SYDNEY CITY LEXUS
INSIGHT
200,000 LEXUS A NEW MILESTONE Lexus has delivered its 200,000th vehicle in Australia, and we are proud and humble to play our part in making that happen. It would be fitting. We’re also fairly certain we delivered the very first Lexus in Australia on 15 May 1990, 35 years ago. The truth is, records can’t conclusively verify either claim, so we’re happily celebrating two joint milestones: 200,000 Lexus deliveries nationally, and 35 years of proud service as one of the brand’s pioneering dealerships in Australia. We were one of five original Lexus dealers when this bold new luxury brand launched. The unveiling took place at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum, a fitting location to honour the LS 400’s breakthrough design, engineering and craftsmanship. We delivered that first LS from our William Street showroom, and we proudly claim it as the first Lexus delivered in the country. The LS remains the only model in our lineup to have been available continuously for all 35 years. It was named Car of the Decade by Wheels magazine.
It took two years to deliver Lexus’s first 1,000 vehicles in Australia, and 25 years to reach 100,000. The second 100,000 came in just 10 more, a sign of Lexus’s growing impact and momentum. Lexus launched as a disruptor in the luxury space, and it’s remained a consistent innovator and leader ever since. We created the luxury SUV segment with the introduction of the RX in 1998. We were the first luxury brand to introduce electrified powertrains with the GS 450h in 2006. Today, Lexus is the hybrid-electric leader in Australia. In 2002, 46% of our customers chose a Lexus hybrid. By 2024, that number had grown to 74%. This year, 78% of our deliveries are hybrid-electric. And there’s more to come. Over the next 12 months, our lineup will be further strengthened with the introduction of a more powerful RZ battery-electric vehicle, and the arrival of the elegantly redesigned ES sedan, now featuring an upgraded BEV powertrain.
SYDNEY CITY
NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS: A USER’S GUIDE TO THE LUXURY CAR TAX BY JOHN ROCA, DEALER PRINCIPAL The Federal Government’s latest update to the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) came into effect on 1 July and on the surface, not much changed.
their taxation burden. Many of our models hover right around the LCT threshold, which means careful planning can make a significant difference.
The indexation adjustment was a minimal 0.997 per cent, meaning the effective LCT thresholds remain at $91,387 for fuel-efficient vehicles and $80,567 for all others.
Our popular NX SUV, for example, often falls under the threshold, but adding accessories or customisations can easily tip a vehicle above it, triggering substantial additional costs.
But the real shift came not in the numbers, but in the definition of what now qualifies as a fuel-efficient vehicle. Previously, a vehicle met that criteria if it used 7.0 litres per 100 km or less. As of 1 July, that benchmark has been slashed in half. Now, only vehicles consuming 3.5 L/100 km or less are considered fuel-efficient under the LCT scheme.
A few extras can cost far more than their retail price if they lead to LCT liabilities, sometimes up to four times more, if the sums aren’t done right. Minimising unnecessary tax is the job of a good accountant and, I’d argue, of any responsible Sydney City Lexus sales consultant.
It’s a clear policy nudge, an attempt to “incentivise” the industry toward electrification and low-emissions technologies.
That’s why we work with every guest to ensure they get exactly what they want in a Lexus, in the smartest, most economically efficient way possible.
At Sydney City Lexus, we believe this is the right direction, not only for the sake of tax relief, but for broader environmental and product quality reasons. Lexus globally is committed to a low-emission future, and that means even more refined, enjoyable, and advanced vehicles for our guests.
Later in this newsletter, I’ll introduce you to our new Lexus Sales Manager, someone I’m proud to welcome to the team.
For me personally, the Luxury Car Tax has always been an opportunity to work closely with guests to help minimise
John Roca, Dealer Principal
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LUKE MANGAN GOES BUSH Our favourite celebrity chef, Sydney City Lexus ambassador Luke Mangan has acquired a property at Kangaloon in the NSW Southern Highlands to grow herbs for his new Sydney venture Luke’s Kitchen. And his new Lexus GX550 luxury SUV is the conduit. He uses it to transfer his farm fresh produce, securely, from paddock to plate. Luke is the ultimate perfectionist. His hallmark is quality. Mark Warren spent time with Luke and discovered great similarity between his customer service principles and ours. Watch the video here.
