Could it happen, Tokuo Fukuichi does his best to not clear things up...
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/FC746467827D18E7CA257D68007EA15E
Going Below the NX?
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Saw a Mercedes Benz GLA for the first time the other day. It is pretty small. Kinda an odd size for a vehicle because it doesn't make much sense why it isn't simply a sedan instead. I'd be interested in seeing how Lexus does a sub-NX car, but I don't think that I am looking for a vehicle that is in this weird super small CUV segment.
Agree. It sorta looks like a raised hatchback/station wagon.
I think that Lexus could make other cars that would be a better addition to their lineup than a sub NX crossover. A hatchback like the Mercedes Benz B-Class could be interesting. It would be a bit more of a casual vehicle that I feel Lexus is missing from its lineup.
Here's a thought...MAKE THE CT-200h BETTER!!! They have a winner there in design (IMO)...just needs more guts! Acura is doing an early refresh of ILX due to slow sales...Lexus needs to do the same! I would not want a smaller NX, but i don't mind seeing a sportier CT.
There are lot of releases planned for this market segment. If Lexus does release a new platform, the journalists will say late to the market again. I like Thai's idea. Refresh the CT-200 with more power and handling and the turbo engine and still call it a CT.
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But the people don't want hatches. If they revised the CT and lifted it a few inches it would sell in droves, yes...
I don't know...Mazda 3 series disagree with you. And you see more and more luxury makers coming out with luxury hatches, see BMW. I have no idea how they sell, but if more hatches are being made by different OEMs, then i assume that there is a market somewhere for them.
Yes, raise the CT up and give it a meaner utility look. That would get rid of the hatchback look.
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The Mazda 3 is also sold as a sedan. Mazda has only moved 2K (2014 YTD) more 3's than CX-5's and they are the exception not the rule...
Ford has moved 230K Escapes to 176K Focus' (or is it Foci??)
The luxury OEMs are trapped in a perpetual war of Me Too... BMW doesn't parse out the sales of thier hatches from the sales of sedans so its difficult to have that discussion, but visually, how many 5 or 3 GT's do you see? I see few and far between...
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Pointless to go any smaller, 5 door hatchbacks have been around long enough to fill that niche.
And people don't want them, they want CUV's. If Lexus turns around and sells essentially a lifted hatchback a la CT as discussed earlier in the thread they will sell substantially more of them vs a straight hatch.
^ unclebob is right.
One indicator I seen of this was with the Q30 Infiniti concept, years ago you could never imagine such a product to come out from a japanese car maker but with the way the industry is changing, it's what will help them get a piece of that pie.
One indicator I seen of this was with the Q30 Infiniti concept, years ago you could never imagine such a product to come out from a japanese car maker but with the way the industry is changing, it's what will help them get a piece of that pie.
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