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

Lexus in America

However, Japan was not the only country producing Lexus. After a rapid increase in demand for cars of this brand in the United States, a factory was built, which also began to produce Lexus. True, it differs in many ways from the Japanese version. Lexus production in Japan was aimed at maintaining ergonomics and minimum costs, and in the USA the main emphasis was placed on power, size and comfort.

First successful car

The country of origin of the Lexus LS400 is Japan. It was the absolute opposite. Designers created it on the basis of American production. They believed in a bright future, that one day the brand should conquer not only Europe and the countries adjacent to it, but also all world markets.

The development of the Lexus LS400 was the most daring step in the history of the Japanese automobile industry since the release of the Toyota brand. He was recognized in 1990 as the best selling and best car brought to America. The Lexus SC400 has an eight-cylinder engine that includes 32 valves. Its volume is 4 liters, and the power is 294 horsepower. Also installed in it five speed box gears.

Further development

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

Lexus GS-300 manufacturing countries - Japan, USA. It was introduced to America in 1991 along with the Toyota Camry, and the world premiere took place in 1993. It was a car of the sedan type, 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 SUV Lexus LX 450, which entered the American market in 1996. Its production was based on Toyota models Land cruiser 200. Both models were similar and differed little.

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. Thus, in 1999, the first improved and modified Lexus, the IS 200, appeared, which was widely supplied to European and American markets.

New generation

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

Lexus SC430 has rear drive and is equipped with an eight-cylinder V-shaped engine with a volume of 4.3 liters, which develops power up to 282 liters. with., and a five-speed automatic adaptive transmission. To "hundreds" the car accelerates in just 6.4 seconds.

Perfect car

next car, which is popular to this day - the Lexus RX 300. This one is completely new SUV was introduced in 2001 at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. The car has impressive dimensions. After a successful release, the manufacturers decided to update it and dubbed the updated version of the release of the Lexus RX 330. The changes consisted in increasing the length and width of the car, as well as equipping the model with a 3.3 liter v-shaped six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 230 horsepower.

Later, in 2009, a car model appeared brands Lexus RX 350. 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. Soon this model was converted into the RX 450 h, adding to it sporty look and equipped with an engine with a capacity of 300 liters. With. Crossover lovers were impressed by its creative design and powerful motor, the six-speed gearbox did not go unnoticed.

Types of models

The country of origin 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, LEXUS presented a new generation sedan class car - LEXUS ES 2019, Lexus UX -2018 crossover, Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept. Japan is the country of manufacture of Lexus. Its headquarters is in Toyota.

Probably all Russians have heard about the Lexus company, from teenagers to the elderly. And, most likely, each of them, deep down, wants to feel behind the wheel of 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 hood - 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 it's not strange. Manageability, it would seem, not with hands, but with the power of thought, Japanese precision and high-quality upholstery and body materials - this is what distinguishes the premium brand. Therefore, we decided to figure out where the Lexus is assembled for Russia.

Lexus cars are the same Toyota, only for more affluent people. In Russia, the assembly is not established, and this fact is reflected in the high cost of models.

So, cars from Lexus are assembled:

• in Japan;
• In Canada. Here, the assembly has been established 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 Lexus cars. 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 it makes no sense to build a plant here. After all, such machines must be produced and designed very carefully. Special skills are owned only by engineers from Japan and Canada.

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 are Lexus assembled for Russia, we figured it out. Now let's look at where this brand came from and how it developed.

This company is today a division of Toyota. Its engineers produce only luxury models. They are sold in the markets of America and Europe, and are very popular.

The company's mission is in the very name of the company. Lexus - "luxury". Initially, the brand was created to produce expensive and luxurious cars. Of course, it was already then new idea, since there were several concerns in the world, such as BMW or Jaguar, which were already trying to settle in this segment.
However, Japanese engineers already knew then that they were not afraid of competitors. Therefore, the management of the Toyota company decided to establish a subsidiary company, and named it "Lexus". They challenged the world's best producers. As you can see, not in vain.

At the dawn of production, 1400 engineers were involved, who came up with and created a new concept. She was a real pleasure to drive. That is, it surpassed all the cars in the world in terms of comfort. But, it should have been cheaper. 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 asked the right contingent for an example of what they would like and tried to embody everything in metal.

Interestingly, the first of the concepts was released Lexus LS400. He was more or less successful. But, before him came another 450 models that did not fit according to one principle or another, and the world did not see them. The car has passed a lot road tests, participated in several hundred test drives and was submitted to the judgment of engineers of many world brands. As a result, the suspension and steering system were redone. And in 1988, the finished car saw the world. Then they came up with a simple logo. Showed all this beauty at a car show in Los Angeles. In 1989, the car was delivered to 80 car dealerships around the world. During the first month of sales, 2919 models were sold, and then another 1216 the next week.

