Toyota goes the Lexus way

[turbo_diesel_focus]

Can you see the simularities between the Lexus LS and Toyota Camry?!

[retro-man]

Can you see the simularities between the Lexus LS and Toyota Camry?!

You do know that Toyota and Lexus are the same thing, right? And have in fact both been sold under the Toyota name in their home market until quite recently? Family resemblance (You know, like BMW and Mercedes have successfully cultivated for years). Big surprise.

[DearbornDerek]

I think the point turbo was trying to make is that when Ford does it, it's "the same car with a different grill and tail lights" but when toyota does it, it's "brand DNA".

[DCK]

When Ford does it, it truely is the same vehicle with a different grill and maybe some added features.

 

The is nothing the same between the camry and the New LS, beside amybe a similarly designed tail lights.

 

And Toyota does get flak for the ES's comparison to the camry...........but even those are a lot more different that the MKZ and Fusion, and the Highlander - RX are a lot more different that the Edge - MKX

[fllcobra]

The Lexus RX CUV and Lexux EX sedan is built off of the Camry platform. If you look under any of these vehicles, you will see they're all the same parts and components.

 

That is why I don't understand why there is critism about the Fusion and MKZ sharing the same platform. The interiors are completely different and every piece of sheetmetal is different. Just like Lexus is to Toyota. Yet the critics decry "badge engineering" when Ford does it. What the F++K?

 

The car market is becoming a niche market. The idea of building one platform unique to just a couple of cars that sell in low volumes is an expensive run yourself out of business.

 

Platform sharing between Lincoln and Ford vehicles has to continue if this company is to compete.

[tim kakouris]

if you truly think that the lexus and toyota differ in more than trim level, you are drinking the cool-aid that 'yota is sellin'.

 

fusion=milan=mkz "trim and styling differences"

 

camry=es "trim and styling differences"

 

see? isn't math grand?

[DCK]

That is why I don't understand why there is critism about the Fusion and MKZ sharing the same platform. The interiors are completely different and every piece of sheetmetal is different. Just like Lexus is to Toyota. Yet the critics decry "badge engineering" when Ford does it. What the F++K?

You keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll start to believe it because you are completely wrong. The MKZ and Fusion share sheetmetal and share the same exact windows. The Camry and ES do neither, The MKX is even worst as it has the same powertrain as the edge, not to mention shares sheetmetal other than the front but even the rear has the same cut out for the tail lights with just lincoln glueing plastic across the entire back to extend the tail lights, and has the same exact windows.. The RX has completely different sheetmetal than the Highlander.

 

Not even getting into the point that many of Lexus's models are completely lexus, none of Lincolns models are completely lincoln they are all virtually trimmed up fords.

 

Tim Kakouris it seems your the one drinking the Ford kool-aide

Edited September 24, 2006 by DCK

[one2gamble]

The Camry and ES do neither

 

 

pfft

[Edgey]

I don't understand the comparison between the Toyota Carmy/Lexus ES and the Ford Fusion/Lincoln Zephyr. The Lexus ES is a completely original car beyond the chasis. The Zephyr is a heavily redecorated Fusion, but still largely a Fusion. This is endlessly frustrating to me since I'm constantly bemoaning the side-effect of the budget-badging approach used to bring out the Zephyr. They left so much of the cheap Fusion in the Zephyr that it's impossible to interact with the car and not find yourself disappointed by hundreds of little details. It is not possible to double the value of a car simply by adding more equipment, there are so many design details that can't be resolved through clever rebadging.

 

Lincoln is still doing well by the Zephyr and the MKZ was a badly needed upgrade. Cadillac and Lexus all had to start somewhere and this is a pretty solid start for Lincoln, however all of those brands have ambitious long-term visions and Lincoln will never see the investment needed to elevate it beyond Mercurization.

[retro-man]

I think the Zephyr is a perfectly good car, as is the Fusion. In fact, I think the Fusion is a very good car. Because it's a Ford, not a Lincoln. Lincoln's problem is that there is nothing above the Zephyr - excuse me, "MK-whatever" - in the lineup. There is no LS430 to justify the existence of the marque. (And please don't remind me that they have the Towncar and the Navigator. Please.) We'll see if the MK-whatever deluxe does the job when it finally comes out (minus its Yamaha V8). If Lincoln had made the Versailles the top of its lineup in the 70's, there wouldn't be a Lincoln by now.

Edited September 25, 2006 by retro-man