THE BEST GETS EVEN BETTER LEXUS LX UPGRADED It feels like yesterday we introduced the world’s best large all-terrain SUV and in doing so, set a new global benchmark. The Lexus LX is more than just our off-road flagship. It’s the definitive luxury vehicle for Australia’s outback, a sector we helped pioneer more than 25 years ago. While the LX has always had formidable off-road credentials, it has evolved into something much more: • A luxury SUV as comfortable on the gravel as it is gliding up to a five-star hotel. • A show-stopper in the school sports car park. • A 3500kg braked-towing powerhouse trusted by boating and equestrian enthusiasts alike. Now, the LX range welcomes a new series and with it, a new grade: Overtrail, where peerless luxury meets uncompromising off-road performance. This is a “back to the future” moment. The rest of the LX range is already desert - and mountain-ready, but Overtrail is purpose-built for the serious adventurer, equipped with fully locking front and rear differentials, higher-profile all-terrain tyres, and a host of unique design upgrades.
The newly expanded LX lineup features seven grades, powered by either a 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel V6 or a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, both mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Luxury is elevated across the board, with new soft-close doors and a larger, fully digital 12.3-inch multi-information display replacing the outgoing 8.0-inch screen. But Overtrail stands alone. It’s offered exclusively as a five-seater, signalling its intent to carry both people and gear into remote destinations with ease. Its design cues are unmistakable: a black grille, blackedout bumpers, door handles, mirrors, wheel arches, and exclusive interior finishes including monolithtoned leather-accented seats and Sumi Ash black ornamentation. You’ll want to see it in person. There are seven exterior colours in the LX range, including the striking Moon Desert, available only on Overtrail.
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BEANIES FOR BRAIN CANCER It’s quite a milestone: this year, the Mark Hughes Foundation surpassed the magic million, selling over one million Beanies for Brain Cancer since the initiative began in 2014. This year, more than 130,000 beanies were sold, largely through the passionate support of the Rugby League community, raising an incredible $3.5 million for brain cancer research. The Foundation was started by Mark and his wife Kirrily after Mark was diagnosed with brain cancer. Fundraising became one of the ways they fought back against this insidious disease. After 33 rounds of radiation therapy, Mark has had no
return of his cerebral cancer. But rather than stepping away, he’s doubled down turning the Foundation into one of the most successful in its field, even helping to fund a new cancer ward in Newcastle. Sydney City Lexus is proud to support the Mark Hughes Foundation. Each year, we purchase and distribute beanies among our team. While our personal contribution may not match the national total, it’s meaningful and we’re honoured to play a part. Over the past three years, we’ve raised $27,193.40 to support the cause — and we remain committed to playing a small part in achieving a much bigger goal: finding a cure.
WILBURY IS ON THE MOVE Wilbury, our charity fundraising bear, is performing beyond target. We’d hoped he’d raise $10,000 for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation by Christmas, and he’s already put $10,472 in the bank. We’re thinking of expanding his goals. Dealer principal John Roca bought Wilbury, our metre-tall mascot at a Sydney Children’s Hospital auction earlier this year and put him to work. Wilbury is prepared to visit your home or business for just $500 a time and to stay for a week, delighting customers and raising funds for the Children’s Hospital. So far, he’s visited the new Divino Osteria restaurant in Elizabeth Bay, Affluens 360 (consultancy https://affluens360.com.au/services/), Planet Services, the East Coast’s biggest plumbing organisation and he’s currently at Beverley Hills Golf Club. We know because he has an on-bear tracker and a social media platform to celebrate his successes. Wilbury – for Travelling Wilbury, a superstar music group of the eighties – is due back with John Roca in December. John hopes he might have raised double our goal by then. SYDNEY CITY LEXUS | INSIGHT | 4
ALL IN THE FAMILY Jacob Roca, 29, soon to turn 30, has been appointed sales manager of Sydney City Lexus. It is his first executive appointment after 10 years working across 17 positions in the business owned by his father, John and mother, Veronique. “It’s 30 years in the business,” Jake (JayJay) said. “I have been in the family firm all my life, at every family dinner table and in most family discussions.” Jacob has graduated with distinction from the Future Leaders Program, designed by Lexus’ parent company Toyota Motor Corporation Australia to identify and train the next generation of dealer principals. The program is regarded as business best practice to seek out and groom the best-suited and most likely professionals to service the increasingly burgeoning demands of the retail motor industry. Succession planning is an important, but not exclusive part of the process. Candidates are chosen and complete the three-year course on ability, not on family ties.
“I graduated as a Bachelor of Sports Management with a focus on guiding the careers of elite sports people,” Jacob said. “But the motor industry was part of my DNA. My first job at Sydney City was washing cars while still at Uni.” A decade later he has rotated through each division of the business and applied himself to the rigorous Future Leaders program. He will continue to be mentored by industry leaders outside the dealership. Jacob’s appointment is a source of great pride to his parents. “My dad is obviously well known as one of the top professionals in the motor industry, but I need to pay special tribute to my Mum,” Jacob said. “She has been there for both of us and neither of us would be where we are without her.” The Roca family plans a celebration: “But not until he makes target,” John Roca said.
