Interesting report from WSJ:
Lexus plans to show off a new compact concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The Toyota Motor Corp. brand, whose U.S. sales were down almost 32% this year through July, also recently lowered prices to better compete in the shrunken luxury market. Its 2010 version of the RX sport-utility vehicle comes with new technology and equipment but its base price of $36,000 is $900 cheaper than the 2009 version. BMW AG canceled plans for a super-luxury model called the CS that reportedly would have been equipped with a six-liter V12 engine. The German car maker now plans to introduce its first hybrid in the U.S. later this year. “We do see changing consumer values,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW’s head of U.S. product planning. “Sustainability has caught on in the United States.” – from WSJ