Suspended Lexus still sold here

Sale of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 continued in the UAE till the time of going to press yesterday, despite Toyota Motor suspending sales of the model in the US, following popular magazine Consumer Reports "do not buy" rating for it.

When Emirates Business asked Simon Frith, Managing Director, Al Futtaim Motors, whether or not the sale of Lexus GX 460 are continuing in the region, he said: "We are waiting for clarification from the Toyota Corporation, so when we get it we will be clear what to do next. We have no suspended sales at the moment (in the UAE) and we are waiting for a word from Toyota Motor Corporation." Al Futtaim Motors is the sole dealer for Toyota in the UAE.

The controversy surrounding Lexus GX 460, a sports utility vehicle (SUV), erupted after it was reported that Lexus GX 460 had handling problems and could lead to rollover accidents due to sharp turns. In the US, Toyota has issued "stop sale" within hours after the consumer magazine raised the handling problem.

When asked how many GX 460 were sold in the UAE since the SUV was launched three months ago, Frith said: "I would not like to speculate anything on that. It could be [that] not all vehicles are affected [by the detected problem]."

Frith further added that consumers remain the top priority for Al Futtaim, and the reply from Toyota was still awaited. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy was updated about the status on the issue, added Frith. The ministry could not be reached.

Lexus is the luxury brand from the Japanese carmaker Toyota, for whom this is the second instance of recalling car models.

Earlier this year, Toyota had to recall more than eight million cars and trucks worldwide over gas pedals that were too slow to restrict or can become stuck under floor mats. It was also slapped with a $16.5 million (Dh60.6m) fine in the US, with the option to contest the fine till April 19.