tabulated by external analytical firms. We have no consulting projects with the brands rated nor do we have advertising dependencies with them. As far as we are aware, this is the only consumer-based survey that can make those claims. Our surveys inform luxury CEOs on the health of their brands in no uncertain terms so they can take action to enhance relationships with prospects and customers. Today more luxury brands rely on the accuracy of the Luxury Institute's survey data than any other research."

Two years ago, Lexus ranked third behind Porsche and Mercedes, and last year tied with Mercedes for second place, indicating that the automotive brand is moving up in minds of their prospective customers.

The thing I find most interesting is that these wealthy consumers are filling out the survey, though I wonder just what percentage of the mailouts converted. Still, there's something very impressive about ranking so high, even from a sample audience of 1,642.

(I'd like to find some similar surveys for other parts of the world.)

[Source: Yahoo!] (Thanks Dan!)

Road & Track has dared to compare the Lexus IS-F, BMW M3, the Mercedes C63 and the Audi RS4 in the latest of the super sedan shootouts. As has often been the case, the Lexus IS-F put in a good showing but was still relegated to last place:

Nobody likes to finish off the podium, but it's not as bad as it might seem for the first Lexus to wear the stylized "F" — and the first Lexus capable of decidedly "non-Lexus" performance in the vein of the BMW M3. Its explosive 0–60 and quarter-mile times of 4.2 and 12.6 seconds put it second in the test, just a tick slower than the Mercedes. A slalom weave of 70.9 mph also puts it in second, behind the BMW.

So no flies in the ointment yet. Until you look at the IS F among the others. Said Dennis Simanaitis: "To me, the Lexus' oddly pugnacious snout detracts from its otherwise stylish lines." The tarted-up oval finishers for the exhaust do the car no aesthetic favors, and the side treatment makes the Lexus appear a little bottom-heavy. "It's as if the bodywork additions were made of wax," I wrote in my notes, "and then left under a heat lamp." Bornhop added, "It looks a bit reptilian."

Inside, the ergonomics and general layout are appealing, but the IS F deserves a much higher-quality dash pad; its contours are doughy, its surface texture indifferent and a gap was starting to appear between it and the top of the center-stack plastic.

The styling just isn't going over well with the American mainstream automotive media. Mechanically, it's more than keeping up, and the 8-speed auto transmission its getting a lot of positive attention.

[Source: Road & Track]

Eager to see how the Lexus IS-F did against their "beloved" favorite, the Audi RS4, WebRidesTV.com had accomplished race car driver Craig Stanton put them through the paces in this very enjoyable video:

In my mind, the RS4 is probably the best "rival" for the IS-F, and between this video and Tom Ford's RS4/IS-F/C63/M3 comparison, it's starting to become clear just how the IS-F fits in the super saloon hierarchy. Both Stanton and Ford said pretty much the same thing, these are equal cars in almost every aspect, yet the IS-F has that extra dose of "fun" that puts it on top.