Now that Toyota's co-opted the Camry to make the ES, hijacked the Highlander to make the RX, fine-tuned the 4Runner to make the GX and liberated the Land Cruiser to make the LX, Lexus is planning to pimp a Prius. Bloomberg reports that Lexus wants to add "something different, and that's highly-efficiency" to their current hybrid offerings, which currently emphasize performance over fuel economy. Market research has revealed that more than a third of the people who bought a Prius last year have a family income over $100k. Half of those top $150k. (Previously blogged by TTAC here.) Not surprisingly, Lexus sees gold in them thar' demographics! That said, I guess they've never heard of "reverse snob appeal" (a.k.a. slumming). And you gotta wonder how you can add upmarket appeal without adding weight. The Japanese manufacturers didn't release any details about the new hybrid– other than the fact it'll be added to the Lexus lineup next year.
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Interesting statistics. Isn’t it already a little ironic that leather seats are offered in it? I guess the term “Green” is a relative term.
A smart move, since they already have the tech to pull it off. I just wonder if it will create a component (battery) shortage for the Prius, thus raising prices… we’ll see.
And: Oh, the consonance! ;-)
i love “slumming”…because i’m “cheap”
in general, i guess i just love hipsters. as long as i can pass of my Timex Ironman as “ironic” when i wear it with my suit, I’m happy.
as long as we never, ever return to the coked-up 80s with visible designer labels, i’ll be happy.
maybe once green is no longer hip but ubiquitous, i’ll be able to pass off a smoggy, jacked-up jeep as ironic.
and i have a huge cell phone. big is the new small. word up.
timoted: “Isn’t it already a little ironic that leather seats are offered in it? I guess the term “Green” is a relative term.”
Isn’t cow a renewable resource?
As long as the gold emblem package, 22 inch wheels and 6000 watt stereo systems are on the order form I’d say this is a done deal.
Isn’t Toyota considering expanding the Prius to its own “green” brand? Maybe making the A-BAT concept a reality?
I can see it now, instead of leather seats as an option… HEMP fiber!
As long as it doesn’t smell like Patchuli…
I saw a tC all badged up as a Lexus the other day, anyone know what thats about?
I saw a tC all badged up as a Lexus the other day, anyone know what thats about?
Aspirations.
KixStart :
January 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Isn’t cow a renewable resource?
Yeah, but they are also a massive source of greenhouse gases.
Synthetic leather is a “greener” alternative. Lets face it, Leather seats in a Prius is like drinking Krug Brut champagne out of a paper cup.
Or like eating tofu out of a steer’s skull. ;-)
Don’t discount the Lexus purchasing and servicing experience – people love that customer service.
How much says that the Lexus econo-hybrid and the next-gen Prius are the same vehicle (i.e. badge-engineered)?
Can we get an Avarvarii photoshop of a Lexus PS150h?