New Lexus Encore Elevate program has unbeatable perks

A new value-packed benefits program from a top-end car maker brings perks never before seen in Australia. And you don’t have to be loaded to be part of it.

Lexus is offering used car owners the chance to get behind the wheel of a high-end luxury car.

The brand has announced an innovative subscription service that allows Lexus owners of any age to subscribe to the newly-announced Encore Elevate, which packages valet parking and vehicle loans benefits into an annual subscription.

You could own a 30-plus year old Lexus and still access the program.

It means owners of old Lexuses could soon be living a million-dollar lifestyle – at least for a week or two.

Pick up a 30-year-old Lexus for a few grand and you could temporarily upgrade to a near-quarter-of-a-million-dollar car for less than $190 a day.

The Encore Elevate program allows you to loan a range of vehicles including the V8-powered LC500.

“Encore Elevate is available to every Lexus owner, whether they are the first customer or driving a pre-owned Lexus of any vintage,” said John Pappas, Lexus Australia chief executive.

The $1899 annual subscription gives two five-day loans to any vehicle from the 60-strong new-car fleet that includes the LC500 V8-powered convertible and LandCruiser-inspired LX600 Ultra Luxury off-roader, each of them retailing for upwards of $230,000.

It also includes the recently-arrived $235,000 LM people mover, which includes a sprawling cabin, 48-inch rear entertainment screen and massaging seats as part of its limousine-like people mover experience.

Owners of a 1990 Lexus – the first year the brand was sold in Australia – can also use valet parking four times a year at shopping centres including Chadstone in Melbourne and selected Westfields.

You can also borrow the luxe Lexus LX, which a is a pimped out Toyota LandCruiser 4WD.

Plus there’s access twice a year to airport lounges around the world.

“The conversation between Lexus as a luxury lifestyle brand has moved past the fundamentals of the vehicle itself,” says Pappas of Encore Elevate, which is the latest after-sales tempter designed to separate the luxury brand from others.

“We’re very, very excited,” said Pappas, who added “we’re interested to see the appetite” from the 150,000 current Lexus owners in Australia.

The perks go beyond just premium loan cars.

There are caveats, though, including that the car needs to be registered and must have been originally bought through a Lexus Australia dealership rather than privately imported.

Pappas says the brand has no idea how many owners of older Lexuses will stump up for the annual subscription fee but concedes it could mean bolstering the Lexus on Demand fleet of vehicles.

“The next six to 12 months for us with Elevate is all about creating awareness and learning,” he said.

“Then we’ve got future aspirations beyond that.”

Originally published as New Lexus Encore Elevate program has unbeatable perks