Lucid Motors is stuck in a fight over the name of its Gravity SUV

[hmp10]

. . . the Lyriq is finally being produced in quantity . . .

Of all the new EVs arriving on the scene, the Lyriq is the one popping up like weeds here in south Florida. Two of my partner's tennis colleagues have them, and there are already two parked in a gated community where we pick up friends several times a week. We also see them on the road frequently.

We are now awash in Teslas, see an occasional Rivian and, now that we're "in season", even see a few Lucid Airs (more, in fact, than Mercedes EQS's). But I don't think I've ever seen a new non-Tesla EV model spread quite as quickly as the Lyric.

These are the types of buyers for whom a Lucid SUV might be a consideration. It bugs me to see their numbers build so quickly while Lucid is still close to a year away.

 

[Steveinarizona]

These are the types of buyers for whom a Lucid SUV might be a consideration. It bugs me to see their numbers build so quickly while Lucid is still close to a year away.

I wouldn't say it was quickly. About three years ago I put down a deposit for an AWD Lyriq. Last week the Cadillac dealership called me (first contact by the way) to say that my car was now available for me. I replied thanks but I had gone down the street about a year and a half ago and bought the Genesis GV60P. So it took Cadillac a long time get the production line moving. But, once it did, it now seems to be moving pretty well (although I would guess that Cadillac is the official car of the town of Naples ).

 

[hmp10]

I wouldn't say it was quickly. About three years ago I put down a deposit for an AWD Lyriq. Last week the Cadillac dealership called me (first contact by the way) to say that my car was now available for me. I replied thanks but I had gone down the street about a year and a half ago and bought the Genesis GV60P. So it took Cadillac a long time get the production line moving. But, once it did, it now seems to be moving pretty well (although I would guess that Cadillac is the official car of the town of Naples ).

By quickly, I meant the number of buyers has grown quickly since it did finally hit the market.

But, boy, these long lead times for EV introductions are really getting to me. I let got of my Rivian R1S reservation after over a 4-year wait. I waited almost 3 years post-reservation for our Air. Now I find myself again tapping my fingers on the desk while I count down the months until Gravity orders open up.

Last night as I was digging back to 2020 trying to find the interview where Peter Rawlinson said "Gravity" was just the project code name for its SUV, I found repeated statements by Rawlinson and other Lucid personnel that its SUV would arrive in 2022. In an August 2020 interview, Rawlinson said the Gravity was already a drivable prototype. I had forgotten how long it has been teased: over five years from drivable prototype to market arrival . . . assuming it arrives by year end.

Of course, we can take solace that we didn't put down our deposits for the Tesla Roadster II back in 2017 . . . .

 

[idiot900]

Lucid needs an ad campaign incorporating excerpts of its superb "Tech Talk" series, if not actually built around that series. Something such as showing an exploded view of the motor and differential (with power figures) fading into a drone shot of the Lucid blasting down a drag strip. Or the computer animation of the space concept fading into a shot of adults stretching out front and rear . . . with opening or closing shots of the Motor Trend Car of the Year and the World Luxury Car trophies.

Disagree on this point...Lucid needs to attach some kind of emotion to their product. All their promotional material I've seen, while nice looking, may as well be AI-generated. You and I know and appreciate that Lucid tech is superior but IMHO the big German luxury brands (out)sell on their associations with wealth, success, and other factors contributing to prestige.

 

[Instinctive]

Maybe, but the point of good advertising is not to have to look hard enough to find it. It should be something hard to avoid, not hard to find.

I admit I watch too little broadcast television to have an informed opinion of Lucid's TV campaign. But the ads I have seen have been preponderantly biased toward the "atmospheric", as are the ads for almost all other car brands.

The important difference Lucid brings to the market is its technology and space engineering, not how cool it looks in a drone shot plying two-lane tarmac through a forest or throwing a cloud of sand while blasting over desert dunes. You can make an AMC Pacer look almost cool with the right photography. It's an act the whole industry has long since mastered.