Even then, the car from Lexus differed from all existing analogues with excellent interior trim, beautiful body and powerful technical specifications. For this, many designers, engineers and designers were involved, who completely redid 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, the concern's sales amounted to 63,000 models.

The first crossover from Lexus appeared in 1996. It was named Lexus LX450. It was, in fact, a converted Toyota Land Cruiser. It embodied all best performance car, but added a lot of luxury. Just two months after the release, the car became the world's top seller.

Already in January 1997, the company sold 500,000 vehicles worldwide. And this year ended with a number of 97593 copies. A year later, the concern already had 147 dealers in America alone. Therefore, in terms of sales, Lexus overtook all kinds of companies that until that moment were considered the most popular and in demand in the world.

In 2002, Japanese brand appeared first in Russia official dealer. It was called the Lexus Business Car. Its main office was located in Moscow. A year later, another company joined him.

Then there were fuel plants running on diesel fuel. Then came the electric models. In general, the company develops and grows sow 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 creations of the Lexus corporation.

Under this brand, luxury cars are produced by the company Toyota Motor Corporation. Initially, they focused on the US market, which to this day is the main focus. The idea of ​​expanding the “luxury” market share originated with the management Toyota back in the early 80s. Work began in 1983. However, the Japanese were well aware that their cars are perceived in the West as extremely practical and reliable, but not at all as the most prestigious. So the creation of a new brand was the most optimal solution.

In an atmosphere of the deepest secrecy, the so-called "Project F1" (from the abbreviation "Flagship No. 1" – "Flagship No. 1"). Under it, an exceptionally prestigious rear-wheel drive car was developed, capable of competing 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. Tried to keep up with them Mazda working on brands Amati for USA and Xedos for Europe, which were supposed to be launched in 1993 (for a number of reasons this never happened).

The result of the efforts of engineers Toyota in July 1985, the Lexus LS 400 appeared. For several years, it was “running in” on the roads of Europe and America. Mistakes were an unacceptable luxury and the model passed the most severe tests, being finalized and improved. 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 introduced with its own logo. The famous agency was involved in the promotion and development of it Saatchi & Saatchi. According to popular legend, the word Lexus is a modified Latin word luxury ("luxury, splendor"). According to another, equally reliable information, the brand name was born from the combination of the words luxury and elegance. Total, from the side Toyota several thousand people were involved and about a billion dollars were spent.

Sales of the Lexus LS 400 began in September 1989. Outwardly, this car looked much more like its European or American counterparts than a “Japanese”. It was originally developed this way, for obvious reasons. Initially, sales brought only disappointment. They walked rather 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 the bad start did not ruin the new brand. In 1989, 16 thousand cars were sold. This model "did not reach" in terms of level to the same Mercedes, but it was more affordable and had excellent handling.

Subsequently, 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 has achieved recognition. To date the lineup The company is already 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 are also available in the domestic Japanese market.

Produces luxury cars. Initially, they were intended for sale in the United States. However, they are currently shipped to many countries around the world. The headquarters is located in Japan in the city of Nagoya.

Name history

Users of these prestigious cars claim that the word has no meaning, but is simply a designation for a luxury car. However, the creators claim that the name is related to 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 series "Dynasty" Alexis Carrington. But this name did not completely pass, it was slightly transformed, becoming - "Lexus" (Lexus).

Setting goals, researching prospective markets

In 1983, the leadership of Toyota set a goal - to create the best car in the world in the category executive class. During this period, there was a demand for premium cars, especially in the United States of America. By that time, in the territory of this state, Toyota was already known as a corporation that produces reliable and quality cars. But the executive class car niche was not covered, in connection with which it was decided to start developing cars in this category.

Before the start of production, Toyota organized a large-scale research study of the potential market, which was accompanied by a thorough design of future cars. For this purpose, premises in California were rented in order to establish the preferences of potential buyers on the spot.

In 1989, work on the creation of the car was completed. According to the corporation, almost 60 designers, about 1,400 specialist engineers in various areas of the automotive industry, and more than 2,500 mechanics were involved in the development. Approximately 450 prototypes of the car were produced. In total, more than $1 billion has been invested in the project.

Start of production

However, the result of this work was impressive. The Lexus LS 400, unique for those times, entered the market, featuring a unique design, an advanced four-liter V 8 engine. The Japanese plant in the city of Tahara is the place where Lexus number one is assembled.

The debut took place in early 1989, at the Detroit Auto Show. Already after 9 months, in September, its sales began through the established distribution network in the United States. At the same time, the very process of starting sales was surrounded by a massive advertising campaign in the media.

