Cars and professional golf make peculiar but apt bedfellows. With the Lexus Cup returning to Singapore this year, the premium Japanese auto company is, once again, turning heads to local shores. Golf Digest Singapore caught up Vince Socco, senior vice-president for marketing, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, who offered his candid view of golf, Lexus and the future of the motor industry.

Photographs by Tom Han

GDS: The Lexus Cup is back where it all started. Can you tell us the significance of bringing the Lexus Cup “home”?
VS: There are precious few moments in life that bring much joy. Coming home is certainly one of them. As you said, Singapore is where it all started for the Lexus Cup. For us, coming back to Singapore is as much about recapturing all the best moments of the Cup’s debut, as it is about bringing this prestigious event back to the very city that launched it to the world.  

GDS: After three glorious years, what is your assessment of how the tournament has grown?
VS: In many ways, the Lexus Cup has far exceeded even our most optimistic expectations. When it debuted in Singapore in 2005, the number of spectators that turned out at Tanah Merah Country Club rivalled – if not surpassed – every other golf event in the country till then. Even without the LPGA sanction, we drew 14 of the top 30 players in the world to compete for the honour of raising the Cup in its maiden year. It was, by any measure, a great launch.

The Lexus Cup has been growing in prestige year after year. Our partnership with the LPGA has been an important part of this growth. In 2007, we had 18 of the top 30 players on either the LPGA Official Money List or the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. This year, we expect an even more competitive field from the best of the best in ladies’ golf.

Coming into its fourth year, the Lexus Cup will have hosted close to a thousand Lexus owners and partners from around the region – South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Japan and Australia. It will also have cumulatively captivated over 50,000 golf and sports fans, all of them cheering their favourite teams on the course – through sun and rain, blustery winds and stormy weather. And the outstanding exposure and goodwill it has generated for Lexus has been, to borrow a commercial catchphrase, priceless.

GDS: What can fans look forward to at this year’s event?
VS: On top of possibly some of the best golf in the world, what else is there? I’m kidding. Seriously, firstly, we are moving the competition to a new course – Singapore Island Country Club – Singapore’s oldest and one of the best competition courses in the country. Secondly, with Team Asia leading Team International 2 to 1, Team International captain Annika Sorenstam will be looking to level the score, while Team Asia captain Pak Se Ri will be aiming to build their cumulative lead. That is a sure-fire formula for some outstanding golf. Thirdly, this will be Sorenstam’s final professional competition before she retires. She has chosen to end what is arguably the best career in women’s golf on a high note, in Singapore. Fans will have a chance to witness history unfold.

‘TEAM ASIA LEADS 2-1. SORENSTAM’S TEAM WILL BE EAGER TO LEVEL THE SCORE. THAT’S A SURE-FIRE FORMULA FOR OUTSTANDING GOLF.’

GDS: Tanah Merah Country Club and SICC are vastly different venues. Why the switch?
VS: SICC is the oldest golf club in Singapore. It has played host to some of the most prestigious golf competitions ever to come to the island and to the region. The prestige of SICC is unrivalled and its pursuit of glory is unparalleled. For all these reasons, we were convinced that SICC would make a most suitable new home for the Lexus Cup. The prestige of the club complements the prestige of the Cup.

GDS: Given the current state of the global economy, what does the automobile industry face, and how is Lexus positioned for this?
VS: There is a lot of uncertainty out there. But beyond change is the speed of change. The automotive industry is not immune. For us, the next wave is already upon us: Sustainability. It is about people and motor vehicles being able to co-exist in harmony. Clearly, safety and the environment are key elements of sustainable motoring.

Is Lexus positioned for this? The short answer is yes. In a constantly changing world, we make sure that we are always able to keep sight of our true north: our customers.

Our technology, our cars, our services are all developed to meet – as opposed to lead – our customer’s needs. We continue to do what we do best: build the finest luxury automobiles and deliver the best ownership experience.

