Lexus Insights 10th Edition

SYDNEY CITY LEXUS INSIGHT

THE POWER OF RX

The arrival of the all-new next generation luxury Lexus RX SUV range has heralded a huge influx of orders from Sydney City Lexus’s guests.

Electrified power trains headline the exhilarating new range from the leading performance 500h F Sport, which is our new Hybrid hero, to the advanced RX350h.

Guests can also choose the RX350 F sport with a turbocharged petrol engine, one of five petrol variants in our progressive 14 variant range.

It’s the first time our exclusive F Sport enhancement has been incorporated in the RX range. Its inclusion sees RX reach new dynamic heights while promoting sustainable motoring.

The revolutionary fifth generation RX features the most powerful hybrid SUV yet offered by Lexus in Australia, redefining our Lexus Driving Signature unique experience with new levels of comfort, refinement and driving enjoyment.

Lexus was the first in Australia to introduce a luxury hybrid petrol-electric SUV and we’re now the first to introduce a turbocharged performance hybrid model.

The range topping RX500h features a high performance 2.4litre turbo petrol engine with a parallel hybrid producing 273kW.

RX has built on its superb styling with even greater emphasis on its signature spindle grille. Its lower and wider with sports wheel choices ranging from 19” to 21” depending on specification.

Inside there’s an intuitive sense of unity between the driver and the vehicle through its thoroughly redesigned cockpit.

The new generation interior provides an expansive sense of width, coupled with a 14” touch screen multimedia display.

We’re offering the RX with a choice of nine exterior colours coupled with 14 interior trim combinations. Importantly new generation RX introduces Lexus Connected Services using an inbuilt data communication module to communicate with emergency services to offer even greater reassurance to our guests.

Sydney City Lexus’s guests will have 3 years complimentary access to the LCS system from the delivery date.

ALL THINGS AUTOMOTIVE A MASSIVE INCREASE IN LEXUS AVAILABILITY

In 2023 it’s likely the ability of Sydney City Lexus to deliver a new vehicle to our guests will increase between 40 and 50 percent. That’s the good news.

Supply may still not be back to pre-Covid conditions, but we’re gradually moving towards a position where we can assure our guests with some certainty that its best to wait for their Lexus than settle for something else.

The launch of the new generation flagship RX line has created immense buzz in our dealerships.

Lexus Australia is so buoyant that they are quietly forecasting a record year – one in which demand may still exceed supply, but a record, nonetheless.

Sydney City Lexus is in a good position to expedite supply. Because we have two separate retail positions – Glebe and Waterloo – we’re able to secure two allocations from our factory.

That means we’re better placed than most in the luxury sector to be able to meet our guests’ exact requisites.

I have been talking, unceasingly it seems, to our finance providers. They are forecasting this year a return to stand alone finance packages for new vehicle purchases.

For some time, there was a trend amongst our guests to bundle their finances, incorporating mortgages for mobility, investments, even home loans. Its time, the financiers say, to unpackage them in order to seek the most advantageous individual solutions. One should not make light of the current economy and their advice is worthy of consideration.

John Roca, Dealer Principal

WE CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Sydney City Lexus joined with Lexus dealerships around the world on March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day.

This year the theme was DigitALL, Innovation and Technology and that summed up the revolution that has been going on within our own team as more women step up to taking our entire automotive industry forward.

IWD is an initiative of the United Nations, and we’ve supported it pretty much since its inception.

The motor industry is about a lot more than cars.

It represents the future of sustainable mobility in our ever-changing society.

Some of the women who have joined our company have substantially changed our perspective on what our business stands for.

Sydney City Lexus has always prided itself on its ethics, but it’s fair to say that an atmosphere of inclusivity and a policy of gender equality has opened our eyes to so much more potential.

Not just because of IWD, we believe our company is a much better place because of the respect that exists between all our talented team members.

J-MAC’S MOST IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENT

The automotive world is changing fast. Only a few years ago global car makers, international media and true enthusiasts would flock to the Tokyo Motor Show, one of the world’s great expositions of the next big things in cars.

But this year’s Show is off, at least in name.

It’s become the Japan Mobility Show – a deliberate shift in emphasis that opens the opportunity to explore space-age solutions to all our transport needs. Two other exhibitions have just been held in Japan –the Tokyo Auto Salon and the Tokyo Outdoor Show, pitched at more personal responses to individual requirements.

Naturally, Lexus was prominent at both.

We showed two concepts – the RZ Sport Concept and the RX Outdoor Concept.

The RZ explored new ways of customising our popular battery electric EV and the RX previewed a range of accessories which could make camping and off-road adventure even more environmentally sound.

More powerful carbon-neutral engines, hydrogen power, enhanced sports handling, even spectacular new paint technologies were put on trial with attendees – to gauge their reaction and potentially to be incorporated into production.

An intriguing side bar for historic car collectors was to convert beloved older vehicles with new hydrogen power plants – making them, literally, as modern as tomorrow.

