Lexus, the premium brand of car maker Toyota of Japan has formally entered India with a restricted media event organised in New Delhi that saw some major auto publications and journalists forced to miss this prestigious event. The invite was limited to very few journalists, sadly and unfairly.
According to highly placed sources, Lexus is making its India debut with the RX 450h SUV and the ES 300h sedan. Both the cars are hybrid vehicles and are being imported into the country. The Lexus RX 450 h will be the brand's flagship model in India. The Lexus ES 300h is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine + an electric motor.
The Lexus RX 450h SUV will be launched with a hybrid-only powertrain. While the Lexus RS 450h will cost around Rs 1.07 crore, the ES 300h will cost around Rs 55 lakh, ex showroom Delhi. Lexus as a brand has not been new to India. Lexus cars have been imported in the past by Toyota dealers.
The Lexus brand will be pitted against h luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz India, Audi India and BMW India. The latter three are well entrenched in the Indian market with their own assembly and manufacturing outlets with high levels of localisation. Lexus may not find it easy to penetrate into this luxury car market but then it has got an advantage of Toyota’s long years in India.
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