The history of Lexus begins in Toyota, Japan. Toyota Motors Corporation creates its Lexus division which targets the US and European markets with luxury models. The whole history of the actomobile intersects with the word Lux, hence the name "Lexus". The main goal of the company was the development and production of expensive prestigious cars with leading characteristics of comfort, transmission, engine, handling and smooth running.

In August 1983, a secret meeting of the board of directors of Toyota Motors Corporation was held, where Eiji Toyoda, chairman of the board, proposed an idea in which the main idea was to create the best cars in the world. In order for people not to have associations from Toyota, a brand called "Lexus" was invented.

To develop the first car, 1,400 top designers and engineers were recruited. The task before them was very difficult: to make a luxury car, the best in all characteristics, and to cost less than its competitors. A special survey group was created, which had the task of finding out what US buyers still want.

In July 1985, the first Lexus LS 400 rolled off the pile. In May 1986, he underwent extensive test drives in Germany and only in January 1989 was shown at the Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows. Since September 1989, sales of this car began in the United States. Externally, the Lexus LS400 - the very first Lexus - had nothing to do with Japanese cars. It was done immediately, focusing on the Americans. This suggested that who had a hand in the bodywork?

Which of the famous Italian carrosserist designers. And over time, this was confirmed - the later Lexus GS300 with a streamlined body was created by Giorgetto Giugiaro. One of the company's most prestigious models is the GS 300 3T sports sedan with an uprated engine developed by Toyota's Motosport department in Cologne.

In February 1990, the American press named the Lexus LS 400 luxury sedan, which is both powerful and economical thanks to good aerodynamics, the best car imported in the USA.

In May 1991, the second Lexus went into production with the SC 400 (coupe) index, an export version of the Toyota Soarer for the North American market. After restyling in 1998, the external differences with the Toyota Soarer almost disappeared.

The five-seater Lexus ES 300 sedan was first shown in the summer of 1991, a special version of the Toyota Camry for the American market.

In January 1993, the premiere of the Lexus GS 300 took place.

The Lexus family also has its own luxury SUV Lexus LX 450, combining the style of a luxury executive car with the advantages of the Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ 80 SUV. The LX 470 model, a large executive SUV, a luxury version of the Toyota Land Cruiser 100, replaced the Lexus LX in 1998 450.

In the fall of 1998, the first show of the IS model made by the Japanese company Toyota Motor took place. In the spring of 1999, the first compact Lexus model, the IS 200, entered the European and American markets.

The beginning of 2000, as has already become customary, was marked by updates. In January in Los Angeles, Lexus demonstrates a variation on the quickly popular IS200 - IS300, and in Detroit, the reincarnation of the company's legendary LS400 - LS430 is exhibited. The new flagship of the lineup was equipped with the latest technology and design: navigation system, DVD, leather and walnut in the cabin, a 4300 cc V8 engine, 280 horsepower and 417 Nm of torque, acceleration to 100 km / h in 6.7 seconds, 5-speed automatic transmission. In addition, the LS430 had the lowest drag coefficient of any vehicle in its class. In April 2000, Lexus announced the imminent appearance of the SC430 model at the New York Auto Show. In the same month, the company announced that by 2003 the RX300 would be produced at the Toyota car plant in Canada (before that Lexus had assembled its cars only in Japan). In June, the IS300 goes on sale, in August Lexus becomes the first imported luxury brand in the US to sell over 20,000 units per month, and in September the GS400 is replaced by the GS430. In October, it went into the LS430 series. The results of 2000 showed that this time (for the fifth year in a row) Lexus increased its sales, outstripping all other luxury brands in the US car market.

