Lexus going after BMW’s Rolls-Royce luxury brand?

By Horatiu Boeriu. Read Bio
February 27th, 2009 | Rumors | 16 comments

Since this week, we started to cover Rolls-Royce related news as well and we have shown you the Baby Rolls EX200, I figured we will stay on the subject and see what’s new out there. So, our friends at AutoSpies, citing a Japanese car magazine, broke the news that Lexus is going after BMW’s ultra-luxury brand, in an attempt to step up the competition in that car segment.

Lexus going after BMWs Rolls Royce luxury brand?

Rolls Royce EX200 front photo

Apparently Lexus has done their homework by conducting a market survey and the response has been nothing but positive: the Lexus fans are embracing the idea of a ultra-luxury vehicle.

Even though the details are far from being applied on the design table, the rumor says that two vehicles are being considered, a large sedan and a Coupe version (Bentley Coupe much??!!). Same as BMW, who is using the F01 platform  in the new Rolls-Royce EX200, Lexus has similar plans, focusing their development around the LS model.

Take this as a simple rumor at this point and of course, their plans will be influenced by the current economic situation.

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  • Gord

    So what’s the brand going to be called ?

    I’m sure it could work, but they have to hide the LS underpinnings like what BMW did with RR.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=51500531 Andrew Murphy

    I don’t think lexus should do this – they’re clearly straying off down a path that may end up too expensive and consuming to follow.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=643868286 Mohammed AlMomen

    I don’t know what makes Lexus think they can pull this off , when Merc clearly failed the Maybach is failure , this will be too . Part of why RR is successful is because of its name same thing for bently people who buy these type of cars are looking for image brand names and luxury , what Lexus might do is the luxury part but not the image

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=508183767 Miles Ransom

    part of the reason for owning a roller or a bentley is because you want that old fashioned british luxury feeling….not some cheap japanese one. i was in a bentley flying spur last night and every surface was leather. how toyota will find the money for the materials and the engines puzzles me.

  • Hori

    Its not what Lexus is thinking of doing it IS what Toyota is thinking of doing.

    Lexus = Toyota

    If I’m going to spend over 100K on a car I don’t want the same parts in it as a Toyota Corolla.

  • http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

    @Mohammed AlMomen: Let me play the “bad guy” role here: was really the Maybach a failure for MB?

  • Giom

    Oh, I can just hear it now… The first comments after the new uber Lexus comes out will be: “Rolls Royce blatently copied the Lexus. It’s a sheer rip-off!”

    I hate predictability!

  • The Lee

    @Horatiu B.:
    As far as I know, there’s a waiting list for a Maybach. I don’t really think anything with a waiting list to purchase can be considered a “failure”.

    Lexus has no business being in the uber-elite luxury car market. 99.999% of Lexus owners and/or fans are not going to be in the market for a $300k+ limo.

  • Lance

    @The Lee: Just to let you know that they lie bout waitng lists to make customers feel that they have made the right choice, like so many other people on the “waiting list” AND to take some bargaining power from custoemrs so that they cannot negotiate seeing that it is such a popular car. Only fools fall for their sales talk. Those dealers lie with a straight face!

  • Lance

    Lexus may build whatever they want, nothing comes close to the heritage and status of a Rolls Royce. If I had that kind of monye, I’d spend it on something more premium with history and tradition, not some copy cat wanna be’s.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=606537854 Danny Zandamela

    Lexus should just pack up and go home to Toyota – there is nuthin’ like a Roller!!! What more a BMW designed Roller!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=643868286 Mohammed AlMomen

    @Horatiu B.: well have a look here
    http://www.egmcartech.com/2009/01/26/maybach-sales-down-says-its-not-feeling-the-heat-of-the-economic-crisis/

    and here http://www.leftlanenews.com/40-percent-of-maybach-dealers-shut-down.html

    As you can see Maybach had the target of 600 vehicles per year , the only sold 300 last year and for the last couple of years they have been of their target this means they have failed . RR on the other hand is selling well since the start 1000 units , and in 2007 Phantom (4 door) accoutned for 75 % which means 750 thats double what Maybach is selling ….. so yeah its a failure ;)

    http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080109.012/rolls-royce-celebrates-record-2007-result

  • BMW fan

    The idea has potential but lets just hope they don’t go to far and create a Maybach rival with DFS recliners and half of Dixons in the front.

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  • Rahul

    Lexus is no competition for BMW”s Rolls…..

  • Marouf Ataee

    TOYOTA is donkey while RR is a zebra

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