The opening shot of this commercial is pure gold, though I have to admit a crash-test dummy getting goosebumps is a bit freaky:
One of my favorite things about the new ES 350, which you can only catch of glimpse of in this commercial, is the optional Panorama Glass roof. It almost folds up like a roman blind, and it’s probably the most impressive sun roof I’ve ever seen.
The most impressive aspect of this Lexus ES 350 commercial is how real the situation feels:
The different perspectives of the same accident, the unavoidable crash, the skittering truck, the click-whirr of the advanced safety system, all make for a very immersive experience. Before impact, I actually recoiled in my chair.
Another study was released today, this one by San-Diego-based research firm Strategic Vision. Their Total Quality Index, or TQI, is considered the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction, as it asks buyers to rate every aspect of the owner experience.
Lexus made a decent showing, with the RX 350 placing first in the Near Luxury SUV category, and the LS 430 coming in second in Luxury Cars. Other models didn’t fare so well in their segments: The GS 350/430 placed sixth in Luxury Cars, the IS 250/350 placed fifth and the ES 350 ninth in Near Luxury Cars. The remaining models didn’t even figure into the rankings, as their sample size was too small to be included.
The bigger news from this study was the lack of any Toyota-branded vehicles taking top spot in their respective segments, and more importantly, Hyundai coming away with three first place finishes. Hyundai has developed into a real threat for their competitors, and the results from this study add some serious credibility to the Korean manufacturer.
[Source: Strategic Vision]
[Via: Carscoop]
J.D. Power & Associates published the results of their 2007 Initial Quality Study, and Lexus placed second in the overall rankings, behind Porsche:
As you can see, it was a very close race, with Lexus owners reporting 94 problems per 100 Vehicles as compared to Porsche’s 91.
The individual vehicle results were less flattering, with only the RX 350/400h placing first in its class.
1. Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2. Lexus GS 350/430/450h 3. Infiniti M-Series/Volvo S80
1. Audi A8/Mercedes-Benz S-Class 3. Lexus LS 460
1. Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 2. Porsche 911 3. Lexus SC 430
1. Lexus RX 350/400h 2. Lincoln MKX 3. Lexus GX 470
As for the rest of the the Lexus lineup, the ES 350, IS 250/350 and GX 470 all failed to place in top three of their respective segments.
All in all, a strong showing for the brand, with just enough room for improvement to keep them on their toes.
[Source: J.D. Power]
I stumbled upon this never used Lexus ad for the ES350:
How totally bizarre.
As for background info, it was created by Walter Robot, an animation studio in Orange County, California, and was to be a series of commercials featuring the full Lexus lineup.
The idea, according to Christopher Louie, one of the principals, “was based around the concept of these faux retro educational videos—the kind you watched in like middle school science class on a projector.”
He was unable to say exactly why the spot wasn’t used, but considering the rather somber tone of recent Lexus ads, a little humor might have been a welcome change.
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