The Lexus car brand is owned by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota Motor. The division specializes in the production of luxury cars. At first, models were supplied only to the American market later, and the brand spread far beyond the borders of the States. At the moment, sales are established in more than 70 countries.
The Beginning of the Japanese Brand – 1983-1990
The history of Lexus began in 1983. Thus, the company is recognized as one of the youngest Japanese auto makers. That year, Toyota’s chairman of the board sets a goal – to make the best executive car, which would have no analogues in the world. In addition, during these years, the fuel crisis that occurred in the 70s was fresh in my memory. Buyers were again looking at expensive cars, and since most manufacturers refused to fill this segment, the road was open. In the 80s, premium, reliable, high-quality cars took on a second life. The trend was most pronounced in the United States. At that time, Toyota Motor was already actively engaged in supplying reliable cars, but it was impossible to call them luxury. At this point, management decides to form a unit.
Of course, to take such a risky financial step, experts began to explore the existing market on a large scale. The long design process led to heated arguments among Toyota’s management team. One part was sure that a new brand was needed to create luxury cars. Others insisted on keeping the name to make a universal brand and releasing expensive models to draw attention to cheap ones. Heated disputes led to the need to conduct research within the exporting country. They studied potential buyers’ tastes, lifestyles, and life characteristics during the year. As a result, they concluded the need for a new brand and the creation of a changed sales channel. So there was a division of Toyota – Lexus.
In 1986, the advertising agency with which the parent company, Saatchi & Saatchi, has long cooperated, organized a separate “branch“, which begins to create and promote the brand. A consulting company is also joining the cause, having prepared a list of 219 potential names. It was from them that the “applicants” for the brand’s title were chosen.
60 designers, 1400 engineers, 220 support staff and 2300 mechanics took part in developing the first car. The number of investments amounted to more than 1 billion dollars. But, despite all the difficulties, the project was completed. The vast company introduced its firstborn – the Lexus LS 400. The bet in this model was made on Lexus’s unique design and outstanding performance. A 4.0-litre V8 engine provided Rear-wheel drive.
The model was presented at an exhibition in Detroit in 1989. The new Lexus LS 400 went on sale in September 1989. At the same time, deliveries were arranged simultaneously to 81 dealers. Note that the representative network was the most developed by that time, and the advertisement of the future “premium” was on TV. The print media tirelessly printed an article about the upcoming novelty. When the sales began, the public was maximally “charged” for the purchase. It was assumed that Lexus would be bought by a car enthusiast who appreciates rich equipment, excellent dynamics, economy and an ergonomic interior. At first, automotive critics complained about the quality of the suspension, which did not live up to expectations and did not correspond to the level of declared comfort.
Despite this, the magazines instantly revealed the main competitors of the LS400 – superior to the Mercedes -Benz 420 SEL and BMW 735i, which indicated a high result of the work. These models were compared with handling, performance and smoothness. In most studies and test drives, Lexus took the lead. This fact did not go unnoticed: the company received the award for the best-imported car of the year, the title of leader in the ranking of cars from JD Power and Associates. German manufacturers did not expect the emergence of such a powerful competitor. Hence, a sharp decline in sales (BMW lost 29%, and Mercedes 19%) caused a solid blow to the financial component of these companies.
In December 1989, a massive recall program was based on two complaints from Lexus customers. Reviews began due to identified defects in electrical wiring. At the same time, the action was voluntary. The automaker, wanting to preserve the image, offered a 20-day operation, where brand employees pick up the car on their own, repair it and return it to the owner. The company also bears the costs of possible flights to service vehicles whose owners live in remote areas. The competent actions of the management made it possible to attract the maximum amount of attention. Newspaper headlines touted the high level of service. By 1989, sales were high for the Lexus EU segment.250 and LS 400 were sold 16,392 times in total. The following year, total sales reached 63,594 vehicles. After that, Lexus enters the market of Canada, Switzerland, Australia and the UK.
Development of the Brand and Model Range of the Company – the 1990s
In mid-1991, the Japanese introduced a new model – the SC 400 sports coupe, which retained the Lexus LS 400 engines. Improved dynamics: the speed of 100 km / h is reached in 6.9 seconds. After that, the second generation of the ES 250, the ES 300 from Lexus, appears on the market. Photos prove that the new sedan was bright and expressive, which was the sales records. It is believed that this model has become the best-selling representative of the brand.
