Justin Ryan wants Lexus to achieve a strong, sustained fourth position in the local premium car market, securing between 3% and 3.5% in market share.

The Lexus South Africa (SA) GM says the brand did hold fourth spot a while ago, but has since relinquished the position to Jaguar. (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi make up the ruling trio.)

Lexus in 2012 held 2% of the premium market, with this figure closer to 1% in 2013.

Ryan says Lexus lost some share in 2013 – despite volumes remaining steady – as it currently has no product on offer in the small premium segment.

However, with the new IS launching next month, this situation should improve.

The IS is the local Lexus brand’s top-selling model range.

Lexus SA sold 1 393 units in 2010, dropping to 1 178 in 2011, and reaching 1 371 units in 2012.

Ryan says the company plans to sell around 1 000 cars in 2013.

“We have already lost six months on the IS.”

But with the new IS, why not target more than a 3% share?

“A big portion of the premium market falls under R400 000 and we do not really have any product offering there – and we won’t have anything soon either,” notes Ryan.

Lexus SA is also still working to establish itself as an independent, self-sustaining brand, and not merely as “Toyota’s luxury brand”.

“There wasn’t a big awareness about Lexus in the past, but now it is starting to gain an identity independent of Toyota,” says Ryan.

One of the advantages Lexus delivers in a highly competitive premium market is its sharp focus on craftmanship, technology, fuel efficiency and performance, he adds.

Between 12% and 15% of Lexus SA sales are hybrids, with hybrids available in the CT, GS and RX model ranges.

Ryan believes Lexus can achieve its growth ambition through organic growth, including through the new IS, as well as capitalising more on the models it already has available in the local market.

New product introductions will also help.

“Later this year we shall see an introduction into a new segment for Lexus.”

Ryan also believes it is possible to leverage off the Toyota customer base. Customers ‘growing up’ with Toyota, for example, do not have to exit the brand when they seek greater levels of luxury, but can migrate to Lexus.

The Lexus experience can also potentially lure more customers.

When taking their vehicles in for a service, Lexus owners can, for example, expect an office and assistant to be made available to them at the dealership. They can also receive free car washes at any point in time.

On the question of whether Lexus will eventually introduce diesel engines to South Africa, Ryan says it is unlikely, as the hybrid models offer “excellent fuel economy”.

Lexus SA opened its doors in 1993, and has a car parc of around 10 000 vehicles. It has 17 dealers in South Africa, and one each in Botswana and Namibia.