[Edit this paragraph] History
In August 1983, Mr. Eiji Toyoda, Chairman of the Japanese industrial giant Toyota Motor, held a high-level confidential meeting attended by all members of the Japanese automobile industry. First-class elite. Mr. Eiji Toyoda raised a shocking question: "After half a century of accumulated experience in automobile R&D and manufacturing, can Japan create a top-level car that can dominate the world's automobile industry?" In other words, the direct impact of this new car The opponent will be a well-known European automobile brand that has long been famous. Everyone realized that what he raised was not just a problem, but a comprehensive challenge to the Japanese automobile industry. However, everyone present responded with a very firm "Yes, we can!" Everyone understood that this was not an impulsive response inspired by the moment, but the response of a group of experienced and skilled professionals to the future mission. firm commitment. Toyota is preparing to compete in the high-end luxury car market. But Toyota is very aware of how much it weighs. Like most Japanese cars, Toyota and its brands such as Corolla, Crown, Camry, etc. have a deep-rooted image of "low-end, fuel-efficient, and cheap cars" in the minds of consumers. It is not easy to change the inherent concepts in the public mind. So Toyota launched a new brand Lexus specifically for high-end cars. After several years of painstaking efforts and painstaking research, it was launched into the market and became an instant success. The Lexus also deliberately concealed the company name and did not have the Toyota logo on the car. However, Toyota's other brands, such as Corolla and Camry, are all marked with the Toyota logo. This is a deliberate arrangement made by Toyota in order to prevent consumers from having a connection between Toyota's traditional brand and new brand, and to eliminate the marketing obstacles of Toyota's image to high-end cars. If Lexus bears the Toyota logo, or simply uses Toyota, Camry, Crown and other brands to promote high-end luxury cars, can it compete with BMW, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz and other luxury brands that have already made everyone envious? Coincidentally, when Honda launched a high-end car, it also adopted the new brand ACURA and deliberately concealed the Honda logo on the car body. Japan has since kicked off the development of high-end cars. Toyota spent $35,000 to name this brand name from an American naming company because the pronunciation of "Lexus" is similar to the English word "Luxury", which reminds people of the car being a luxury sedan. . The Lexus automobile trademark uses the capital letter "L" of the car name "Lexus", and the outside of the "L" is surrounded by an oval. The oval represents the Earth, indicating the presence of Lexus cars around the world.
[Edit this paragraph] The origin of Lexus
In August 1983, Toyota Motor Company held a significant board meeting. It's the starting point for Lexus cars. This time, the board of directors used some innocuous discussion topics to hide Toyota's ambitions from the outside world. When the media and the public thought that this was another routine meeting for Toyota to summarize, express its stance and make inspiring remarks, the door of the conference room was suddenly closed because They are going to start the real and top-secret topic of this board meeting. This topic revolves around the letter F (F is the F1 plan, F also alludes to the English word Flagship, and 1 alludes to the first car). The atmosphere of the meeting was no longer as calm and silent as before, and there were rare arguments on the board of directors. It's a make-or-break project for Toyota. Chairman of the Board of Directors Eiji Toyoda raised a question to the company's senior executives, designers, engineers and corporate strategy research experts: Can we create a luxury car to challenge the top market? Unexpectedly, everyone's answer was It’s the same – “yes”. The word "can" is filled with doubt and worry. But Toyota must make this gamble. Toyota Motor's development needs another breakthrough in 1983, just like the two times during World War II and the 1950s. In fact, except for Eiji Toyoda, no one agreed with the clarion call to enter the luxury car market from the beginning. Shoichiro Toyoda, the son of the founder of Toyota and later succeeded Eiji Toyoda as chairman of the board and president, was one of those who was undecided. He believes Toyota should make what they do best better—making affordable cars for everyone.
But Toyoda, like others who expressed approval but were worried, eventually changed his tune. "You push this question to me, why do we still need to invest billions of dollars and tens of thousands of hours of research and design to produce a new high-end car when Toyota has been successful in the United States for 30 years? Maybe, you know "I don't like riding in other people's high-end cars," Shoichiro Toyoda joked to a U.S. dealer shortly after Lexus was launched in the U.S.: "From now on, I don't have to be forced to ride in a Cadillac or a Lincoln or a Mercedes-Benz."
