Wow. I would imagine there would be some BMW bias, but not to the extent that I am reading. For one thing, why is it a bad thing for a Lexus to be a rebadged Toyota? Toyota's are very good cars. Also, most of their Lexus vehicles don't have a Toyota counterpart.
The Lexus brand is also marketed outside of the US (unlike Acura and Infiniti). The high displacement, mostly RWD vehicles are usually designed for the Lexus brand. I know the old IS300 was a rebadged Altezza, but the new IS250/350 was designed by Lexus.
Lexus is a brand of *luxury* vehicles. They are after different things when compared to BMW. Their interiors, most people agree, are better than BMW's (the 3 series comes with vinyl seats ftl).
Toyota doesn't cut corners. That is why they are set to become the #1 automobile manufacturer in the world, despite not having being around as long as BMW has, being from a country that was set back a lot by the war, and having to prove themselves to the world, since nobody believed in Japanese engineering a few decades ago. In fact, I still often read blind blanket statements such as "German engineering is better"
The US market created the need for a Lexus brand. If the big three hadn't started it with their many brands (Chevy, Cadillac, Olds, etc for GM; Lincoln, Mercury, Ford; and so forth and so on), maybe people would have been willing to just buy a Toyota that they knew was superior to the other Toyotas. However, since many care about using their cars as a status symbol, Toyota created the Lexus brand, which has fared very well over the last 15 years or so.
Toyota hasn't sold out like many manufacturers have. They have been and remain their own company (just like BMW). They have acquired new business, such as the Hino truck line and the Daihatsu brand, but they do not operate under the agenda of a large parent company (a la Daimler-Benz or GM).
What is the problem with the replacement part for a Lexus to say Tooyta on it? Toyota designed and built the car. I am guessing you would be mad if you discovered a BMW part in your Mini or in your Land Rover. That would be bad, I guess.
Seriously -- I once pulled out the insoles of my Air Jordan's, only to discover that they had a Nike swoosh stamped underneath. I guess I should have just bought a pair of Nike's for $120 instead of dropping $160 on the J's. I mean, why would I want inferior product for a premium price? /sarcasm> My point is, just like Nike makes very good product (don't flame me with them using sweat shop labor -- I am againsta that myself, but the fact is they do make a fine product), Toyota makes a very good product. Brand Jordan brings very good business to the company, and I don't think tehre is anything wrong with it. In the same fashion, Lexus helps Toyota Corp. reach a different market. I see nothing wrong with that.
See, when I am in the market for another car, I will look for a BMW over a Lexus. Lexus does not put in the sportiness that I need. Their cars are filled with nice and plush amenities, but to me that is all unnecessary weight. That does not make Lexus inferior. They are just after different things.
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Originally Posted by MTurboPower3
BMW's r better german engineering is better lexus tries to compete with benz audi and bimmer but they cant because their japanese and japanese cars dont have the same quality infiniti acura and lexus should compete with themselves not try to compete with the big german companies
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First of all, all that stuff that they tried to teach you in school about punctuation and capitalizations also applies in real life.
Lexus "tries" to compete you say? You do realize that the Lexus LS has outsold the 7 Series, A8, and S Class 15 out of the last 17 years, right? Also, although I would take a BMW over a Lexus, the decision wouldn't be as easy if going against an Audi (VAG ftl) or an MB.
In terms of quality, Japanese cars fare very well.
Infiniti, Lexus and Acura are holding their own with the Germans. If I were them, I don't see why I would back out. Infiniti is coming really close to closing the gap with their G35. The 3 series is still leads the pack, but not by nearly as much as they did 10 years ago. Lexus is starting to get it. Acura doesn't seem to be seriously interested in chasing after making a 3er clone (but Honda engines are considered by many experts to be better than BMW's).