WHEN THE BITUMEN RUNS OUT BUT THE ROAD GOES ON

The joy of our superb range of Lexus SUVs is that they’re built to handle the sort of gravel roads that still are a major part of the country driving experience. Well maintained shire roads are better handled and give our guests greater confidence in one of our Lexus SUVs than pretty much any other vehicle we can think of.

When it comes to serious off-road driving, of course, that’s when our top of the range LX with its multitude of gear ranges, traction controls and ground clearance comes into its own.

We happily advise our guests on the right Lexus for the needs, and we’re even contemplating involvement in a 4x4 tutorial made especially for our guests.

But when the bitumen runs out, but the gravel road goes on there are a few tips worthy of considering.

According to out general service manager Con

Hatzivasiliou it’s always good policy to check your filters after an extended period of gravel driving.

“I always switch to recirculation mode on my air conditioning to enhance the cockpit’s dust sealing, “ Con says. “But even then, it’s a good idea to check the cockpit air filter.”

Gravel driving brings its own hazards.

“At the end of any trip I’ll always do a walk around my four tyres, just to check is there’s been any sidewall damage or if they picked up any stones, “ he says.

“And if there has been contact with a culvert or a pothole (all too frequent these days), if in doubt, do a wheel alignment check.”

Serious country driving ultimately picks up bugs on the windscreen.

“But they can also lodge in your radiator. A quick check of the radiator vanes is worth the minute it takes, “Con says.

A GREAT IDEA BECOME A BEANIEFICIARY

Its 10 years this year since Rugby League grand finalist Mark Hughes became a brain cancer survivor and started a Foundation which so far has raised more than $5million to support brain cancer research and recovery.

Each year the NRL supports a Buy a Beanie Day, a nice way of drawing attention to our precious brain area, and its raised more than $5million through the Mark Hughes Foundation.

Sydney City Lexus is proud to be a Beanieficiary. Buy a Beanie Day will be mid-season on June 29, and we’ll be securing heaps of beanies for every one of our team members. We’d love our guests to join us in this worthy cause. You can go online

at www.markhughesfoundatioin.com.au, or simply speak to any of us. With winter coming on, we promise you a Mark Hughes beanie will give you a warm feeling – for more than one reason.

DINING AND DRIVING A DAY TRIP TO REMEMBER

Our guests tell us how much they enjoy driving their Lexus.

So, we’ve decided to ask our guests to share their memorable, and repeatable, road trips with us. Every edition of Insight will carry a road trip submitted by one of our readers. Here’s one we prepared earlier:

THE OYSTER TRAIL

WHAT: Half a century ago, one of the great Sunday family outings of Sydney was a drive up the Old Pacific Highway to the oyster farms of Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River. Although bypassed by the F3 Expressway the wonderful, meandering road still exists - revered by bike riders, motorcyclists, and weekend tourists alike.

A walk around Brooklyn is a step back in time. Oysters, freshly shucked, are still available in corked glass bottles, and the shark netted pools still offer a shoreline delight to kids and parents alike. But these days there’s more to the region than that. It’s an invitation to a mixed bag of culinary delights. Your choice.

WHERE: Ignore the M3 North Connex and follow the B83 Pacific Highway north through Hornsby and Mt Colah. At Berowra there’s an invitation to join the M3 again. Ignore it, bear left, and follow the B83 all the way to Mt White. Its only 50kms away. Along the old highway there are at least three refreshment stops to take your fancy.

EATING: Pie in the Sky at 1296 Pacific Highway, atop the escarpment. Once a railway fettlers hut, then the last chance for fuel until forever, its now one of the most sought pie shops on the planet. Expect Lamb and Rosemary ($8), or Cauliflower and Leak in hand made Bechamel sauce ($6.50). Sit under the towering gums or relax by the open fire in winter.

Mooney Mooney Club, 5 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney. (They liked it so much they named it twice). It’s a boatie’s paradise. They pull up at the club’s dock and wander up for same day picked oysters. In your Lexus you can drive into their expansive car park, turn right just across the Hawkesbury Bridge. A dozen oysters natural ($47) with a cold zero-alcohol beer (you’re driving) can be consumed looking out over the Hawkesbury River while your kids use the playground.

Saddles, 20 Ashbrookes Road, Mt. White, at the top of the hill going north (just cross Morgan’s Road and it’s the next on the left), is a 28-acre sprawling piece of Australiana tastefully created by ad-man John Singleton. As its name implies it majors on leather. You sit in crafted seats overlooking the duck pond. Try the charcuterie board with house cured ocean trout ($29) and don’t miss Singo’s special, the beef, red wine, pearl onion and mushroom pie (also $29). You can’t leave without a Lamington – chocolate, guava, and coconut ($9).

THE WAY HOME: It’s a short detour to the M3 and you’re back in Sydney, in Lexus luxury, 45 minutes later.

To submit your story for a chance to be featured in the next newsletter please email: marketing@sydneycitylexus.com.au