Lexus to Hit Record Sales in 2013

Lexus is aiming for a steady 5 to 10 percent annual growth in the coming years, an executive said, as the luxury brand of the world’s best-selling carmaker Toyota seeks to establish a more global presence in the premium market.
The company expects to sell a record 520,000 Lexus vehicles this year, up about 8 percent year-on-year. The United States last year accounted for about half of Lexus’ global sales.
Lexus officials say despite the growth, the priority is building a stronger brand image rather than volume.
In a drive to boost its image, Lexus last week named for Akio Toyoda, the President of Toyota Motor Corp, “Chief Branding Officer and Master Driver”. Toyoda is a race driver and a founding family scion.
“Right now, he (Toyoda) says sales aren’t important, profits aren’t important, it’s all about building a foundation for the future. So we are trying to build through the next 30 years,” said Mark Templin, Lexus Executive Vice President, at the Tokyo Motor Show.
In April, Toyoda changed the structure of the carmaker and placed Lexus among the four pillars of its core business areas.
Since then, he has been at the forefront of promoting the brand, making appearances in hip suits and retro glasses and has said his founding family status puts him in a unique position to promote the luxury cars.                                    Reuters