Country of origin of "Lexus" - Japan (Toyota city). The Lexus division is part of the Japanese Toyota Motors Corporation and is mainly 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, an idea was proposed to create a new brand, under which the best cars in the world will 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 manufacturing country, Lexus was 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 brand "Lexus".
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, as well as 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 prior to this, only Japan was considered the country that produced 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 being replaced by the improved GS430, which has successfully entered the series. 2000 results showed Lexus to increase 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. On the roads of Russia and Europe, this car can be seen quite often. In its class, the RX300 has overtaken all competitors. In the same year, the assembly of cars began at a plant in Canada and Germany. And although Lexus cars are being developed in the producing country of Japan, they are being manufactured and assembled in different parts of the world, including Russia.
Future plans
The company said it plans to expand its lines of diesel vehicles for Europe, where diesel power plants are more popular due to 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.
Manufactures luxury cars. They were originally intended for sale in the United States. However, they are currently supplied to many countries around the world. The headquarters is located in Japan in the city of Nagoya.
Name history
The users of these prestigious cars assure that the word has no meaning, but is simply the designation of a luxury car. However, the creators claim that the name is associated with the name Alexis. It was considered as an option for the name of a new line of cars from Toyota. The prototype was the hero of the famous TV series "Dynasty" Alexis Carrington. But this name did not pass completely, it was slightly transformed, becoming - "Lexus" (Lexus).
Determination of goals, research of prospective sales markets
In 1983, Toyota's management set a goal - to create the best car in the world in the executive class category. During this period, there was a demand for premium cars, especially in the United States of America. By that time, on the territory of this state, Toyota was already known as a corporation that produces reliable and high-quality cars. But the niche of executive class cars was not covered, and therefore it was decided to start developing cars in this category.
Before starting production, Toyota organized a large-scale research study of the potential market, which was accompanied by careful design of future cars. For this purpose, premises were rented in California in order to establish the preferences of potential buyers on the spot.
In 1989, the car was completed. According to the corporation, almost 60 designers, about 1,400 specialist engineers in various fields of the automotive industry, more than 2,500 mechanics were involved in the development. About 450 prototypes of the car were produced. In total, more than $ 1 billion was invested in the project.
Start of production
However, the result of this work was impressive. The Lexus LS 400, unique at that time, entered the market, distinguished by its unique design, an advanced engine in the V 8, with a volume of four liters. The Japanese factory in the city of Tahara is where the number one Lexus is built.
The debut took place in early 1989, at the Detroit Auto Show. Already after 9 months, in September, its sales began through the established retail network in the United States. In this case, the very process of launching sales was framed with massive advertising campaigns in the media.
The first Lexus received good reviews for its equipment, advanced aerodynamics, and economy. The petrol engine was also awarded with good reviews. The prices for the car were about $ 38,000, which was considered a very reasonable amount. The handling characteristics are also highly marked. However, critics have noted the stiffness of the suspension. It did not provide an opportunity to fully enjoy the comfortable environment of the car.
During the first year, 1989, 16 392 units of "Lexus" LS 400 and sedan ES 250, another model of the company, were sold in the USA. In 1990, sales increased even more, with 63,594 cars of these two models sold. In the same year, small lots of premium cars were delivered to Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Switzerland.
Expansion of production
In the spring of 1991, Lexus launched the SC 400 sports coupe on the market, with the same engine as the LS 400. It had impressive performance at that time, in 6.9 seconds it was able to accelerate to 1,000 km / h. After a while, sales of the new generation ES 300 sedan from the predecessor ES 250 began. This car became the best-selling car of this brand.
The next year, 1992, the Lexus SC 400, ES 300 models were awarded many honorary awards at world automobile exhibitions. The company has overtaken BMW and Mercedes corporations in terms of sales in the United States. In September of the same year, the improved LS 400 was launched on the market, in which almost 50 modifications were made.
In January 1993, automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, hired by Lexus to develop innovative and advanced vehicles, released a new model, the GS300. A year later, it became a very noticeable novelty in Europe on its platform was based on the Toyota S.
