Bloomberg News just covered the new Lexus CT 200h (h is for hybrid — aka battery plus motor). This car will compete head-to-head with the Fisker Nina, allegedly to be built in Delaware and available sometime in 2013. So, Lexus (aka Toyota) has a product to market 2 years earlier, with an extensive dealer network, an unparalleled history of reliability, and a cheaper price. Ouch. A couple of positive quotes from the article (that refers to the car using the Jefferson Airplanesque — Plastic Fantastic):
The Mini Cooper rules supreme to many urban dwellers, but the fact that I averaged more than 40 mph, even in the densest traffic, gave the 200h an edge. Around town, it’s almost deceitfully sporty…
The $1,100 premium audio package, with 10 speakers, made a pleasure of dawdling in traffic, and the leather seats are the most comfortable I’ve experienced since my all-time-favorite, the buckets in the BMW 7 Series.
The auto does not get a universal thumbs up — it is a little too plastic. Something that I suppose won’t affect the Fisker (if & when available). However, in 2 years time who knows how Lexus will have adjusted the trim, while increasing reliability, comfort, efficiency, etc.
Why is our Governor making risky venture capital investments with taxpayer money to compete against the top automobile manufacturer in the world? Who knows, but it was and remains a bad idea.
Lexus is getting to be a stale brand. The McMansion of upscale vehicles. A lot of people buy them as a symbol of success. Lexus used to say something. First, that you got money, second you don’t give a crap about buying American.
But with 300 million Lexus’ on the road, Lexus is now about as exclusive as a frying pan from Target. Maybe there is a niche for Fisker among seekers of new American made symbols.
Bill let me make sure I have your arguments correct: 1) everyone who has been foreclosed on or can’t afford their mortgage is barely mentally capable and one step out of a group home. 2) fisker will be a huge success because Lexus and all the other auto makers are stale old brands and fisker is fresh and new and people will clamor to buy their over priced, unknown and unproven product?
Arthur,
1) No, everyone in foreclosure is not one step from a group home. I hope you agree that buying a house is based on trust. Certain fiduciary duties are in play. When those trusts are broken, going to Plan B, helping people seems fair to me. When you go to a casino or buy something in a back alley, you expect maybe the “fix” is in. Dealing with a financial institution should not be like that. You do know what’s happening don’t you? It’s so bad people in foreclosure can’t even tell who holds the mortgage and it turns out signatures are forged on mortgages. You saw that in the paper no?
Nor did I say this is about everyone who can’t afford their mortgage. The point was people were conned. Foreclosures done with falsified documents. The courts agree. That’s why states like Nevada got restitution from Morgan Stanley. Your point seems to be if you have a problem, screw you it must be your own fault. What is that about? That’s sure not conservative. Helping people is Christian and good. Are you saying helping people is a bad thing to do?
2) On Lexus, yep. They are a stale 20th century status symbol, right up there with the McMansion, and people are thinking buy American made more these days. I’m not the only one rooting for FIsker. The Delaware auto workers are. All the businesses in Newport are rooting for Fisker. The private sector investors who put in a billion are rooting for Fisker. And your point is? Let’s talk this down as much as we can? Concede to Lexus?
The trouble with the naysayers is they got the naysaying part down, but that’s about it. How about some ideas for rejuvenating the Newport Plant. Something other than sit back let the market do it’s miracle. This is the market doing it’s thing. Lots of private sector folks are betting on stuff like Bloom and electric cars as the next big thing. The government is helping too.
Yeah. Those Lexus cars… No one buys them any more. They’re much too popular…. (With all appropriate credit to Yogi Berra)
Lexus is getting to be a stale brand. The McMansion of upscale vehicles. A lot of people buy them as a symbol of success
Yes, like BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes. The object of being in the car business is to actually sell cars, and Toyota (Lexus) sells a lot of them.
Lexus used to say something. First, that you got money, second you don’t give a crap about buying American.
Generally, Toyotas are more ‘American’ than the domestic cars.
But with 300 million Lexus’ on the road, Lexus is now about as exclusive as a frying pan from Target.
But you just said that ‘people buy them as a symbol of success.’ You are contradicting yourself; which is it?
Maybe there is a niche for Fisker among seekers of new American made symbols.
Yeah, and it’s a big ‘maybe.’ The first Fiskers will be made in Finland, not ‘America’- at $85k a pop. My guess is that this company will face the same fate as the Chevy Volt.
Do ‘green’ morons realize that most electricity is made by burning coal? Or fission?
In the auto business, you are a lot better off building what people want rather than trying to create a ‘niche.’