In January 2001, Toyota announced that the engines and suspension for the RX300 would be manufactured at its Buffalo plant. At the same time, models such as the IS300 SportCross, IS300 Manual Transmission and the soon-to-be-launched SC430 were shown at the Detroit Auto Show. The IS300 SportCross was equipped with an option such as the gearshift buttons on the steering wheel, allowing manual, without resorting to the automatic transmission, to manipulate gears. IS300 Manual Transmission, as the name implies, was equipped with a manual transmission instead of an automatic transmission. SC430 started selling in March; by this time, orders for it had already been scheduled until the end of the year. The design of this hardtop, which can transform into an open coupe in 25 seconds without any effort on the part of the driver, was developed at the Lexus European Design and Development Center on the French Riviera. In August, the IS300 SportCross and IS300 Manual Transmission went on sale, and in October, the completely revamped third generation ES300, which is more luxurious, more spacious, and offers more comfort, style and driving pleasure, goes on sale.

In 2002, Lexus got its first official dealer in Russia - it became the company - Lexus-Business Car in Moscow (a year later there were two official dealers in Moscow). In June of the same year, another blockbuster from the famous master of this cinematic genre, Steven Spielberg, was released on the screens of the United States. The film was called (in the Russian box office - 'Minority Report'), and the car for the main character was developed by Lexus. The red fuel cell concept has become a prominent feature in the footage. In addition to this introduction to the field of cinema, Lexus continued to develop new modifications of its production models - the IS200 SportCross appeared at the Paris Motor Show, equipped with a 2-liter engine with VVT-i system. And in November 2002, a new model, the Lexus GX470, is on sale in the United States, characterized by the words 'rough luxury'. This SUV (sold in Japan by its counterpart - Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, the latest model in the back of the 120th series at the time of this writing) is equipped with a suspension that can change in height depending on the driving style (complete off-road or smooth Autobahn) for the most optimal handling machine.

In the spring of 2003, in March, at the Detroit Auto Show, Lexus presented the successor to its well-known RX300 model - a more dynamic and modern RX330, equipped with an engine with an increased volume of 3300 cc, the latest technological advances, luxury options, with a body slightly larger than its predecessor. ... This model, as before, was intended for the US market. For Europe, a version with a 3-liter engine was provided, still called the RX300; sales of this new item on the European market began in May 2003, and in the first month in terms of the number of units sold, the RX300 overtook all competitors in its class. Then, in May, at the auto show in New York, Lexus premiered a concept car - HPX (High Performance Crossover). This concept, which combines the features of an SUV and a sedan, is a step towards an increasingly active crossover market. In September, assembly of Lexus vehicles began as planned at Toyota's plant in Cambridge, Canada. In addition, in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Lexus premiered an updated version of the flagship of its lineup - the LS430.

Lexus plans for the future such ideas as replenishment of its engine lineup with diesel models for the European market (where diesels are popular due to the more environmentally friendly exhaust composition) and hybrid models for the US market, where hybrids are gaining popularity; the release in 2005 of the new generation GS430, on which a completely new team of designers and constructors is currently working; promotion in the same 2005 of his brand in the Japanese market, where he is actually little known. In 2006, the company plans to move to a new level - super-luxury, dominated by such giants as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Maybach. These plans are evidenced by the information spread by the company that Lexus is planning to release a limousine that will replace the Toyota Century used in the imperial family.

In general, the history of Lexus continues, and continues very, very successfully, and not limited to the US market, for which its cars were originally intended. This is evidenced by the mass of awards from the press, and the first places in various ratings (this article does not list all the victories of Lexus, because one listing alone would take up a lot of space), and many laudatory reviews of cars of this brand. And they certainly deserve it, combining excellent comfort, recognizable style and unsurpassed Japanese quality in equal measure. Customer relationships have also played a significant role in Lexus's success, and customer service has been a priority from the very beginning. In addition, Lexus has a long history of sponsoring a variety of sports, arts, environmental, and other events.

The history of the Lexus car dates back to 1983 in a country where people value comfort - in Japan. At that time, such brands as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar were in demand. The Japanese manufacturer Toyota was not in the least afraid of the appearance of these car brands. On the contrary, I decided to take a competitive path. Those who managed to develop the world famous Toyota cars also worked on the creation of Lexus. At that time, the team numbered about 1,450 workers, among them were progressive engineers and talented designers. The design and manufacture of the car took over five years. Developers managed to compete with their rivals in 1988 with the appearance of the posh, luxurious and prestigious Lexus LS400. Moreover, he attracted the attention of society not only with his appearance, but also with the ideal characteristics of the motor. Since its inception, it has won the hearts of many luxury car enthusiasts.