The first Lexus received good feedback for equipment, advanced aerodynamics, efficiency. It received good reviews and Gas engine. Prices for the car were about $38,000, which was considered a reasonable amount. Highly marked and handling characteristics. However, critics noted the stiffness of the suspension. She did not give the opportunity to fully enjoy the comfortable environment of the car.

During the first year, 1989, 16,392 units of the Lexus LS 400 and the ES 250 sedan, another model of the company, were sold in the United States. In 1990, sales increased even more, with 63,594 of these two models sold. In the same year, small batches of premium cars were delivered to Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Switzerland.

Production expansion

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 for those times, in 6.9 seconds it was able to accelerate to 1,000 km / h. After some time, sales of the new generation sedan ES 300 from the predecessor ES 250 began. This car became the best-selling car of this brand.

The following 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 in terms of sales in the United States. In September of the same year, an improved LS 400 was launched on the market, in which almost 50 modifications were made.

In January 1993, automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, hired by Lexus to develop innovative and advanced vehicles, issued new model- GS300. A year later, she became a very noticeable novelty in Europe on her platform was based on the Toyota S.

The first SUV from Lexus - LS 450 was developed in 1996. Immediately after it, the third generation of the GS 300 was released. In 1998, Lexus launched the premium crossover RX 300, as well as new generation cars, the GS 300 and GS 400.

The production version of the RX300 was equipped with a three-liter V 6 engine, as well as an improved 4-speed automatic transmission gears. The plant in Tahor remained the place where the Lexus RX is assembled. Due to the fact that the capabilities of an SUV, sedan and station wagon were successfully matched in this car, it became a very popular and best-selling premium crossover in the American market. The following year, 1999, Lexus sold its millionth car in the United States.

In the same period, the company's penetration into South America begins, sales start in Brazil.

Reorganization

Since the beginning of the XXI century, the company annually supplied its new products to the market. This and the new IS line is a continuation of innovation in the sports sedan class. At the same time, the first SC 430 convertible was created, as well as new third-generation cars from the LS 430 class.

Around this time, Lexus launched the GX 470 SUV, as well as the new generation RX 330. 2004 was marked by the fact that the company celebrated its two millionth car sold, as well as the launch of the first 400h RX hybrid SUV.

In 2005, Lexus was organizationally separated from its progenitor, Toyota. He got a production center, a factory where Lexus is assembled, design bureaus, and design departments. At the same time, the company entered domestic market Japan, and also significantly expanded its sales in global markets, including China.

The economic crisis of 2008 somewhat slowed down the development of sales. However, in 2009, the YS 250 h was put into production, destined for North America, Japan hybrid. An off-road hybrid 450 h RX was also released.

Since 2010, the company has entered the market, including the Russian one with a compact hybrid hatchback CT 200 h.

At the beginning of 2012, Lexus began to implement 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 the Lexus assembled?

The company develops and manufactures all cars at one of the most advanced automotive enterprises in the world, at the Tahara plant. The build quality at this location is evidenced by the fact that all employees at the entrance are subjected to a mandatory air shower to remove dust.

Since the beginning of the 2000s, Lexus began to assemble cars at other Japanese factories. The North American market is mainly replenished with brand machines on its own assembly plant. Canada, the city of Cambridge - the place where the Lexus is assembled.

AT Russian Federation Lexus does not have any car assembly facilities 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 the Russian Federation from Japan - the country where Lexus is assembled for Russia. Those that were produced in North American factories are extremely rare here.

The NX model, popular in our country, was developed by the company exclusively for motorists in Russia and the United States. Where the Lexus HX is assembled - in Japan. In Miyata Prefecture, car factory in the city of Kyushu.

Lexus NX - crossover, compact, first shown in 2014 in Beijing, in three versions. It is based on the Toyota RAV4 platform. On sale since autumn 2014. At the plant where the Lexus NX is assembled, other models are also being produced - RX, CT 200h.

Lexus is a Japanese automotive company, which is one of the leaders in the industry. The Lexus Division (more commonly simply Lexus) is the official division of Toyota Motors Corporation. The company specializes in the production of premium cars. The main sales market for the products is the USA.

Lexus history: the birth of a legend

The history of the Lexus brand dates back to 1983. At that time, the head of the Toyota Corporation was the legendary Eiji Toyoda. He became the main initiator of the meeting of the board of directors, which discussed the issue of creating a competitive model of the executive class. The beginning of the 80s was marked by the fact that the world market saw a slow but steady increase in demand for luxury cars, and Toyoda decided to use this to expand the concern. As a result of the meeting, a decision was made to create a new brand.

It is worth noting that the idea of ​​Eiji Toyoda made the Japanese company one of the leaders in the automotive industry. Undoubtedly, this is the most important achievement of the legendary TMC executive.