The first off-road vehicle from Lexus, the LS 450, was developed in 1996. Immediately after it, the third generation of the GS 300 was produced. In 1998, Lexus produced the premium crossover, the RX 300, as well as the new generation cars, the GS 300 and GS 400.
The production version of the RX300 was equipped with a three-liter V6 engine and an improved 4-speed automatic transmission. The place where Lexus RH is assembled is the Tahor plant. Due to the fact that this car has successfully matched the capabilities of an SUV, sedan and station wagon, it has become a very popular and best-selling premium crossover in the American market. The next year, 1999, Lexus sold its millionth car in the United States.
In the same period, the company began to penetrate into South America, and sales began in Brazil.
Reorganization
Since the beginning of the XXI century, the company has annually delivered its new products to the market. This and the new IS line is a continuation of innovations in the sports sedan class. At the same time, the first SC 430 convertible was created, as well as new cars of the third generation from the LS 430 class.
Around this time, Lexus launched the GX 470 SUV, as well as the new generation RX 330. The year 2004 saw the company celebrate it with two million units sold and the launch of the first hybrid SUV, the 400h RX.
In 2005 "Lexus" was organizationally separated from its progenitor - the "Toyota" company. He got a production center, a plant where Lexus is assembled, design bureaus, and design departments. At the same time, the company entered the domestic market of Japan, and also significantly expanded its sales in global world markets, including China.
The 2008 economic crisis slowed down sales development somewhat. However, in 2009, the YS 250 h, a Japanese hybrid intended for North America, was launched into production. The 450h RX off-road hybrid was also launched.
Since 2010, the company has entered the market, including the Russian one with the CT 200 h compact hybrid hatchback.
At the beginning of 2012, Lexus began implementing the fourth generation GS 350, new lines of 450h variants. In the same year, the company launches the sixth generation of the ES series.
Where is Lexus assembled?
All cars are designed and manufactured by the company at one of the most advanced automotive plants in the world, the Tahara plant. The build quality in this place is evidenced by the fact that all employees at the entrance are subjected to a compulsory air shower to remove dust.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, Lexus began assembling cars at other Japanese factories. The North American market is mainly replenished with the brand's machines at its own assembly plant. Canada, the city of Cambridge - the place where Lexus is assembled.
In the Russian Federation, Lexus does not have any automobile assembly plants and does not plan to open them. This is due to the fact that the company's management avoids unnecessary risk to its reputation. Almost all cars of this representative brand are imported to Russia from Japan, the country where Lexus is assembled for Russia. Those that were produced in North American factories are extremely rare in our country.
The NX model, popular in our country, was developed by the company exclusively for motorists in Russia and the United States. Where Lexus HX is assembled - in Japan. In Miyata Prefecture, at an automobile plant in Kyushu.
Lexus NX - crossover, compact, first shown in 2014 in Beijing, in three modifications. It is based on the Toyota RAV4 platform. Available since autumn 2014. The factory where Lexus NX is assembled also produces other models - RX, CT 200h.
All Russians, from teenagers to old people, have heard about Lexus. And, most likely, each of them in the depths of their souls wants to feel like driving a car of this brand.
The fact is that the concern produces luxury models. They are extremely comfortable, reliable and durable. Even sedans answer the adage "longer bonnet - longer life." Therefore, they receive the highest safety scores. What to say about crossovers.
After driving a car of this brand, you will not want to change to any other. And this is not strange. Controllability, seemingly not by hands, but by the power of thought, Japanese precision and high-quality materials for upholstery and bodywork - this is what distinguishes the premium brand. Therefore, we decided to figure out where Lexus is assembled for Russia.
Lexus cars are the same Toyota, only for wealthier people. In Russia, the assembly has not been established, and this fact is reflected in the high cost of the models.
So, cars from Lexus are assembled:
- in Japan;
- In Canada. The assembly has been established here since 2003, and only some models are produced in this country, for example, the RX330.
By the way, in 2014 it became known that Russian civil servants no longer have the right to travel in cars from Lexus. This is due to the fact that these models are considered premium, and the company is not going to deploy the assembly in Russia. The representative office of the company notes that there is no point in building a plant here. After all, such machines must be produced and designed with great care. Only engineers from Japan and Canada possess special skills.