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FROM PLUMBING TO PIZZA It’s not exactly pizza, although it’s on the menu. Anthony Alafaci’s first venture into the world of restaurants, Divino Osteria, in Elizabeth Bay, is fast gaining a reputation as a modern and innovative culinary experience. “I’ve always been a foodie,” 51-year-old Anthony says of his dramatic change of pace from his day job as a plumber. He’s not exactly a plumber either. He’s the principal of the Planet Plumbing Group, which employs 500 people in three states. We know him because he’s a long-term customer of Sydney City. He’s owned some seven Lexus, starting with a GS250 for his mum and dad, Guiseppe and Guiseppina (Joe and Josephine), and he has more than 60 of our sister company’s HiLuxes in his fleet. “It's all about relationships,” Anthony says. “I met John Roca (our dealer principal) when he was CEO of Lexus Australia, and we’ve become good friends.
“It’s always been about hard work and reward for effort,” he said. “That’s why I appreciate Lexus. It does everything so well and efficiently without fuss, but still with a sense of luxury and pride in its construction.” Anthony currently drives an NX350 hybrid, just right for the tight lanes of the inner suburbs of Sydney. His previous LS600 was “beautiful, but a bit tight for the streets of Rose Bay.” He also has a garage full of collectable cars, his favourite the 1994 Ferrari F355 he bought as a reward to himself for some of his early business success. “I used to do track days – not so much anymore. Too old,” he jokes. Instead, the restaurant is consuming a lot of his spare time, away from Planet. “It started out as a bit of fun. Now it’s getting a lot more serious,” he said.
The relationship is more than about cars. John has helped me with getting my business protocols right. When I have a question to ask, I go to John.”
But it’s still a place where his mum goes “to annoy the chef”, and where his three teenage children can start to apply their own version of the family work ethic.
Work ethic means a lot to Anthony.
John Roca ate there recently. “The good news is he’s working on developing an Australian take on Tartufo for dessert. You can’t get a good one this side of Calabria,” John observed.
His parents arrived separately as kids from Calabria and met while their parents were operating competing fruit shops.
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CON VISUALISES A BETTER SOLUTION Con Hatzivasiliou, our general manager of service, is the most suspicious person on the planet. If someone offers him a product that claims to enhance the Lexus he loves, his first reaction has always been “you can’t improve on perfection.” When pressed, he’ll research the daylights out of the offering to see whether it comes close to meeting its claims. Which is why there’s a lot of credibility in Con recently recommending a windscreen protection solution called Integrashield to his guests. It’s a windscreen protectant that seals microscopic surface pores on all glass surfaces, even Lexus. It was a surprise to us – all window glass has channels and curves, unnoticeable to the naked eye, which leave it vulnerable to smearing and occasional chipping.
Its distributor says it was developed for the US space program, tested by the University of Michigan, and claims it improves visibility, reduces night glare and repels all forms of road grime. Con has properly checked it out, uses it himself, and has become something of a true believer. It’s not a tint, although it filters UV, so it’s legal on the windscreen in all states. The good news is that it comes with a five-year warranty to support its claims. If you’re doing some country travelling or night driving, it may be worth consideration. Con invites guests to have a chat about it when they next visit our service centres.
LEXUS THANK YOU Our team members are very special to us and to the guests they serve. Every now and then, our long-term members celebrate milestone anniversaries. We take joy in recognising them. PETER DEMETRE Glebe Service Manager (15 years)
PETER MIHACZI Waterloo Lexus Service Valet Driver (30 years)
GRANT CATLIN Waterloo Lexus Service Workshop Operations Supervisor (25 years)
JACOB ROCA Waterloo Lexus Retail Sales Manager (10 years)
ZLATKO ACEVSKI Waterloo Lexus Service Manager (30 years)
RYAN CHEN Glebe Lexus Retail Assistant Sales Manager (10 years)
TIM CHEN Glebe Lexus Retail Sales Manager (15 years)
IVAN MOHAMMAD Waterloo Lexus Pre-Owned Showroom & Reconditioning Assistant (15 years)
SARGON SHABA Glebe Service Technician (10 years)
JOHN ALAGHA Waterloo Lexus Sales Executive (10 years) SYDNEY CITY LEXUS | INSIGHT | 7
GET IN TOUCH Sydney City Lexus Waterloo 824 Bourke Street WATERLOO NSW, 2017 02 8303 1900 Sydney City Lexus Glebe 36-38 Parramatta Rd, GLEBE NSW 2037 02 9565 6363 sales@sydneycitylexus.com.au
www.sydneycitylexus.com.au
SYDNEY CITY