Tony Cramb

Lexus is expected to lose its luxury segment crown here in the U.S. this year, due mostly to the production delays caused by the Japan’s recent earthquake, but even without the natural disaster the upmarket Toyota division had been losing ground to rivals. Another key reason for the closing gap in sales is that Lexus’ sales are heavily skewed towards its luxury SUV models such as the RX and LX lines at a time when the market is moving away from such vehicles. However, to reclaim its position as the country’s top luxury auto brand and invigorate its lineup, Lexus is planning...