The idea of ostentatiousness - shining, shimmering, splendid - is certainly one valid (and much appreciated) manifestation of luxury. As Singapore has borne witness to - especially recently - this has always applied to the automotive landscape too. It's not just the cars from a good handful of premium marques but the spaces from which they are retailed that are growing more resplendent.
But to be loud has never been the Lexus way. And indeed, with the significantly overhauled Lexus Boutique having recently opened its doors in Singapore, the Japanese luxury carmaker is doubling down quietly on its own interpretation of what the finer things in life should look - or feel like - even as its competitors appear to be pursuing slightly different routes.
"Our version of luxury is not ostentatious," Mr. Ng Khee Siong, Managing Director of Borneo Motors Singapore, reiterates with clear confidence, while speaking to us immediately after the showroom opening in early November. "Rather, it's very sincere, thoughtful and deep."
Bringing omotenashi to life even more thoroughly
As customers find themselves stepping into the new space, they should find themselves agreeing with his assessment.
Perhaps the 'loudest' element of the showroom is the new, warm-lit feature wall in the reception area - made out of the spindle patterns that adorn the grilles of modern Lexuses. Even so, one would be more inclined to file this under 'subtle' rather than 'outstanding'. Visually, the rest of the environment takes an even more understated tack, even as the brand has dug deeper into its Japanese heritage for inspiration.
To focus on the physical-only aspects, however, would be to do a huge disservice to what the new Lexus Boutique has been crafted to achieve.
As the brand states, thoughtfulness lies at the core of its brand of quiet luxury, and in turn, so does the concept of omotenashi. Long honoured as the crown jewel of the Lexus brand philosophy, the Japanese term can be loosely translated into the concept of anticipating a guest's needs.
Cognisant that the needs of its customers (or guests) are not to be serviced purely by a static physical space, what has arisen with this new Boutique instead is what the brand is calling a new and immersive 'multi-sensory' experience.
Highly personal touches aside (such as cold/hot towels upon arrival depending on the weather), one particular highlight of the revamp includes culinary tie-ups with Patisserie CLE and Brawn & Brains - what Lexus has referred to as fellow artisans in their own fields.
The two heavyweights in the local cafe scene each bring special things to the table that are eventually meant to pair up harmoniously with each other - the former, a Lexus Aichi Miso Cake whose key ingredient of Hatchi Miso pays homage to Lexus' home in the Aichi prefecture, and the latter, a bespoke Lexus coffee blend.
One can imagine that putting such an outsized concept together was a task of Herculean demands - but even more impressive is the fact that it all came together in four months.
While the urgency may seem puzzling at first, one gets the sense - when speaking to the team - that it was almost important that the refresh was completed within 2024, which will likely go down as a banner year for the brand for yet another reason.
This showroom opening aside, the year has also seen two unprecedented bookends widen the local Lexus lineup. On one end stands the Lexus LBX Hybrid, its first ever Category A COE model. On the other? The Lexus LM500h 4-Seater, an ultra-luxury MPV, that currently retails at around $800,000, inclusive of COE.
"There was nothing wrong with our outgoing Lexus Boutique," Ng makes sure to note. "But if you look at our Lexus sales this year, we've managed to double our volume. And then through our engagement with Lexus Asia, we know that there are a lot of new models lined up over the next few years… So I think the timing couldn't have been more perfect."
One also suspects that another huge reason is in play.
The new Lexus Boutique opens its doors in a period at which other luxury brands in Singapore have recently undergone - or are set to undergo - overhauls too. (For reference, look at Lexus' direct German rivals). To a certain degree, as such, a showroom upgrade almost feels like the rule - and not the exception.
But amidst it all, the team isn't concerned that its own take will be lost amongst the sea of refreshes.
Pulling us back to the Boutique's focus on the larger experience and longer-term customer journey, Ng believes that Lexus stands alone in its razor-sharp focus on artisanship, brand heritage and legacy, and naturally, omotenashi.