Lexus in America

However, Japan wasn't the only country that produced Lexus. After a rapid increase in demand for cars of this brand in the United States, a plant was built, which also began to be engaged in the production of Lexus. True, it differs in many ways from the Japanese version. Lexus production in Japan was aimed at maintaining ergonomics and at the lowest cost, while in the USA the emphasis was on power, size and comfort.

The first successful car

Country of origin Lexus LS400 - Japan. It was the absolute opposite. Designers created it based on American production. They believed in a bright future, that one day the brand should conquer not only Europe and neighboring countries, but all world markets.

The development of the Lexus LS400 was the most daring step in the history of the Japanese automotive industry since the launch of the Toyota brand. It was recognized in 1990 as the best-selling and best car brought to America. The Lexus SC400 is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that includes 32 valves. Its volume is 4 liters, and the power is 294 horsepower. It also has a five-speed gearbox.

Further development

The next move by the manufacturer was the Lexus GS-300 - its beautiful streamlined body and stylish design immediately attracted a lot of interested buyers. The American theme in the production of powerful cars pushed Toyota to develop a sports sedan GS 300 3T with a forced engine from Motosport.

Country-producers of Lexus GS-300 - Japan, USA. It was introduced to America in 1991 alongside the Toyota Camry and premiered to the world in 1993. It was a sedan-type car, the engine of which has a capacity of 221 hp. from. with a volume of 3 liters, which corresponded to the American standard. It was followed by the all-wheel drive Lexus LX 450 SUV, which entered the American market in 1996. Its production was based on Toyota Land Cruiser 200 models. Both models were similar and not much different.

Also in 1991, the Lexus SC 400 was introduced, which borrowed the design from the export version of the Toyota Soarer. And in 1998 the first show of a car from Toyota Motor took place, which included a preview of the IS model. This is how the first improved and modified Lexus - IS 200 appeared in 1999, which was widely supplied to the European and American markets.

New generation

Then, in 2000, other novelties were added to this range: LS430, IS300. They replaced the outdated SC 300 and 400 coupes. In 2001, the first Lexus SC430 convertible was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. It has a beautiful, sporty, unsurpassed design that attracts all pedestrians and motorists who meet it on their way. It has a wide and low shape. Gives the driver a perfect driving comfort. The car looks gorgeous with both open and closed roof views.

Lexus SC430 has rear-wheel drive and is equipped with a 4.3-liter V-8 engine that develops power up to 282 hp. with., and a five-speed automatic adaptive transmission. The car accelerates to "hundreds" in just 6.4 seconds.

Perfect car

The next car that is popular to this day is the Lexus RX 300. This all-new SUV was unveiled at the 2001 North American Auto Show in Detroit. The car has impressive dimensions. After the successful launch, the manufacturers decided to update it and dubbed the updated version of the Lexus RX 330. The changes were to increase the length and width of the car, as well as to equip the model with a 3.3-liter V-six engine with a capacity of 230 horsepower.

Later, in 2009, a model of the Lexus RX 350 car appeared. This SUV has a capacity of 271 horsepower with a volume of 3.7 liters, as well as 188 liters. from. at 2.4 liters. The model was soon converted to the RX 450 h, giving it a sporty look and a 300 hp engine. from. Crossover enthusiasts were impressed by its creative design and powerful engine, and the six-speed gearbox was not overlooked.

Types of models

The manufacturing country of this prestigious brand has produced four generations of the car. They include the following range of models:

• compact - IS HS;
• medium size - GS;
• crossovers - LX, SUV, LX:
• coupe - LFA, SC

In 2018, the LEXUS manufacturer presented a new generation sedan class car - LEXUS ES 2019, Lexus UX-2018 crossover, Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept. Japan is the home country of Lexus. Its headquarters are located in Toyota.

