Lexus: Lack of Performance Models Has Hurt Brand

DETROIT – Forthcoming performance models, including the RC F coupe, finally will put Lexus on par with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the Tier-1 luxury segment, a top company official says.

“We absolutely think not having as many high-performance vehicles, high-performance engines, as our German competitors minimizes our ability to flourish as well as they are today,” Jeff Bracken, group vice president for Lexus in the U.S., tells WardsAuto in an interview here.

For years, BMW has sold its M sub-brand of performance models in the U.S., Mercedes-Benz its AMG line and Audi the S and RS sport-oriented grades.

The RC F, on sale in the fall in the U.S., will make more than 450 hp from a 5.0L V-8. That makes it competition with BMW’s upcoming M4, which will use a 425-hp 3.0L twin-turbocharged I-6 engine; the Mercedes C63 AMG coupe, making 451 hp from a 6.3L naturally aspirated V-8; and Audi’s RS5, whose 4.2L V-8 engine makes 450 hp.

Prior to the RC F, most F models had only appearance alterations, unique badging and interior materials, save for the IS F sedan that launched nearly six years ago.

“We introduced IS F in 2008, and I think from our standpoint, we feel like we need to take styling and performance (up) to another level,” Bracken says of that car, which produces 416 hp from its 5.0L direct- and port-injected V-8.

He pegs the RC F as a halo car for the brand, a vehicle that will draw buyers into its showrooms, even if they can’t afford it.

Lexus expects to sell 1,400 RC models in the U.S. per month, including a lower horsepower, 3.5L V-6 RC that should account for the bulk (1,200) of monthly deliveries.

Lexus not only has filled a performance deficiency with the RC F, Bracken says, but the coupe also advances the brand’s styling.

The RC F’s version of Lexus’ signature spindle grille is the “most expressive spindle grille yet,” he says, admitting it has been a divisive design device.

The tall and wide, ultra-chrome mouth resonates with some buyers more than others.

“We’ve heard everything from, ‘Um, that’s not working for me,’ to ‘Love it! Do more of it,’” he says.

While it’s tough to craft a look that will appeal to every potential Lexus owner, the aggressive grille is an important tool for the brand to woo a younger generation of car buyers into its showrooms, Bracken says.

“It’s rolling the dice a little bit, but we feel like it’s a worthwhile risk.”

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