GDS: Can you give us a hint of what to expect in 2009?
VS: This year is the year of luxury hybrids for us. We introduced the LS600h to Taiwan (in addition to South Korea and Singapore) and the GS hybrids to South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. We also launched an upgraded IS. In terms of new markets, Lexus found a new home in Indonesia, where the LS, GS, IS, RX and LX are now sold.

In 2009, there are lots more in store. The new-generation RX just made its debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show this November. And an entirely new Lexus model that, unfortunately, will not make it to our region, will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. We’re also building another new home for Lexus in the region. Lexus Philippines is planned to open in the first quarter of the coming year.

GDS: Everyone is talking about going “green”. Do you really see hybrid, or renewable energy,
cars being the future of the automotive industry?
VS: Like I said, sustainability is a key platform for the future. As such, building cars that are more environmentally friendly and less dependent on fossil fuels are top of the list for every carmaker. It’s what the world needs; it’s what our customers want. Hybrids are essential to the next revolution in automotive technology – whether it be fuel cells or hydrogen-run vehicles. As leaders in luxury hybrid technology, Lexus is very pleased that we can help our customers make a real difference in building
a greener tomorrow.

‘LEXUS TOOK THE LEADERSHIP IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY EARLY ON. OUR HYBRIDS ARE NOT ON THE DRAWING BOARDS; THEY ARE ON THE ROADS AND IN THE HOMES OF LUXURY CAR OWNERS.’

GDS: It appears that one of the reasons why people don’t buy hybrids is the cost factor. Do you see this changing? And how is Lexus helping this change?
VS: Driving hybrids is not just a matter of dollar-and-cents sense, although it is an important buying consideration in an age of rising petrol prices. More importantly, luxury hybrids represent a real alternative for motorists in terms of meeting their driving needs while caring for the environment. Luxury car owners have a very high sense of social responsibility, so the exhilarating performance, combined with low emissions and high fuel efficiency of Lexus luxury hybrid vehicles, gives them the “power” to help save the world. Lexus is about giving more to the driver, yet taking less from the world.

GDS: If there is more than just cost involved in getting people to drive hybrids – like the personal satisfaction of driving an environmentally conscious car – do you think this altruism or civic consciousness is enough to propel and develop the hybrid industry?
VS: Frankly, we developed our hybrid vehicles in response to a growing sense of civic mindedness among motorists. We believed that we needed to respond, and respond quickly, to this growing desire for alternative fuel and environmentally friendly technology. We had to be a part of the solution not by simply talking the talk but, more importantly, walking the walk. And so, Lexus took the leadership in luxury hybrid technology early on. We have the only luxury hybrids in the market. They are not on the drawing boards or in auto shows; our hybrids are on the road and in the homes of luxury car owners all over the world. We are glad to have made a real difference.

GDS: What do you think Lexus, or any car manufacturer, really
need to do if you are to continue this success?
VS: After 25 years with Toyota, I have learnt one cardinal rule: Customers first. People always. At Lexus, this is even more true. This means keeping the face and the voice of the customer in mind. Whatever we do – every car we build, every technology we invent, every car we sell and every service we deliver – we affect the lives of real people. Our future lies
in actively listening to people, heeding their needs and realising their hopes. n

Socco's 3 favourite drives

1 Pacific Coast Highway in California
“A wonderful combination of stretches and winding roads that takes you through the majesty of nature. You can’t drive it enough.”
2 German Autobahn
“It provides the perfect environment for man and machine to commune. Literally, speed that thrills – responsibly, of course.”
3 The Drive Home
“It is the shortest and sweetest drive, especially at the end of a really hard day.”

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO OWN A PIECE OF LEXUS CUP 2008.
Up for grabs are Team Asia’s and Team International’s uniform collection, specially created for the Lexus Cup 2008 by local designer Jo Soh. These outfits are exclusive to Golf Digest Singapore and not available anywhere else! Visit www.golfdigestsingapore.com to take part in the contest, for your chance to win these collector’s items!