Lexus is the luxury car division of Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1989 in the US, Lexus is currently available in over 70 countries worldwide and has become Japan's best-selling premium brand. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan. The entire Lexus range.

History

According to the creators, the sound and spelling of the brand doesn't make much sense and just denotes a luxury car.

Lexus arose out of a secret Toyota project that emerged six years before the Lexus LS. Subsequently, the Lexus line was expanded with a sedan, coupe, convertible and SUV. In the beginning, Lexus cars were manufactured in Japan. Production of the first Lexus RX 330 built outside the country at a plant in Ontario (Canada) began in 2003.

The 2000s were marked by the expansion of the brand to other markets, in addition to the traditional ones, for Japanese and North American. It debuts in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe and other export regions. The Lexus lineup has been expanded taking into account regional characteristics.

Running

It took a team of hundreds of professionals six years and nearly a billion dollars to successfully launch the brand's sales. On its debut, the LS 400 received a lot of positive feedback. Buyers appreciated the quietness in the cabin, the ergonomic interior, the performance of the new four-liter V8 petrol engine, aerodynamics, fuel economy and an affordable $ 38,000 in the US. Despite the fact that the Lexus brand appeared as if "out of nowhere", he almost immediately got a lot of loyal admirers.

Production growth

In the first year of the next decade, Lexus sold 63,594 units of the LS 400 and ES 250 sedans in the US. In the same year, the company began exporting its products to the UK, Switzerland, Canada and Australia. 1991 - Lexus began selling its first sports coupe, the SC 400, and at the end of the same year became the best-selling premium import vehicle in the United States.

Three years later, production of the midsize GS 300 sports sedan, based on the Toyota "S" platform, began. Already in 1994, the next generation of the flagship LS 400 was presented.

1996 saw the debut of the first SUV, the LX 450, followed by the third-generation ES 300 sedan. Two years later, Lexus added the first luxury crossover, the RX 300, and the second-generation GS 300 and GS 400 sedans, to its lineup. In the same year, the company made its debut in the world's most populous country of South America when sales in Brazil began.

Reorganization

Since 2000, the company has annually delighted consumers with new products: this year the IS line, a new series of entry-level sports sedans, is presented. And later, with an interval of a year, were shown: the first convertible - the SC 430, the revised ES 300 and the third generation LS 430.

The following year brought with it the GX 470 midsize SUV and a year later the second generation RX 330. The following year, Lexus recorded its two millionth sold car and launched the first luxury hybrid SUV, the 400h RX.

In 2005, the organizational separation with the parent company Toyota was completed, Lexus received independent engineering, design departments and production centers. This work coincided with the launch of Lexus in the Japanese domestic market and the expansion of the brand's global sales in major global markets such as China.

F models and hybrids

The second half of the 2000s began with sales of the 450h GS hybrid sedan. And in early 2007, Lexus announced a new line of F models, which will consist of powerful cars styled as sports cars. The first of this line was the IS F, which debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show.

In connection with the economic crisis of 2008, the company's sales fell noticeably. Despite this, the HS 250h, a hybrid sedan destined for North America and Japan, and the 450h RX, the second generation of a hybrid SUV, were launched in 2009 and the exotic coupe was launched in the same year.

The company produces luxury cars under this brand. Toyota Motors Corporation... Initially, they focused on the US market, which is still the main focus. The idea of \u200b\u200bexpanding the "luxury" market share originated from the management Toyota back in the early 80s. The work began in 1983. However, the Japanese were well aware that their cars are perceived in the West as extremely practical and reliable, but far from being the most prestigious. So creating a new brand was the most optimal solution.

In an atmosphere of the deepest secrecy, the so-called "Project F1" was launched (from the reduction "Flagship No. 1" – "Flagship No. 1"). Under it, an extremely prestigious rear-wheel drive car was developed that could compete in its class with American and European models.

