exus dealers are well prepared for an economic slowdown in terms of their operations and products, but they could use some help from the Japanese luxury brand at the top end of the SUV lineup, says the outgoing chairman of the Lexus National Dealer Advisory Council.
Carl Sewell III, president of Sewell Automotive Cos. in Dallas, has been chairman of the Lexus dealer council for two years. His company holds 10 franchises across 17 rooftops, including several other luxury brands.
Sewell said Lexus could use a Cadillac Escalade fighter — a big, three-row luxury SUV — but there are other considerations beyond what dealers want, such as how vehicles fit into the brand's regulatory plans.
"I think every dealer would raise their hand for that product, certainly," Sewell told Automotive News last month. "One of the big things we've been working on over the last two years on council is our premium luxury utility vehicle lineup for the future. Right now, we've got a really strong sub-$50,000 lineup. But when we look above that, we've got some great product today, but what do those products look like for the future?"
Sewell said the Lexus lineup is flexible enough to offer an attractive price for almost every interested customer.
And that flexibility, he said, along with strong fixed-operations models, have the luxury brand's dealers prepared for whatever the future may hold as sales tighten across the industry.
"I think you're seeing Lexus dealers be disciplined. We're always great at adapting to whatever environment we're in," Sewell said "Our model lineup has never been stronger. Lexus is more of a one-too-few brand to begin with, so you're not going to be in these '100-day supply on the ground'-type situations with them. And then you've got the strongest captive in the industry with Lexus Financial Services. So, with all those things, combined with the great operators in the Lexus dealer body, I think we're ready to weather whatever the future holds, and I just couldn't feel better about it."
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