Lucid needs an ad campaign incorporating excerpts of its superb "Tech Talk" series, if not actually built around that series. Something such as showing an exploded view of the motor and differential (with power figures) fading into a drone shot of the Lucid blasting down a drag strip. Or the computer animation of the space concept fading into a shot of adults stretching out front and rear . . . with opening or closing shots of the Motor Trend Car of the Year and the World Luxury Car trophies.

As with anything, marketing effectiveness comes down to the unification of message, audience, and medium. I'm not an expert but do have a decent bit of experience in this. It's not as simple as "they should portray themselves this way instead."

If Lucid thinks the best way to grow their market share is to focus in on the likely-engineer-heavy group, then maybe a more techie-based campaign is worth it. If they're more generally thinking it's the same luxury brand segment as everyone else, then perhaps the message for that audience is around refinement, space, quiet, sound system, and overall quality and the seamless experience of driving it (I'd say being an EV is almost an afterthought). For others, maybe the focus needs to be it's an EV and it has the best range, period, full stop. Maybe they should be trying to take market share not from Mercedes but from Corvette, and focusing on how QUICK and FAST the thing moves.

And then matching those messages and audiences with the media that those folks use. For example, maybe the super tech-interested crew is more likely to see these features through sponsoring some YT influencers, the go fast crew should get it during a Formula 1 broadcast, etc.

I'm not sure what advertising they'd need to appeal to the 13-year-olds-who-love-cars-and-tech population, but it probably shouldn't be something they consider, given the relative lack of purchasing power in that market segment.

 

[idiot900]

I'm not sure what advertising they'd need to appeal to the 13-year-olds-who-love-cars-and-tech population, but it probably shouldn't be something they consider, given the relative lack of purchasing power in that market segment.

Today's 13 year olds who love cars are tomorrow's buyers. This is absolutely true for me - I would not have spent $100k+ on a car without a childhood fascination, due in no small part to successful marketing efforts.

 

[hmp10]

Disagree on this point...Lucid needs to attach some kind of emotion to their product. All their promotional material I've seen, while nice looking, may as well be AI-generated. You and I know and appreciate that Lucid tech is superior but IMHO the big German luxury brands (out)sell on their associations with wealth, success, and other factors contributing to prestige.

Good points. But remember that Mercedes, BMW, and Audi became associated with wealth and success based on their preceding association with technical prowess. It was the same with Cadillac, which originally was billed as -- and could credibly claim to be -- the engineering standard of the automotive world. (It won the 1908 Dewar Trophy for precision engineering which became the basis of its "Standard of the World" ad campaign that is still going on with the Celestiq.)

In the dark American automotive days of the 1970's - 1990's, people bought Mercedes for their quality and technical sophistication, BMWs for their performance and handling prowess, and Audis for their winter capabilities. Those reasons laid the foundations of their current images. In other words, the emotions that drew customers to the brands were derived from a hunger for technology. If it had been about velour upholstery, vinyl roofs, opera windows, and faux wood the American brands would have have fewer courtships with bankruptcy.

 

[hmp10]

Today's 13 year olds who love cars are tomorrow's buyers. This is absolutely true for me - I would not have spent $100k+ on a car without a childhood fascination, due in no small part to successful marketing efforts.

So true. Just ask @xponents (if you can take the word of a 14-year-old instead of a 13-year-old).

 

[Babyrocko1908]

Sorry, I didn't clarify my point enough. I was talking about their video ads on platforms like youtube, not their print ads (which I havent even seen yet...). In the 5 or so seconds you get before being able to skip, literally nothing is presented when the first 5 seconds should be a hook. I watched one ad through, and even then the point was very lackluster and at the very end. I suppose these ads would work on traditional TV, where you can't skip, but even then I would have liked the ads to be more engaging.


I am curious though... What was the purpose of the ad you saw?

That the car is fast as hell and a blast to drive -- everything you claim you wanted to see.

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[Instinctive]

So true. Just ask @xponents (if you can take the word of a 14-year-old instead of a 13-year-old).

I was mostly just jesting with a throwaway comment, but that's why my dream car remains a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500.