The cost of sedans from Lexus ranges from 1.3 to 4.4 million rubles, depending on the configuration. But SUVs will cost buyers from 1.9 to 4.3 million rubles.
A little about Lexus
So, where Lexus is assembled for Russia, we figured it out. Now let's look at where this brand came from and how it developed.
This company is currently a division of Toyota. Its engineers produce only luxury models. They are sold in the American and European markets, and are highly popular.
The name of the company itself contains the purpose of the company. Lexus is "luxury". The brand was originally created for the production of expensive and luxurious cars. Of course, this was not a new idea even then, since there were several concerns in the world, such as BMW or Jaguar, that were already trying to settle in this segment.
However, Japanese engineers already knew then that they were not afraid of competitors. Therefore, the Toyota Directorate decided to establish a subsidiary and named it Lexus. They challenged the world's best manufacturers. As you can see, not in vain.
At the dawn of production, 1,400 engineers were involved, who came up with and created a new concept. She brought real driving pleasure. That is, it surpassed all the cars in the world in terms of comfort. But, it should have cost less. This is how the Lexus F1 was created in 1984. It was designed exclusively for the American market. The creators approached the design of the model very correctly. They interviewed a suitable contingent for an example of what they would like, and tried to translate everything into metal.
Interestingly, the first of the concept was the Lexus LS400. He was more or less successful. But, before him came another 450 models that did not fit on one principle or another, and the world did not see them. The car passed a lot of road tests, took part in several hundred test drives and was presented to the engineers of many world brands. As a result, the suspension and steering system were redesigned. And in 1988 the finished car saw the world. At the same time, a simple logo was invented. Showed all this beauty at the Los Angeles auto show. In 1989, the car was delivered to 80 car showrooms around the world. In the first month of sales, 2,919 models were sold, and then over the next week, another 1,216.
Even then, the car from Lexus differed from all existing analogues in its excellent interior trim, beautiful bodywork and powerful technical characteristics. For this, many designers, engineers and constructors were involved, who completely redesigned the engine. Thanks to this, the car began to be sold not only in America, but also in Canada and the UK. Thus, by 1990, sales of the concern amounted to 63,000 models.
The first crossover from Lexus appeared in 1996. It was named Lexus LX450. It was, in fact, a redesigned Toyota Land Cruiser. It embodies all the best characteristics of the car, but adds a lot of luxury. In just two months after its release, the car became the leader in global sales.
Already in January 1997, the company sold 500 thousand vehicles worldwide. And this year ended with 97,593 copies. A year later, the concern had 147 dealers in America alone. Therefore, the sales of Lexus have overtaken all kinds of companies, which until that moment were considered the most popular and demanded in the world.
In 2002, the Japanese brand got its first official dealer in Russia. It was named "Lexus-Business Car". Its main office was located in Moscow. Another company joined it a year later.
Then there were diesel fuel installations. Then came the electric models. In general, the company develops and grows every day. The main thing is that Lexus engineers work very productively and with all possible dedication. They are not limited to the American market, but produce cars in Europe and other countries. Many awards and first places in world rankings speak for themselves. Therefore, if you want to buy a car that will be comfortable, reliable and durable, while bringing you real driving pleasure, turn your attention to any of the brainchildren of Lexus.
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 managed to win the hearts of many luxury car lovers.
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 automobile 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. with. 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 the Toyota Land Cruiser 200. 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 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 release, 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. with. at 2.4 liters. The model was soon converted to the RX 450 h, giving it a sporty look and a 300 hp engine. with. Crossover enthusiasts were impressed by its creative design and powerful engine, and the six-speed gearbox was not overlooked either.
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 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.
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 any 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 presented 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?
Who is 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 index (coupe), 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 luxurious four-wheel drive SUV Lexus LX 450, combining the style of a luxury executive car with the merits of the Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ 80 SUV. 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 rapidly 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 shift buttons on the steering wheel, allowing you to manually manipulate gears without resorting to the automatic transmission. IS300 Manual Transmission, as the name implies, was equipped with a manual transmission instead of an automatic transmission. SC430 sales started 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 protagonist 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 vary 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 more and more 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 on the Japanese market, where it 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 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.