The most original thing is that at that time other Japanese companies began to act in the same direction: Honda in 1986 launches Acura , Nissan born in 1989 Infiniti ... I tried to keep up with them and Mazdaworking on brands Amati for the USA and Xedos for Europe, which were supposed to be launched in 1993 (for a number of reasons this did not happen).

The result of the efforts of engineers Toyota in July 1985, the Lexus LS 400 car appeared. For several years it was “run-in” on the roads of Europe and America. Mistakes were an unacceptable luxury and the model went through the most rigorous tests, refining and improving. It was presented to the general public only a few years later - on January 2, 1988. At the same time, the new brand itself was presented with its own logo. It was promoted and developed by a famous agency Saatchi & Saatchi... According to common legend, the word "Lexus" Is a modified Latin word "Luxus" ("Luxury, splendor"). According to other, equally reliable information, the brand name was born from the combination of words "Luxury" and "Elegance"... Total, from the side Toyota several thousand people were involved and about a billion dollars was spent.

Lexus LS 400 sales began in September 1989. Outwardly, this car looked much more like its European or American counterparts than the "Japanese". It was originally developed like this, for obvious reasons. Initially, sales were disappointing. They walked quite sluggishly, and technical problems could not be avoided - about 8 thousand already sold cars had to be recalled due to defects in the wiring. But a bad start didn't ruin the new brand. In 1989, 16 thousand cars were sold. This model “did not reach” the same level as Mercedes, but it was more accessible and had excellent handling.

Later, other models followed, more or less successful. Some of them have received quite prestigious awards. But the most important thing is that the brand has become respected and gained recognition. To date, the company's lineup is represented by several models, including an SUV. Many half-jokingly, half-seriously call Lexus "Japanese Mercedes". These cars are sold almost everywhere. And since 2005 they have been available in the domestic Japanese market.

Country of origin of "Lexus" - Japan (Toyota city). The Lexus division is part of the Japanese Toyota Motors Corporation and is primarily engaged in the production of luxury cars for the US and European markets, while Toyota cars are mainly sold in Japan. The main direction of the company is the creation of elite expensive cars with leading characteristics of comfort for the driver and passenger, reliable engines, transmissions, innovative systems of smooth running.

Brand creation

Japan, as a manufacturing country for Lexus vehicles, is famous for its unique technologies and innovations in the field of mechanical engineering. She had before and now has all the resources to create the best cars in the world. That is why in 1983, at a secret meeting of directors of Toyota, the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a new brand was proposed, under which the best cars in the world would be produced. To prevent the consumer from associating with Toyota, a new Lexus brand was invented.

Plans and positioning

To create the first car, 1,400 of the best engineers and designers were invited. They were faced with a rather difficult task - to create a really good luxury car that would outperform the competition and cost less. For this, a survey group was even created, which found out what exactly they want to buy in the United States. And although Japan is a country of origin, Lexuses were primarily aimed at the American consumer, since at that time the Japanese market was almost entirely owned by Toyota.

First car

The very first car was created in 1985. It was the Lexus LS400, which was tested in Germany in 1986 and entered the US market in 1989. Sales of the car began in September this year. Outwardly, he had nothing to do with Japanese cars and looked like a typical "American". The designers did their best, as this model was well received by the American public. Even then, consumers began to wonder what kind of manufacturing country it was and whose Lexus brand.

Subsequent models

The second car was "painted" by Giorgetto Giugiaro. We are talking about the Lexus GS300 with a streamlined body. The most successful was the modification of the Lexus GS300 3T with a forced engine, created by the Cologne branch of Motosport, owned by Toyota.

A year after entering the US market, the American press named the Lexus LS400 sedan the best imported car. However, there is nothing to be surprised at here, since the car, with its high power, had a low fuel consumption due to its successful aerodynamics.

In May 1991, a new car appeared on the market - the Lexus SC400 Coupe. It was very much like the Toyota Soarer, not only in appearance, but also in performance. However, after 1998, the differences between these cars disappeared during the restyling.

