Lexus Reaches for Luxury Cachet

Wealthy suburbanites' car of choice gets high-end makeover
By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 26, 2007 11:23 AM CDT
Lexus Reaches for Luxury Cachet
New Lexus concept car.   (Getty Images)

Stodgy luxury standby Lexus is trying to trade up to the hot "prestige luxury" market with a new line of $70,000 and up automobiles.  Along with the new models comes a massive rebranding effort that aims, says a  marketing manager, to get "Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Lexus all mentioned in the same breath." 

To pull off the image shift, the company interviewed 100 upper-crust car owners, who gave Lexus low marks on exclusivity and style. So the company, once known for its low-key wine and cheese launches, is throwing blow-out bashes to celebrate its new lines, and developing a high-performance hybrid and a 500-horsepower sports car to complement its staple sedans. (More ultra rich stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X