Lexus
Lexus is the premium vehicle brand of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. Created as an export model for the American market, Lexus arrived in the USA in 1989. Success there drove expansion to other markets, and Lexus is now global as Japan’s best-selling premium car. Lexus headquarters is in Nagoya, Japan; Lexus has operational centers in Brussels, Belgium, and in Torrance, California USA.
The Lexus LS 400 had a unique design with no elements from previous Toyota vehicles, a new eight-cylinder, four-liter gasoline engine, and rear-wheel drive. The car won wide praise for its quiet performance, well-appointed interior, build quality, aerodynamics, and fuel economy along with some criticism for derivative styling and a ride too rough for comfort. The LS 400 was priced at $38,000 yet rated by Car and Driver magazine as superior to the $63,000 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL and to the $55,000 BMW 735i in handling and performance. The LS 400 won awards from Automobile and Wheels magazines. Lexus quickly established customer loyalty by a debut that shocked BMW and Mercedes-Benz, whose USA sales dropped by 29 and 19 percent respectively. Lexus sold 16,392 LS 400 and ES 250 sedans in the four months of 1989 following the launch, matching the division’s target of 16,000 sales for that year.
In 1990, the first full year of sales, Lexus sold 63,594 LS 400 and ES 250 sedans in the USA, mostly the LS model. Lexus also began limited exports to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, and Australia. In 1991, Lexus launched its first sports coupe, the SC 400, with the same eight-cylinder, four-liter engine and rear-wheel drive design of the LS 400. The ES 300 sedan succeeded the ES 250 and became the Lexus best seller. By the end of 1991, Lexus was the top-selling premium import in the USA, with sales of 71,206 vehicles.
In 1993, Lexus launched the mid-sized GS 300 sports sedan priced below the LS 400 and started a certified pre-owned program to raise trade-in model values. In 1994, came the second-generation LS 400, a complete redesign of the flagship model. In 1996, Lexus introduced its first sport utility vehicle, the LX 450, and the third generation ES 300 sedan. In 1998, Lexus added the first luxury-branded crossover sport utility vehicle, the RX 300, for suburban buyers who did not need off-road capability. The RX 300 became the brand’s top-selling and most successful model. In 1999, Lexus sold its one-millionth vehicle in the American market as the top-selling premium car brand in the USA overall.
In 2001, Lexus introduced its first convertible, the SC 430, a redesigned ES 300. Lexus sold its two-millionth vehicle in the USA market in 2004, and its first luxury-branded production hybrid sport utility vehicle, the RX 400h, made its debut. This vehicle used a Lexus Hybrid Drive system combining gasoline and electric motors for more power and fuel efficiency and less air pollution.
Internationally, Lexus has become the best-selling import brand in both South Korea and Taiwan and has sold well in the Middle East, where it ranks first or second against competitors in many countries. In Australia, Lexus reached third place in premium luxury car sales in 2006. By 2010, Lexus had launched officially in Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and South Africa, making Lexus a truly global brand now active in 76 national markets worldwide.
Visit the Lexus website: www.lexus.com
