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Lexus Korea CEO Akihisa Yoshida makes opening remarks during a launch event for the all-new Lexus RX SUVs at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul on Wednesday. Lexus Korea |
Lexus Korea will continue to focus on hybrids and SUVs for growth this year, the Japanese carmaker’s chief executive officer said Wednesday.
“The cheap oil prices are expected to affect sales of hybrid cars in Korea, but the company will continue to expand the lineup of hybrid cars under a mid- and long-term vision,’’ Lexus Korea CEO Akihisa Yoshida said during a press meeting.
He mentioned the strategic direction of Toyota’s luxury vehicle brand during a launch event for the all-new Lexus RX SUVs.
RX, Lexus’ midsize SUV line between NX and LX, refers to crossovers in competition with other global luxury SUVs such as BMW X5 and Audi Q5 and Acura MDX.
Among RX models, the company debuted the petro-electric RX 450h and the gasoline-powered RX 350 in Korea.
The 4th generation RX came back with a bold and dynamic look. The fully redesigned RX crossover is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor. Its new engine and transmission will give customers more fun but stable driving experiences, the company said.
The carmaker aims to sell 900 RX vehicles by the year end, which will take about 10 percent of the annual sales target set at 8,000 units, the CEO said.
Lexus Korea sold 7,956 vehicles here in 2015, a 23 percent increase from the previous year. NX300h, the company’s compact hybrid SUV, was the best-selling model.
By Seo Jee-yeon (
jyseo@heraldcorp.com)
