Ahoy: Lexus Now Focusing on Premium Boat Business

Lexus sales slipped in the United States over the last two years. While overall deliveries remain relatively strong, the Japanese luxury brand saw its annual volume surpassed by Mercedes-Benz in 2013. BMW followed suit in 2017 and the gap only looks to be widening this year. So, what does a high-end nameplate do to lure back customers?

The answer is an obvious one: it starts building boats. It might shock you to learn this, but boats have actually been around since prehistoric times and physical examples have been discovered that are at least 10,000 years old. Meanwhile, most cars aren’t even 100 years old. Basic math proves boats to be the more sustainable product and a sounder investment. Cars had a good run, but autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing services are about to convert driving into a passive and homogeneous experience in a totally hypothetical and undetermined amount of time. Boats will be where it’s at very soon and every automaker will eventually become a sloop manufacturer.

Alright, I’ll stop being a prick (for now). What Lexus is really attempting to do is gussy up its image, endearing itself to the growing legions of super-rich people by providing contemporary yachts — something Mercedes-Benz has done in the past.

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  • Doc423 Would LOVE to see the laws changed here in the U.S. and see may of these sleezebags get jail time, including Dealers.
  • 28-Cars-Later [list=1][*]Real bumpers.[/*][*]Visibility.[/*][*]Buttons. [/*][*]CD Players.[/*][*]Headlamp brightness limiter.[/*][*]Das internet ist verboten - but phone connections are not banned.[/*][/list=1] 6a. In this way users can choose to link their "phone" to the auto. 6b. If a user simply chooses to not do so, E.T. cannot phone home. 6c. Most will consent to a "phone" link up but there's now an opt out. EDIT: 7. Immediate layoff of 50% of employees of NHSTA, Federal DOT, EPA, and CARB.
  • Jeff Maybe one day automatic braking will be better sorted out but as others have stated there are too many false alarms and those false alarms could get one rear ended. I agree about the tire pressure monitoring systems when the batteries go out on the sensors they don't work and they are never meant to last forever. Just buy a good tire gauge and learn how to check the tire pressure and put air in your tires.
  • Carson D The funding is so they can travel to China to find manufacturers for their parts.
  • Carson D 1996 OBD-II was a good set of regulations. Everything after that has been a net negative.