Infiniti and Lexus Compete in Compact Luxury Segment

Call it bold. Call it aggressive. Call it whatever you want. But the Lexus IS 350 has been consistently referred to by critics as one of the best driver’s cars of all time.

If that isn’t enough, the 350 has also been named one of the best-selling luxury sport sedans today.

As well put together as this new Lexus is, it still has some pretty stiff competition to contend with – namely Mercedes, BMW, and Audi.

A curious thing, though. The one automaker that is rarely ever mentioned in the same breath whenever there’s a Lexus comparison is Infiniti.

First launched in 1989, the Infiniti marque emerged to give BMW a run for their money, but a faulty marketing campaign and an unorthodox design combination eventually led to poor sales and hit and miss successes over the years.

As an entry-level luxury vehicle, the G37 or more specifically, the G20, was first introduced in the 90’s by Infiniti as an intercontinental automobile. “Born in Japan. Educated in Europe. Now Available in America.”

Part of the larger G-Series, Infiniti had just begun making its contribution to the compact segment of the market with the P10 and P11.

After carefully planning the independent design, engineering, and marketing of its brand, Infiniti is debuting the all-new Q50 – replacing its 4th generation predecessor – the G37, almost 25 years later.

Let’s go back to 1999, when Lexus had its own plans of throwing its hat in the ring by producing a compact luxury vehicle that rivaled the likes of Mercedes, Audi, and Volkswagen in 1999.

Enter the Lexus IS performance sedan.

The car maker wanted to prove that Japanese vehicles could offer the same kind of power as some of the more popular sports cars in its class.

When it was initially rolled out, the IS was so well received that it had won critical acclaim during its initial launch, while being honored as Japan’s Car of the Year for design.

Even though Lexus enjoyed favorable success in North America, its European sales in 2004 still trailed that of its German-made competitors. One school of thought is that the IS lacked a manual gearbox option, which ate into potential sales overseas.

Still as many in the industry know, trying to pry a German car out of the hands of a European, is like trying to take candy from a baby.

The second generation IS saw sales skyrocket to a 332 percent increase in 2006 – falling right in line under the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3 Series, and Cadillac CTS in 2008.

Within two short years, the Lexus IS quickly overcame its sales deficits as the second generation model saw tremendous sales growth.

As they move to redefine the entire Lexus line, the car maker is targeting younger buyers with an expression of bold aggression and playful performance.

Both Lexus and Infiniti have opened themselves up to unfamiliar terrain – appealing to a much different group of car buyers, and competing in the ever-growing, ever-popular compact luxury segment.

Still overall, Lexus walks away with a consistent record of reliability and performance that remains unmatched amid a sea of highly capable contenders.

For a chance to browse new and pre-owned Lexus vehicles, visit Lexus of Highland Park. Our friendly staff would be happy to help you find the perfect vehicles to fit your needs and wants. Stop over and visit us today!