In 1993, the five-seat Lexus ES300 sedan was also shown, which was a kind of analogue of the Toyota Camry in the US market.

Also in the family of cars from "Lexus" includes a luxury SUV with all-wheel drive LX450. It incorporated the comfort of an executive car and the advantages of the Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ 80 SUV, popular in Japan. A little later, an improved version of the all-wheel drive jeep appeared - Lexus LX470.

1998 in the history of the company will be remembered by showing the first car with the IS index. In the spring of next year, the first IS200 model from Lexus appeared on the American market. The body shape and technical characteristics of the car made it a racing model.

In the manufacturing country "Lexus" developed rather quickly due to the high consumer demand for these cars in the United States. At the beginning of 2000, updates were expected. First, the IS300 was shown in Los Angeles, and then in Detroit, everyone saw the successful reincarnation of the LS400 - LS430. In fact, it is the flagship among cars, which had the most innovative technologies, a navigation system, an expensive leather interior, and a powerful V8 engine with a capacity of 280 horsepower. It could accelerate to 100 km / h in just 6.7 seconds. With all this, he had a minimum drag coefficient.

In the same year in New York, Lexus announced the appearance of the SC430 model, and also shared plans for 2003. It was assumed that in 3 years the Lexus RX300 cars will be produced at the Toyota plant in Canada. Note that before that, only Japan was considered the country of manufacture of Lexus cars.

Peak sales

The IS300 went on sale in June, and in August Lexus becomes the first luxury importer in the US to sell over 20,000 vehicles in a month. At the same time, the improvement of existing brands is in full swing - the GS400 is replaced by the improved GS430, which has successfully entered the series. 2000 results showed Lexus to increase its sales for the fifth consecutive year, easily outperforming other luxury brands in the United States. At this time, American consumers already know perfectly well who manufactures Lexus, the country of origin is generally trusted, and even other brands of Japanese cars are well received by the buyer.

In 2001, Toyota announces that the suspension and motors for the RX300 will be manufactured at its Buffalo facility. Shortly thereafter, the IS300 SportCross (with steering wheel shift knob), IS300 Manual Transmission (with manual transmission) are on display at the Detroit Auto Show, and production of the new SC430 is preparing to launch. In March, the car was ready, but by the time of the start of sales, orders for this car had already been scheduled.

Coming to other countries

By 2002 this brand was respected all over the world and it was understood whose country the Lexus was produced. The first official dealer in Russia appeared in 2002. It was the Lexus-Business Car company. A year later, there were two dealers.

In 2003, Detroit introduced the famous RX300 and the more dynamic RX330. The latter had luxury options and innovative technological solutions. This car can be seen quite often on the roads of Russia and Europe. In its class, the RX300 has overtaken all competitors. In the same year, the assembly of machines began at a plant in Canada and Germany. And although Lexus cars are being developed in the manufacturing country of Japan, they are being manufactured and assembled in different parts of the world, including Russia.

Plans for the future

The company said it plans to expand its lineup with diesel vehicles for Europe, where diesel power plants are more popular because of their less harmful emissions to the environment. There are also plans to develop hybrid cars for the US market, where hybrids are gaining popularity. However, such cars already exist even today.

Toyota, whose Lexus brand is not very popular in the producing country of Japan, also plans to occupy most of its home market. However, this is not surprising, because Lexus was primarily focused on other countries, since Japan was already buying Toyota cars with might and main. A new brand was not needed for this at all.

Conclusion

The once unknown brand has become very popular, and today everyone knows where Lexus is produced. The country of origin, thanks to this brand (and not only to it), has created an excellent reputation for itself as a reliable car manufacturer. However, it should be understood that most of the credit for the success of the brand belongs to the Toyota company, because Lexuses were not created from scratch, but on the basis of existing and advanced technologies at that time. So you need to remember who makes Lexus in the country of origin. This is the Japanese concern "Toyota" - the giant of the automotive industry, which today is one of the industry leaders not only in Japan but throughout the world.