Lexus's high value preservation promise, can it win by playing "change it as you like"?
Coincidentally, in 2023, companies in the automotive field will also burst out with a new momentum: change in a beautiful way!
In January, Lexus Tsuneji Sato took the helm.
In February, Jia Jianxu of SAIC Volkswagen took over as general manager.
News after news shows that the Chinese market has really changed, no matter what it used to be"Unbreakable"of Lexus, still"Can't fix it"of the public are facing new and huge challenges.
The difference is that Lexus doesn't have much confusion and hesitation. On Valentine's Day, February 14, Lexus launched the all-new RZ and the new generation RX on time. With many new forces sparing no expense to emphasize"The screen is larger than Tesla's"、"The level of autonomous driving is higher than that of L2"No, Lexus didn't join the race"Parameter wars"。Lexus didn't join the fight"Parameter warfare", but always maintained a low-key aristocratic temperament.
Don't fight"Parameter warfare", how does Lexus win hearts and minds?
In the face of profound changes in the electrification era, as the head of Lexus China, Li Hui has chosen a different way of change: reshaping the brand charm with an ultra-high value retention rate.
Subsequently, Lexus adopted a buyback policy and made it clear that 90% of the residual value would be repurchased within one year!
Let's take a closer look at this official promise: when buying a new RZ, users can enjoy up to 90% residual value in one year, 80% in two years, 70% in three years, and 60% in four years when replacing a Lexus brand model.
Lexus is about to shout"The risk is borne by the official, and I don't like to change it at any time"The arrogant slogan. In the case of new cars such as Azera and Tesla, there is indeed a deafening feeling of being drunk on the head. After all, since the start of the new energy war, Azera's value retention rate has been declining, and the second-hand car market has also become"Beijing Azera Corps"Patrol of the hardest-hit areas. Lexus's new and dazzling start is really a snake into seven inches.
Of course, there are also doubts in the industry: can Lexus open up a new situation of electrification?
Buying new energy = bleeding from the wallet?Lexus: The terminator of leek logic.
In the process of the new energy penetration rate approaching 30%, I don't know if you have noticed: the logic of automobile consumption is being reversed.
We all know that 43% of Chinese car owners change their cars on average every 36 months. Do you know how often Chinese change their phones?Unbelievable, right?** Dozens of times different, but the frequency of replacement is very close.
With such a high frequency of replacement, it seems that the car is no longer a good tool that can be driven for 10 or 20 years. So,"Durable"Is it still important for cars?For now, you can say:"Nope"。
In this regard, let us talk about two phenomena. The first phenomenon: in the past two decades, Chinese mobile phones have been in"Smart technology**"In the process, the frequency of replacement has been accelerating, but with the strengthening of quality control and the slowdown of technology iteration, the frequency cycle of Chinese people has been extended. The current new energy vehicles, the market cycle has a high degree of similarity, is experiencing a"Electrification technology is large**"The desire to appreciate new technologies in automobiles is very strong, for"Try it first"Willing to pay a high price.
But this kind"Leek logic"And how long can it last?Cars will eventually return to the essence of life. In fact, if you look closely at the new energy market, you will find that the counterattack and development are carried out simultaneously and menacingly. At first, second-hand car dealers did not dare to accept it"Pure electric vehicles", because a drop in battery life is unavoidable"Afraid of pressing the goods in hand"；Even now, the value of pure electric vehicles and gasoline vehicles has basically opened a three-year gap. After entering the pure electric vehicle = asset depreciation 30%-50%;The residual value is out of control, so consumers can only endure the pain.
In the new energy market, consumers really can only choose when"Leeks"Is it?Lexus offers a new option: an official high residual value buyback, which allows you to spend money once, buy a car, but keep n options for a long time. You can drive for two or 20 years, unlike buying a new power unit, you have to be prepared to change cars in 3-5 years. To some extent, Lexus is not in a hurry, and is clearly taking a long-term view.
Building a car is not an easy task, and the luxury car experience will eventually return to its roots.
Of course, the consumer must be fully respected"Taste", so that the value of the car can withstand the ravages of time. Don't the new forces want to do this?They may have their own difficulties, but Lexus has unbeatable advantages.
We all know that Lexus seems to be in the age of electrification"Latecomers"But in fact, as early as 1992, Lexus began to work on the research and development of hybrid technology, which is essentially a new field of energy technology"Antiquity"is one of them. What's more, the Lexus luxury brand originates from"The way of ingenuity"An interpretation of oriental luxury.
Many people have heard of the process of 38 days and 67 processes for the interior trim of the island, and of the assembly and inspection process of the vehicles with millimeter accuracy. In the era of mechanized mass production, the adherence to the spirit of craftsmanship has made countless Lexus owners still trouble-free after driving Lexus for two or three hundred thousand kilometers. This kind of persistent accumulation and reverence for the philosophy of creation is precisely the use of the ** chain by the new forces"Integrate, converge, reintegrate"The biggest flaw.
Excerpt from: China Automobile Dealers Association, Jingzhen Appraisal "2022 China Auto Brand Retention Rate Report".
In 2022, with the sharp rise in new energy sales, it seems that new cars are rising, but no one has shaken Lexus's status as a high-value retention rate.
Cars are used to drive for a long time, and they are used to serve people for a long time"。
Consumers who understand this inner logic may become new fans of Lexus's electrification. In fact, they can also be a group of people with high IQ and high style. From this perspective, Lexus' electrification plan is not a matter of one or two years, but of the next ten or twenty years. Lexus has chosen to take a long-term view of user needs and create a more lasting bond between the brand and its users. From the 4-year 100,000 km and 6-year 150,000 km free warranty and maintenance policy, to today"High warranty"Lexus provides users with peace of mind throughout the life cycle from car purchase, use to car replacement, and this measure also demonstrates the evolution of Lexus to a Chinese brand in the era of electrification.