Lexus, Toyota’s luxury marque, recorded a 26 per cent jump in sales in the UAE in the first half and a 20 per cent jump across the Middle East.
The growth comes on the back of a strategy launched in 2013 to target younger customers, resulting in a massive jump for its Lexus IS model.
“In the Middle East the IS has done phenomenally well with a 478 per cent increase in the region. That’s off the back of a major styling change to the vehicle in Q3 last year,” said Saud Abbasi, the general manager at Al Futtaim Motors for Lexus. “Overall the population is very young in this region, that is slightly different in the UAE as we have more expats that are generally older. Across nearly all our product line the people buying here are younger than other regions. In terms of Lexus it has looked to a younger client which has worked very well for us in this region.”
The UAE and wider Middle East is a ripe area for growth in the luxury car market. Last month BMW posted a 25 per cent increase in sales in the Middle East delivering 15,797 BMW and Mini vehicles in 12 Middle East markets, with the UAE accounting for about 50 per cent of sales.
Audi experienced an 11 per cent rise in sales for the first half of 2014. Lexus, in the same six months, delivered 21,598 units across the region, a 20 per cent jump on last year. Lexus sales growth will involve further investments in showrooms and service centres.
“Our customer base has increased so we have a major roll-out planned we have plans at the end of the year to open a new retail facility in Ras Al Khaimah,” said Mr Abbasi. “We have investments in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates which will be opened in the next two years. We are already in the capital but the new showroom will be very substantial.”
ascott@thenational.ae
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