In 1992, the company received two awards from Car and Driver and Automobile Magazine to create the CS400 and EC300. The brand bypasses the sales of promoted German brands. Lexus has become the leading importer in the US market. By September, an updated version of the LS appears on the market. According to the engineers, they corrected 50 elements.
January 1993 will be remembered by fans for the appearance of the bright Lexus GS 300 model. Giorgetto Giugiaro himself had a hand in the design. A year later, the novelty was sold in Europe after being presented at the Frankfurt Salon. Despite the brand’s popularity, it remains under the leadership of Toyota, so Toyota S is used as a platform donor.
The second-generation LS400 hit the market in 1994. Fans saw a redesigned version of the flagship version. At this time, the brand itself wins the fifth victory in the JD Power and Associates rating, reflecting customer satisfaction.
By 1995, the manufacturer realized the need for a premium SUV and the Lexus LH 450 was born. It was a converted premium version of the Toyota Land Cruiser by and large. It is worth saying that continuity made it possible to adopt the best moments, including all-terrain characteristics. In two months, a vast number of cars were bought, the number of which outstripped those of Range Rover. The model was developed in record time, as the US government was preparing a project to introduce a 100% state duty on premium Japanese cars to protect their car brands. As a result, the duty extended to the entire range of Lexus.
It is noted that in connection with customers’ loyalty, it was possible to stretch Lexus financially. The performance of the SUV was based on a 4.5-litre 4-valve engine, which produced 215 horsepower at full load. It differed from the LC from Toyota with a profile lining, a radiator grille, wheels and an improved Shumkov. Despite the increase in the cost of Lexus management, the price of which was already solid, they decided to expand their geography.
In 1997, another HPS concept was presented in Detroit. It was distinguished not only by the 4.0-litre V8 but also by the appearance of the innovative VVT-i system. It was a prototype of the next generation of the future GS 300 sedan. At this time, the SLV concept is being exhibited in Chicago, which turns the idea of \u200b\u200bcomfortable cars: it manages to combine the off-road properties of crossovers and the convenience of a premium sedan. So, in 1998, sales of the Lexus RX started.
A three-litre engine is installed under the hood, aggregated with an automatic transmission in 4 steps. Engineers managed to correctly combine the characteristics of an SUV, sedan and station wagon, which made this car the most luxurious cross-country car on the market. In 1998, the sports car Lexus appeared. Sales begin in Brazil, and by 1999, the millionth car is sold.
Brand Development at Present
Lexus sales have picked up since the introduction of the IS sports sedans in 2000. The central thesis during the creation was to obtain maximum performance from luxury cars. As a result, in 2001, the brand’s first convertible appeared – the SC 430 and the third generation of the LS 430. Lexus should be considered an ultra-modern brand in connection with the emergence of luxurious innovations.
In 2003, the first Lexus appeared – a hybrid. It is the 400h RX model. It can be attributed to the already existing 330 and 350 families, but with a difference in the radiator grille the appearance of round foglights and LEDs in the rear optics. The Lexus Hybrid Drive system is used, making Lexus’ consumption less, transmission power increases, and emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere are reduced.
In 2006, the company entered the super-luxury level. Since then, it has sold at the level of such giants as Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley. This year there is a rumour that Lexus plans to release a limousine that will replace the Toyota Century in the emperor’s family. In 2014, the premium compact crossover Lexus HX was introduced. After the exhibition in Beijing, the manufacturer supplemented the lineup with three modifications: classic – 200, hybrid – 300h, and turbocharged 200t from Lexus. Complete sets were also presented in several versions, which allows customers to satisfy the needs for the functionality and dynamism of the machine as much as possible by choosing the appropriate option, both in terms of price and characteristics.
In general, the history of Lexus 2019 continues. The highly successful brand is not limited to the US market. Now you can buy luxury cars all over the world. The brand continues to receive awards and prizes, and it is hardly possible to calculate how many Lexus have occupied the top positions in the ratings. Laudatory reviews are left not only by experts but also by fans of the brand. The brightest enhance the appearance, tuning the Lexus, although the latter does not need serious modifications.
Currently, automated production is considered one of the best in the world. The production of luxury cars is currently the manufacturer at the Tahara plant. The peculiarity of production is complete sterility. During the entrance to the production hall, all employees go through an air shower, which removes all dust from clothes. An interesting fact: every 87 seconds, one car descends from the assembly line.