Same principles apply: you probably want to get the car into a movie that's badass and shows off the handling and speed. You probably gain less from being the drive train on Bond's next Aston here lol. I think they've got some HotWheels already. Probably want to tie the car to some celebrities that are closer to a younger audience, etc.

Of course, these more "lifetime value" oriented marketing plays should incorporate what you want to do in your purchasing audience now and be something that likely has a strong halo to your future buyers.

 

[idiot900]

Good points. But remember that Mercedes, BMW, and Audi became associated with wealth and success based on their preceding association with technical prowess. It was the same with Cadillac, which originally was billed as -- and could credibly claim to be -- the engineering standard of the automotive world.

In the dark American automotive days of the 1970's - 1990's, people bought Mercedes for their quality and technical sophistication, BMWs for their performance and handling prowess, and Audis for their winter capabilities. Those reasons laid the foundations of their current images. In other words, the emotions that drew customers to the brands were derived from a hunger for technology. If it had been about velour upholstery, vinyl roofs, opera windows, and faux wood the American brands would have have fewer courtships with bankruptcy.

Quite true, but I think today information is disseminated and opinions formed far more quickly than before. So Lucid must attack on more ideological fronts.

As an example, luxury cars are frequently mentioned in rap music, and this can and does result in increased sales, and a place in the collective consciousness of luxury buyers.

https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2112316/cadillacs-escalade-becomes-pop-culture-icon-without-even-trying/

 

[hmp10]

As an example, luxury cars are frequently mentioned in rap music, and this can and does result in increased sales . . .

Interesting that you bring this up. It was a topic of discussion with my brother a couple of weeks ago when I sent him a video of the new Mercedes Maybach Night Series. He said this was part of Mercedes growing focus on the blinged-out Escalade market that is a prominent part of the downtown Atlanta scene.

One can only hope that the world-class Mercedes engineers of yesteryear have been spared the cruelty of seeing this monstrosity plopped atop a storied automotive brand.

 

[xponents]

So true. Just ask @xponents (if you can take the word of a 14-year-old instead of a 13-year-old).

Although in theory it would sound like I'd be a good test sample, I think I would be the furthest thing away from an average 14 year old. Many of my friends are oblivious to Teslas bad build quality, materials, and ride, with one going so far as to say the Model Y had better materials, was quieter, and was smoother than a 2022 Mercedes GLE they also have (wtf?). As much as I hate Mercedes' ever decreasing build quality, even I know it is a step above the Tesla. They also like the outrageousness of the Cybertruck's design, which even I somehow have to admit is growing on me. I think the huge tablet screen and video games of the Tesla would appeal more to average teens than the Lucid's far superior engineering and richer interior, which is sad. To my eyes, Lucid needs to put in more work to appeal to the average younger audience as their "middle aged men playing golf and looking at the scenery" aesthetic (not exactly, but I think you get my point) in their current ads is terribly unappealing to us. The Gravity however does appear to take a step forward in this aspect, so all hope is not lost. Then again, my neighbor's older daughter got a brand new Porsche Cayenne for her first car, so...

 

[stealth]

Interesting that you bring this up. It was a topic of discussion with my brother a couple of weeks ago when I sent him a video of the new Mercedes Maybach Night Series. He said this was part of Mercedes growing focus on the blinged-out Escalade market that is a prominent part of the downtown Atlanta scene.

One can only hope that the world-class Mercedes engineers of yesteryear have been spared the cruelty of seeing this monstrosity plopped atop a storied automotive brand.

Buckle-up for temporarily derailment (apologies in advance).

While that Mercedes looks hideous to me as it screams "look at me!", I couldn't help myself to learn more about what the "flagship" German luxury product line offers by today's standards. Some of the features demonstrated in this video, especially in the backseat, are so excessive. Dare I speculate that it has luxury features that eclipse the Spectre, recently discussed on the forum.

When seat heaters were introduced in the 1960s, by Cadillac no less, I would bet some felt the same way I do now about some the features in this Maybach. Maybe, one day, "energizing comfort" scents will be pumped into the cabin by driver hand gesture of a Toyota Corolla that has also chilled/heated, slip-proof champagne flute holders.

