# Lexus: The Premium Brand of Toyota ## Introduction Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Corporation, established in 1989 as a separate brand to compete with established luxury automakers. Headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Lexus operates two primary operational centers: one in Brussels, Belgium, and another in Plano, Texas, USA. The brand has grown to become one of the world's leading luxury car manufacturers, known for its blend of Japanese engineering, comfort, and innovation. ## History and Evolution ### Founding and Early Years In 1983, Toyota's then-president Eiji Toyoda challenged designers and engineers to create a luxury vehicle capable of competing with the world's best, such as the BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. This secret project, codenamed F1 (Flagship 1), aimed to produce a flagship model. After evaluating over 200 names, the name "Lexus" was chosen for its association with luxury and elegance. Unlike other Toyota models, Lexus vehicles were sold under their own brand from the outset. ### Key Milestones - **1989**: Launch of the first official Lexus model, the LS 400, followed by the ES 250. The LS 400 was introduced to European markets in 1990. - **1991**: Introduction of the SC 300 coupe and the GS 300 sedan. - **1995**: Launch of the first Lexus luxury SUV, the LX, based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. - **1998**: Introduction of the RX, the first Lexus luxury SUV. - **2003**: Establishment of the first Lexus manufacturing plant outside Japan in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, producing the RX 330. - **2009**: Launch of the LF-Ch concept car, previewing the compact Lexus CT. - **2010**: Introduction of the LFA supercar, with only 500 units produced. - **2014**: Launch of the NX SUV and the UX compact crossover in 2018. - **2019**: Introduction of the first fully electric Lexus, the UX 300e. - **2021**: Launch of the RZ electric crossover and the fifth-generation RX. - **2023**: Introduction of the LBX, Lexus's smallest model. ## Models and Naming Convention Lexus models are named using a combination of letters and numbers. The first letter indicates the vehicle class: - **L**: Luxury (e.g., LS, LX) - **E**: Executive (e.g., ES) - **G**: Mid-to-high-end (e.g., GS) - **I/C**: Compact (e.g., IS, IS-F) - **N/R**: Crossovers (e.g., NX, RX) The second letter denotes the body style: - **S**: Sedan (e.g., LS, ES) - **X**: Crossover (e.g., RX, NX) - **C**: Coupe (e.g., SC) - **T**: Hatchback (e.g., CT) - **Z**: Reserved for electric vehicles (e.g., RZ) ## Presence in Poland Lexus has been officially present in Poland since 1997. As of February 2025, the brand's network of dealerships in Poland consists of 22 locations. ## Sports and Awards ### Motorsport Involvement Lexus competes in motorsport through its sports models, including the RC F GT3 and LC GT500. These vehicles have won multiple championships, including five consecutive GT Open series titles and five Super GT victories. ### Industry Recognition Lexus has received numerous awards, including: - **2018**: New Car Awards (Auto Trader poll for most reliable brand) - **2019**: Which? Car rankings (top for reliability and customer satisfaction) - **2019**: Carbuyer Best Customer Service - **2020**: Auto Express Driver Power Survey (best manufacturer) - **2020**: Honest John Satisfaction Index (best brand) - **2020**: Business Car Awards (Eco-Friendly Manufacturer of the Year) - **2021**: What Car? Car of the Year Awards (most reliable manufacturer) - **2023**: Auto Trader New Car Awards (most reliable brand) - **2024**: AutoIndex customer satisfaction ranking (13th place in 10 years) ## Key Facts - **Founding Date**: 1989 - **Headquarters**: Nagoya, Japan - **Operating Centers**: Brussels, Belgium; Plano, Texas, USA - **2022 Sales**: 765,330 vehicles globally, with hybrids accounting for 98% of European sales. - **2023**: Launch of the LBX model, Lexus's smallest vehicle. ## External Links - [Lexus Official Website](https://www.lexus.com/) - [Lexus History on Moto.pl](https://www.moto.pl/) ## References [1] Toyota Motor Corporation Annual Report 2022 [2] Lexus Global Sales Statistics [3] Auto Trader Awards 2023 [4] Which? Car 2019 Report [5] Business Car Awards 2020 [6] Auto Express Driver Power Survey 2020 [7] Honest John Satisfaction Index 2020 [8] What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2021 [9] Auto Trader New Car Awards 2023 [10] AutoIndex Customer Satisfaction Ranking 2024 --- # Metadata - **population**: null - **founding_date**: 1989 - **region_name**: Japan - **birth_date**: null - **career_highlights**: null - **unique_style**: Premium luxury with Japanese engineering and innovation - **interesting_facts**: 10 million cumulative sales (2019), 98% hybrid sales in Europe (2022), LBX as smallest model (2023) - **quotes**: null - **primary_color**: null - **logo_url**: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Lexus_logo.svg/120px-Lexus_logo.svg.png - **additional_images**: - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Lexus_LS_400_%28JPN%29.jpg/800px-Lexus_LS_400_%28JPN%29.jpg - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Lexus_RX_350_%28JPN%29.jpg/800px-Lexus_RX_350_%28JPN%29.jpg - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Lexus_NX_300h_%28JPN%29.jpg/800px-Lexus_NX_300h_%28JPN%29.jpg - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Lexus_LC_500_%28JPN%29.jpg/800px-Lexus_LC_500_%28JPN%29.jpg - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Lexus_RZ_450h_%28JPN%29.jpg/800px-Lexus_RZ_450h_%28JPN%29.jpg --- # Sentiment and Trust Profile - **sentiment**: {"positive": 50, "neutral": 50, "negative": 0} - **trust_profile**: {"reliability": 90, "transparency": 75, "expertise": 95, "influence": 85, "stability": 80}