Attentive to detail, the Japanese began to think through all aspects of the future unit. One of the first was the issue of the brand name. Initially, the leaders of the corporation planned to sell new cars under the name "Toyota". But market research has shown that most Americans associate the name "Toyota" with budget pickups, not cars, so it was decided to choose a new name - Lexus.

The first Lexus LS 400 was sold in 1989.

In 1986, advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi, promoting a new premium brand, looked at over 200 titles and chose the one we know today. Therefore, it is probably more correct to start counting the history of Lexus from 1986.

There are two versions of the origin of the name Lexus:

1. It appeared as a result of combining the words "luxury" and "elegance", which literally translate as "luxury" and "elegance".
2. The second theory is that it is an acronym for the phrase "luxury exports to U.S."

Story brand Lexus described in one of the books of the famous historiographer of the Japanese concern Jeffrey Laker.

History of Lexus models

Below is the basic information about the models Lexus cars.

Lexus CT

– hybrid compact car Japanese company, which is one of the youngest Lexus models since it was introduced to the public in 2010. The main sales market is European countries. In 2013, the model underwent a major restyling, as a result of which it received new electronics and an upgraded suspension. The release continues in 2019.

Lexus HS

- a medium-sized hybrid of the Japanese concern. The official presentation took place in 2009. Auto Lexus HS is very popular in the Japanese market, but in the United States is not very much in demand. According to experts, this is due to the imperfection of the software, which is why in 2010 about 18 thousand units of cars were recalled. The release continues in 2019.

Lexus GS

- the first in the history of the brand Lexus hybrid business class sedan. The car has been sold in Europe since 2006. Acceleration time from zero to hundreds - 5.9 seconds. Fuel consumption in mixed mode - 7.9 liters. The use of innovative developments in the field of environmental friendliness allowed the Japanese developers to achieve the lowest level of CO 2 emission in the class at that time.

Lexus IS

is a business-class sports car, the production of which started in 1998. Initially, the car was produced under the name Toyota Altezza, but after entering the European market in 1999, they began to advertise it as the Lexus IS. The release continues in 2019.

Lexus RC

- a compact coupe, the release of which began in 2014. At the same time, the Japanese release sports version RC F. This model Lexus demonstrates strong sales figures and is considered one of the most technically strong in its segment.

Lexus ES

- a business class car, the mass production of which started back in 1989. The history of the Lexus ES has 7 generations and is rich in both successes and falls. For example, in 2009, Toyota recalled part of the series cars from the market due to a carpet defect that could have been a potential cause of an accident. The release continues in 2019.

Lexus LS

- a full-size executive class sedan, another "old-timer" of the Japanese company. Produced since 1989. Until 2008, it was on the list of the best-selling cars in the US, but the global financial crisis reduced sales by 42%. The release of the Lexus LS continues in 2019.

Lexus LX

- a full-size SUV, the design of which was based on the base Toyota Land Cruiser 200. The car began to roll off the assembly line in 1996. This Lexus model is considered one of the safest in the J-segment. In 2015, the car underwent a deep restyling, as a result of which it received new interior and improved roof layout.

Lexus GX

is a mid-size premium SUV that is an important part of the Lexus model history. The design of the car is based on the Toyota Land platform. Cruiser Prado. The first generation of the car was introduced in 2002. The release of the Lexus GX continues in 2019.

Lexus NX

- a compact premium crossover, sales of which started in the fall of 2014. This Lexus model is considered one of the most powerful in the class and boasts a high level of safety. For fans of high-speed driving, the F Sport package is offered, which includes more streamlined body elements and upgraded shock absorbers.

Lexus RX

- mid-size premium crossover, mass production of which started in 1998. In 2015, the third generation model was introduced. Since 2010, more than 800,000 Lexus RX vehicles have been sold in the US market alone.

Lexus UX

- front-wheel drive crossover class K1. The first generation car was first shown to motorists in the spring of 2018. Lexus UX is the youngest model of Lexus. The main task of the car is to impose worthy competition in the European BMW market X1 and Audi Q3.

Text drive

Lexus models: optimistic about the future

History of the Lexus brand continues and continues very successfully, which cannot but please the devoted fans of the Japanese company. The Lexus division has long been a serious player in the global market, although initially few people believed in this project, and most experts argued that the new product was unlikely to be in demand outside of Japan.

At Lexus everything is still ahead and this is confirmed by numerous awards, first places in car ratings and positive reviews motorists. Lexus models combine a high level of comfort, recognizable style and unsurpassed Japanese quality. If we add quality customer service to this, then we have the perfect recipe for success. Lexus is a sponsor of many sports and environmental projects, and all this activity only strengthens its position in the global market.