Over the top!

 

[xponents]

Interesting that you bring this up. It was a topic of discussion with my brother a couple of weeks ago when I sent him a video of the new Mercedes Maybach Night Series. He said this was part of Mercedes growing focus on the blinged-out Escalade market that is a prominent part of the downtown Atlanta scene.

One can only hope that the world-class Mercedes engineers of yesteryear have been spared the cruelty of seeing this monstrosity plopped atop a storied automotive brand.

Piece of crap.. at least BMW went all out with the i7's design and didnt do an awkward mix of bold and understated design. It also won't be filled with garbage Honda plastics like even the S class is these days. Mercedes' decline has been coming up since the past 15 years or so and it appears we are not at the apex yet with the horrible EQ line.

 

[Leftlane]

Lucid Atmosphere
Lucid Star
Lucid Dream
Lucid Opal
Lucid Diamond
Lucid Pearl
Lucid Whatever

I will say one of the reasons I didn’t buy an Air was because even though I am a car nut who really likes the car and hopes Lucid is mega successful, I think there is a non-zero chance they cease to exist other than as a tech partner for another maker. This kind of foolish mistake and the accompanying bad press if it lingers is amateur hour - somebody should be getting fired for the lack of research.

 

[no gas]

By quickly, I meant the number of buyers has grown quickly since it did finally hit the market.

But, boy, these long lead times for EV introductions are really getting to me. I let got of my Rivian R1S reservation after over a 4-year wait. I waited almost 3 years post-reservation for our Air. Now I find myself again tapping my fingers on the desk while I count down the months until Gravity orders open up.

Last night as I was digging back to 2020 trying to find the interview where Peter Rawlinson said "Gravity" was just the project code name for its SUV, I found repeated statements by Rawlinson and other Lucid personnel that its SUV would arrive in 2022. In an August 2020 interview, Rawlinson said the Gravity was already a drivable prototype. I had forgotten how long it has been teased: over five years from drivable prototype to market arrival . . . assuming it arrives by year end.

Of course, we can take solace that we didn't put down our deposits for the Tesla Roadster II back in 2017 . . . .

They did a complete redesign, instead of using Air platform Gravity has its own dedicated platform. These are the core of things Lucid should advertise.

 

[no gas]

Stress on these things for the add

1. A car with the most efficient electric battery giving it the longest range
2. A car with the lowest drag coefficient with functional vents around the headlights
3. Handling that puts any sport sedan to shame with a rear diffuser starting at the b-pillar
4. Packaging and space that puts any extra large sedan to shame

Also show all the awards it achieved in the ads.

 

[Rob Stark]

All cars are indirect competitors to the Gravity.

2 Row Luxury Electric CUVs like Macan and Lyriq are NOT direct competitors.

Luxury 3 row electric CUVs are direct competitors. The KiaEV9 is hard plastics and vinyl plus low performance with 300 mile range or good performance with low range.

The Mercedes EQS SUV has a tiny third row and Model X less tiny. R1S is a non-luxury premium priced Rock Crawler.

The Volvo EX 90 three row is coming soon.

There is a 3 row Porsche electric SUV coming at some point.

Genesis GV90 and Cadillac Vistiq electric 3 rows are supposed to be 2026 models. I don't think the gargantuan Escalade IQ is a direct competitor either, it is a freaking 26" longer and 6.5" wider.

Ford has delayed their 3 row electric Lincoln indefinitely.

 

[hmp10]

They did a complete redesign, instead of using Air platform Gravity has its own dedicated platform. These are the core of things Lucid should advertise.

Even a couple of Gravity reviewers at the L.A. Auto show -- those prominent enough to be allowed in the car or to film it privately -- mentioned that it was built on the Air platform. Although Rawlinson and Jenkins made it clear in the presentation that it had its own dedicated platform, word still did not get through to all the press. "Top Gear" recently released a video about the "1,000 hp" Lucid rival to the Model X. And "Car & Driver" as recently as a few months ago was still referring to the Air's non-existent air suspension. It must be very frustrating in the Lucid press pen.