August 5th, 2003 RX330 leads record-breaking salesLEXUS Australia has achieved
its best-ever sales result for the month of July, according to figures
released by industry statistician VFACTS. 375 new Lexus vehicles were sold last month, up
25.8 percent on the marque’s previous record which was set in July
1999. This year’s July result continues a
record-setting trend which last month saw Lexus record its best result
for the first half of the year, and year to date Lexus sales are now
32.0 percent ahead of the same period in 2002.
Lexus has now sold 728 RX330s since the car was
launched in mid-April. “The sales of RX330 are confirmation of what we
predicted when the car was launched - that it would add substantially to
Lexus’ footprint in Australia,” said the senior manager for Lexus
Australia, John Roca. The success of RX330 has been supported by
booming sales of Lexus’ other four-wheel drive model, LX470, which
increased 85.7 percent over the same month last year. “The success of RX330 and LX470 is at the
forefront of a significant trend which is reshaping the luxury vehicle
market,” said Mr Roca. Sales of luxury SUVs have increased almost
three-fold since 1996 - from 2,390 to 7,850 last year, and so far this
year, luxury SUV sales have increased a further 28.8 percent. The sales success of the RX330 is also in line
with the trend in the US, where the vehicle has been the highest-selling
luxury SUV for several years. Last year 72,963 RX330 vehicles were sold in the United States, ahead of 42,742 BMW X5s and 39,680 Mercedes-Benz ML class.
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Best
performer for Lexus Australia in July was its new RX330 luxury sport
vehicle with 193 sold, which was well ahead of company projections. 