LAKE LAS VEGAS, Nevada — "Lexus performance" has always been a bit of an oxymoron, but the Japanese automaker is hoping to remedy that problem.

Lexus officials tell Inside Line they will likely open a high-performance driving school for owners of such products as the 2007 GS 450h and the 2006 IS 350.

"It's being considered," Lexus spokesman Bill Ussery told IL. "It probably will be held in various spots around the country. It will be very exclusive."

Lexus says the IS, which was launched in October, sold over 15,000 units through the end of 2005. It said 68 percent of total sales were to first-time Lexus buyers, 50 percent of whom were under 40, and that 75 percent of IS 350 sales were to men. The Japanese automaker pointed out that "this age and gender demographic is nearly identical to the BMW 3 Series'."

At the media launch of the GS 450h here, Lexus executives said its U.S. sales target will be limited to less than 2,000 vehicles per year. The GS 450h arrives in showrooms in May, with a starting price of $54,900.

The company also announced that its annual U.S. sales target for the 2007 Lexus ES 350 will be about 70,000 units per year.

What this means to you: Considering how fast the new IS 350 is, BMW better keep a fixed eye on the rearview mirror because Lexus has its customers squarely in the sights.