Tokyo, Feb. 2, 2016 — Lexus International today announced it sold approximately 652,000 vehicles globally in 2015, up 12 percent from 2014. A full year of the all new RC and NX sales, and the introductions of redesigned ES, RX, and LX models, furthered market share increases in many global markets including Japan, U.S.A., and Europe.
Sales in Europe increased 20 percent to approximately 64,000 vehicles, the most for a major market in percentage terms; including a 31 percent gain in Western Europe. Sales in China increased to approximately 88,500 vehicles, a 14 percent increase; and North America sales increased to approximately 368,000 vehicles, a 12 percent gain. Accentuating its luxury hybrid leadership, with almost 1 million hybrid Lexus vehicles sold to date, hybrid sales globally were approximately 149,000 vehicles and accounted for 23 percent of sales.
Mark Templin, Executive Vice President at Lexus International said: “2015 was an amazing year for Lexus International. In addition to the new and redesigned models in our stable, we began rolling out our most advanced vehicle safety portfolio – Lexus Safety System +, and began ES production in North America. Our entire vehicle line-up design has evolved to be more bold and emotional, and our brand initiatives are resonating as an extension of the Lexus ownership experience. We appreciate luxury consumers taking notice and honoring us with a fourth straight year of double digit percentage growth.”
At Lexus, we believe growth is the product of doing the right things for our customers and building brand advocacy. The following are just some of the activities we undertook and industry honors received in 2015.
Initiatives
The first INTERSECT BY LEXUS luxury brand experience space outside Japan opened in Dubai, UAE. This new two story space is located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC).
Lexus named the first automaker winner of the Milano Design Award for Best Entertaining for its “Lexus – A Journey of the Senses” exhibit at Milan Design Week, the world’s largest design exhibition. Additionally, the first-ever Lexus Design Award Grand Prix winner was announced.
The third Lexus Short Films Series winners announced at the Napa Valley Film Festival. In 2013, Lexus Short Films was launched with the goal of supporting and nurturing a new generation of emerging filmmakers.
The ninth annual Lexus Eco Challenge registration opened with a chance to win $500,000 in grants and scholarships. Through the Lexus Eco Challenge, students will learn about the environment, team work and how they can take steps to make their communities better.
Lexus partnered with leading super conductive technology experts to create one of the most advanced Hoverboards ever. The Lexus Hoverboard is part of the global ‘Amazing in Motion’ campaign.
Lexus established “The Lexus Endowment” of $100,000 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), one of 19 schools that offer a PGA Golf Management program that covers a broad range of aspects of the golf enterprise, and the only historically black institution to offer such a program.
Honors
Lexus named the Luxury Brand with the Best Resale Value in Kelley Blue Book’s 2016 Best Resale Value Awards. This is the fifth year in a row Lexus has been named the luxury brand with the best projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership. Six 2016 Lexus models were honored with Best Resale Value for their perspective vehicle categories: RC 200t/RC 300/RC 350, ES 300h, GS 200t/GS 350, RX 450h, GX 460, and LX 570.
The NX 200t was awarded ‘Best Compact Premium SUV’ at the 2015 Middle East Car of the Year Awards (MECOTY).
CT was the overall winner in the Car Environmental List, an annual evaluation by the Traffic Association Germany (VCD).
Lexus topped the largest car satisfaction surveys, Autoindex, in Sweden and Norway, for the fourth time.
Lexus dominated the Auto Express Driver Power 2015 survey, receiving six awards including those for best manufacturer and – for the IS saloon – best car. The IS also took the top spot in the best compact executive car category and was the highest rated model for ease of driving. The NX was named best car for build quality within its first six months on the road in the UK.
The independent German institute for environmental research ‘Ökotrend’ (Ecological Trend) and the car magazine ‘Auto Test’ recognized the GS 300h as the most ecological car in the premium middle class. The evaluation of the vehicle’s environmental performance was conducted based on its fuel consumption and emissions for its entire life cycle, including production, logistics and recycling.
RX achieved the best-ever pedestrian protection score out of all large SUVs ever tested by Euro NCAP and achieves a 5 –Star rating.
CT , ES, RC, and NX, earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK+, IIHS’s highest recognition for crashworthiness and front crash prevention.
Lexus ranked highest in vehicle dependability among all nameplates for a fourth consecutive year in the 2015 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The ES ranked highest in the Compact Premium Car segment and the GX was awarded among Midsize Premium SUVs. The ES was the highest ranked model among all vehicles in the study.
Product Highlights
Lexus Safety System +, a portfolio of active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of vehicle speeds package began rolling out in Japan, North America and Europe.
ES 350 production began in Georgetown Kentucky.
Regional Highlights
Al-Futtaim Motors, exclusive distributor of Lexus in the UAE, officially inaugurated a new facility in Ras Al Khaimah, making it the first Lexus 3S Centre in the UAE (sales, service and spare parts) and bringing to 17 the total number of Lexus facilities in the UAE.
2015 was the first full year of sales in Vietnam, after opening our first dealership in Ho Chi Minh City followed by Hanoi in 2014
Approved in July 2015, Lexus’ first dealership in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, opened its doors at a temporary location in November. A newly constructed Lexus showroom and service facility will open later this year.
Sales by Region
North America: Approximately 368,000 vehicles, 12 percent increase
China: Approximately 88,500 vehicles, 14 percent increase
Europe: Approximately 64,000 vehicles, 20 percent increase
Japan: Approximately 48,000 vehicles, 9 percent increase
Middle East: Approximately 44,400 vehicles, 5 percent increase
East Asia and Oceania: Approximately 30,000 vehicles, 10 percent increase
Other markets combined: Approximately 9,400 vehicles, 26 percent increase