Peter McGregor

LEXUS Australia has shifted its marketing tagline to coincide with the launch of its heavily stylised LC flagship coupe, ditching the long-used ‘Pursuit of Perfection’ for a new slogan, ‘Experience Amazing,’ underpinned by four fresh brand virtues.

Making the announcement at the national media launch of the LC in Tyabb, Victoria, last week, Lexus Australia chief executive, Peter McGregor, said the change reflected a “brand evolution” built around “brave design, exhilarating performance, imaginative technology and the skills of our Takumi craftsmen”.

“These are the values that set Lexus apart as we evolve our brand (and that) evolution has probably been under consideration and development for a number of years,” Mr McGregor told GoAutoNews Premium.

“Because this (tagline) is a global thing, it’s not an Australian thing … it became obvious that the first major-change car that had probably been through the product planning and the engineering to ‘Experience Amazing’ was going to be LC.

“And so it became just that, a natural fit, to say, this new brand promise, this new product, perfect alignment, it makes sense to do it at the same time because I think the best demonstration of our brand promise is actually in our product.”

Mr McGregor believed that the design and engineering of the LC, which is the first model launched locally that is underpinned by the brand’s all-new Global Architecture-Large (GA-L) platform, would be reflected in all future Lexus models to use the chassis, starting with the LS limousine due in early 2018.

“Lexus has moved decisively to inject inspiration into our vehicles,” he continued.

“It’s obvious from the design point-of-view, you’ve seen the LC now (and) we’ve also introduced the new LS, and the styling in both of those vehicles … I think is an outstanding demonstration of the direction that the franchise is taking.

“The new GA-L platform in the torsional rigidity, the suspension settings, the way the car actually drives, that platform is going to undergird every front engine rear-drive Lexus from now on.

“Just even those two examples in terms of how the vehicle looks and then in how the vehicle drives … we’re starting to see an evolution from ‘relentless pursuit’, because it’s still aiming for improvement, but to, ‘okay, when you experience this product, you’ll experience amazement’.”

But Mr McGregor insisted that the new tagline does not necessarily replace traditional Lexus virtues of high-grade fit and finish, and top customer service.

“Did it (Pursuit of Perfection) have a use-by date?” he asked.

“No it didn’t. I can’t actually recall how long we’ve used it. It wouldn’t surprise me if it almost goes back to the introduction of the franchise, somewhere around 26 years ago in one form or another.

“(But) we don’t see it as, oh, we’re getting rid of that and we’re introducing this. Experience Amazing is about talking to our customers about what they should experience when they actually own and drive a Lexus. I think it just moves on from ‘relentless pursuit (of perfection)’ and builds on it.

“It doesn’t replace it. It just builds on it. It’s a pretty big promise.”

By Daniel DeGasperi

LC 500