Pinning just one factor down as the main ingredient, in turn, is difficult - and in fact similar to how the brand feels about the sort of experience-driven journey it hopes to take both old and new customers alike on now.
"Actually, when you talk about [the notion of] experience, it's a combination of all your sensory engagements. The sense that your feeling in the showroom is incomplete without the visuals that you see, and without the things that you can touch," he explains.
He points to the mixture of sensations that stand out to him personally: The feeling of stepping on the lush carpets of the showroom floors, taking in the carefully selected images on the walls… and then slowly realising that the aroma of the special Lexus coffee blend is hitting his nose.
"To single one element out… It doesn't give you the complete picture," he proffers. "It's all elements at play."
Luxury in all its forms
Multisensory experience aside, the brand also believes it has another edge possessed by few other luxury brands in Singapore.
A second major highlight of the new Lexus Boutique is a new Lexus L Gallery on the second floor, which caters to its Prestige owners, or owners of its L-series models. (Lexus only offers a handful of such models in Singapore, including the LM in both seven- and four-seater variants, the LS500h sedan, and the V8-powered LC500 Convertible. The latter two retail for around $800,000 as well.)
"If you think about it, if you go to what I call a 'mass-luxe' brand, you will never find an exclusive lounge; a space created just for the esteemed few. But then if you go to the other end of the spectrum, you will never find a 'mass-luxe' kind of feeling. It becomes extremely high-end," Ng notes.
Returning once more to the concept of omotenashi, it's not just the physical space of the L Gallery that Prestige owners can enjoy. In Q1 2025, Lexus Singapore will roll out an entire personal butler-like program exclusively for this group of customers called Concierge Care, spanning everything from complimentary airport transfers to dedicated 24/7 roadside assistance.
"This is where I find Lexus has its niche. We do have the wide spectrum of cars that suit - whether you are what I call a more 'mainstream-luxe', as well as the 'ultra-luxe'," he points out. "I believe we can do a lot more with our ultra-luxury segment… The affluent few - they look for the better things in life and they go out to enjoy that kind of service."
Naysayers may also question the emphasis on brick-and-mortar in an age where direct-to-consumer models are gaining increasing hype - but the team is firm in its rejoinder.
"If you're going to spend $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, to buy a car, [the concept of] experience is very, very important," Ng underscores.
It's not that having a strong digital presence is irrelevant. The team already knows that the information-gathering process for would-be buyers is done mostly from the comfort of one's own sofa or dining table - via a smartphone or laptop - which is why efforts have been made to build an omnichannel customer journey for Lexus customers.
"But if you ask anyone whether, 'Oh, would you buy your car online?' They will say, 'I'm going to come to your showroom.' And when they come to your showroom, this is where your brand identity becomes extremely important," he declares.
The Lexus DNA - renewed but recognisable
Despite this refresh, the team is also confident that longtime Lexus customers will not find themselves stepping into an entirely unrecognisable world when the doors to the Boutique swing open and they find themselves staring at the new Spindle wall.
"If you are a customer that has been with Lexus for the longest of times, there must be certain expectations of Lexus. And a lot leans very heavily on the Lexus brand DNA. That should not change, because it cannot be that you go in and experience a loud kind of luxury, or suddenly you see very loud colours. Then the customer will feel very uncomfortable."
That the brand acknowledges that concepts of luxury change over time is already evident in the new Boutique now, but it also cites consistency as a value that it believes longtime customers will enjoy - even as it has sowed the seeds to reach out to new ones.
After all, amidst the changing perceptions of luxury and the ever-stiffening competition, these are the people that it has resolutely had in its heart.
Declaring once more with quiet assurance, Ng continues: "Today, what you see is really what we have tried to accentuate: The values that we have, and that connection that the customer has with the brand. That's the reason why we've doubled down on what we meant by an experience - and this is not because Khee Siong said so… [but because] this is what the customer says."
Here are other stories that may interest you!
Meet the man in charge of ensuring every Lexus drives right
