LEXUS OPENS FIRST RETAILER IN TURKEY
CUSTOMERS TO DISCOVER NEW STANDARDS OF LUXURY IN EXCLUSIVE ISTANBUL SHOWROOM
Istanbul, Turkey - Lexus officially opened its first showroom in Turkey on March 10, 2016, during a ceremony hosted by TTMS President and CEO, Ali Haydar Bozkurt and attended by Head of Lexus Europe, Alain Uyttenhoven.
Located in the prestigious neighbourhood of Maslak in Istanbul, the opening of the new 1000 m2 facility marks the start of sales of Lexus in Turkey, with a broad line-up of models including RX, NX, GS, RC, IS and LS. Sales will be strongly supported by the line-up of vehicles equipped with Lexus’ new 2.0l turbo engine, but full hybrid models will also be on offer.
Speaking at the event, Ali Haydar Bozkurt said: ‘We were impatiently waiting for this day to come! Our president Akio Toyoda said that the ultimate goal of Lexus is not to produce cars, but to produce a work of art, and every Lexus model sold today is a proof of this idea. Lexus is not just a luxury car brand, it is actually a way of life. Lexus will help redefine what luxury means in Turkey and will give premium segment customers the experience that they deserve. Lexus is the new definition of luxury”.
Alain Uyttenhoven said: “We expect the Turkish automotive premium market to grow from about 80,000 units in 2015 to more than 100,000 units in the near future. This puts Turkey in the top 7 in Europe. We are therefore extremely happy to launch Lexus in this strategic emerging market, together with our partner, Toyota Turkey Marketing and Sales.”
The Lexus unique approach to hospitality, omotenashi, is at the heart of the philosophy of the new Istanbul showroom. Customers will be welcomed by specially trained Lexus service advisors, who will treat them as if they were guests in their private home. Each Lexus owner will enjoy a personalised service, including out-of-office hours servicing and fast support anywhere in Turkey.
Lexus expects to sell 250 vehicles in Turkey in the inaugural year, and 1,000 within 5 years. New showrooms are planned in other major cities, such as Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya and Adana. In addition, Lexus owners will benefit from a network of nearly 60 service points across the country.