Lexus’ Intersect Flagship Store Doesn’t Sell Cars
Lexus’ new design language—a car showroom without any cars in it.
This concept store was first opened in Tokyo’s Aoyama district a couple of years ago. The Intersect by Lexus store is described as the brand’s flagship store that doesn’t actually sell any cars. It’s neither a dealership nor a retail space, but rather simply a multifunctional social space where visitors get to experience Lexus’ vision of art, design, fashion, culture, film, music and technology.
The Aoyama Intersect location wasn’t a marketing fluke either—the success of its first showroom spurred Lexus to open its second Intersect store, and where else but here in the VVIP-loving Middle East.
Located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Center—Lexus certainly knows its customers—the Intersect store in Dubai will additionally host workshops, exhibitions, and events surrounding the Lexus brand. And all in the pursuit of brand image to get the target market to associate Lexus cars with a premium lifestyle.
The lifestyle they want to associate is one of way less conservatism than before, of advanced technologies and design that looks like nothing else on the road.
The Middle East alone accounts for 44,400 vehicles a year for Lexus at the moment, giving it significant importance for the brand—last year Al-Futtaim Motors, exclusive distributor of Lexus in the U.A.E., inaugurated a facility in Ras Al Khaimah, making it the brand’s first ever 3S Centre (sales, service and spare parts) in the country. The brand’s new NX 200t crossover even rounded off the year with an award for ‘Best Compact Premium SUV’ at the 2015 Middle East Car of the Year Awards.
Judging by the last year or so, it shows that Lexus has finally found a way to stand out. – Forbes
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