Eiji Toyoda was also very aware of Toyota's situation at that time. He did not want to board Noah's Ark for a futile ideological journey. He believes that once Toyota enters the luxury car market, it must fight against the top rivals in this field. Toyota will face the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and compete with BMW's top-of-the-line 7 Series sedan. If Toyota downgrades its status, investment risks will increase exponentially. To produce top-notch luxury cars, Toyota must invest heavily in developing new engines and chassis. However, the consumer demand orientation of the luxury car market is too unfamiliar to Toyota. Even if Toyota gets everything under the hood perfect, it still needs to consider ride comfort, interior and exterior aesthetics - none of which are Toyota's strengths. What embarrasses Toyota most is Lexus’s reputation. Toyota never sold a luxury car. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to persuade consumers to buy a luxury car from the same company as a cheap Corolla (the entry-level car in the U.S. market) that costs tens of thousands of dollars? Toyota's position in the luxury car market Major rivals can sell cars just by relying on their brand name. Because it's called Mercedes-Benz, so I buy it; because it's called BMW, so I like it. However, will consumers be willing to pay close to the price of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class to buy a Toyota car, or even buy a car produced by Toyota but not called Toyota? This is indeed a serious problem. "Toyota produces Lexus? Toyota is a base for producing tens of millions of cars, and Lexus is incompatible with it. This approach is like selling Wellington steaks in a McDonald's store." This was Fortune magazine's dig at Toyota Motor Company at the time, But their assessment does make sense. Toyota's research found that the market is changing quietly. The Babyboomers in the United States (these people born in the late 1940s to the early 1950s are called Babyboomers, which in Chinese means babies born during the baby boom). Compared with their war-torn parents, they (with obviously different values) are growing up. They will soon enter their senior years, and their spending power will also increase significantly. When they were young, they were loyal Toyota consumers, but now they want to buy higher-end cars. Toyota senses an opportunity in the luxury car market. At that time, luxury car manufacturing brands were becoming stronger, happier and more confident. Because they ushered in a new generation of luxury consumers. Eiji Toyoda's "ambition" is huge. He is unwilling to let go of every growing market, and the order to enter the luxury car market was subsequently issued. Six years and $500 million in investment, Lexus was born. Lexus went on the market in 1989. They had two models that had not been tested by the market, the flagship LS and the entry-level sedan ES. They sold 16,302 units that year. Two years later, they became the best-selling imported luxury brand in the United States and launched their third model, the SC Gube. In 2000, Lexus usurped Cadillac's throne as North America's best-selling luxury car. From that year on, Lexus never left this position.
In 2003, Lexus sales reached 259,000 units and had 8 different models, 3 of which were sports luxury cars. There are currently approximately 1.3 million Lexus L-badged vehicles on U.S. roads. However, Lexus can only be said to have achieved initial success in the United States, but in Europe where luxury cars are gathered, it is still more difficult to gain recognition from wealthy people. As the European luxury car market plays a more important role in the global market, Lexus will prepare to focus more on the European market, which is almost a nightmare for Japanese luxury cars, as it expands beyond North America and expands globally.
In Europe, the birthplace of luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz has survived for more than 100 years relying on the feng shui treasure of Stuttgart. BMW from Munich, Bavaria, has also stood at the top of the global luxury car market with the strong support of the Quandt family; relying on With the revival of the Volkswagen Group across the board, the emerging luxury aristocrat Audi has also vowed to enter the world of luxury cars. The "Three German Musketeers" have begun to join forces to attack the global luxury car market. However, the sales ratio of the three major German luxury car brands in Germany has remained below 30%, which is in sharp contrast to Lexus's North American market share of 85%. Lexus wants to prove that it is a global luxury brand, so it must first attack The bastion of global luxury car brands - Europe.
Since 2002, Lexus has been tentatively entering the European market several times. Lexus plans to spend US$5 billion to bombard the European market in turn. This budget is more than twice the original budget of Lexus when it entered North America. However, Lexus' road to Europe is extremely difficult. In 2005, Lexus's sales in Europe were less than 20,000 units. Although the growth rate was good in 2006, the sales volume was still only around 30,000 units, which was far behind the sales of more than 500,000 units of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Far. Lexus has a long way to go in Europe.
[Edit this paragraph] Logo
The L letter is surrounded by an ellipse. According to the official statement of Toyota Motor Sales Company of the United States, the arc of this ellipse is modified according to a precise mathematical formula, using three The above designers and advertisers took more than half a year to complete: this standout logo beat five design pitches. In 1987, Molly Sanders, the head of Molly Designs Inc., spent three months crafting this unique oval and L to replace the original most promising candidate. Version - an L without a circle around it that looks like a seagull's wing.
The new Lexus logo made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 1988.
In October 1986, senior executives of Toyota's U.S. sales company and luxury car R&D department held a meeting to discuss the naming of new models. Finding a suitable name was a hot potato. It must be elegant but not feminine; it must be noble but not squeamish; it must be generous but not unscrupulous. It must be unique and outstanding.
New York-based brand management firm Lippincott & Margulies compiled a list of 219 possible names. From the original list, they filtered out the last 10. Then after further debate, the list was narrowed down to five: Alexis, Caliber, Chaparel, Vectre and Verone. Alexis was the only name unanimously recognized by everyone present. But the most criticized thing about it is that it sounds like a person's name rather than a car name. What's worse is that Alexis is the name of a crazy woman in the TV series, which means infamous. Finally, John French, a project manager at Toyota Motor Sales of America and the main contact at the brand management company, based on some names Alexis casually wrote down, and Lexus was born. French crossed out Alexis' A, and after some discussion, the group changed the i to a u. The last name is LEXUS.
No one will forget the shock that the LEXUS LS400 caused in the global high-end car industry when it was officially launched in 1989; some even predicted that German luxury cars might be forced to withdraw from the US market. To this day, LEXUS has swept the market of top buyers and become the best-selling luxury sedan in the United States. I believe many people still remember the classic commercial of LS400: on the running hood, champagne glasses are stacked one after another high, forming a crystal cup tower. Even if the engine is full throttle and running at full speed, the cup tower is always as stable as a mountain; This is indeed the best way to celebrate the birth of an upstart in the car industry. LEXUS now has a huge car series of different series such as LS, GS, IS, RX. One award after another is perhaps the best evidence that Lexus proves itself.
When you look at the entire LEXUS car series. You will feel from every detail that Toyota has invested considerable resources and efforts in maintaining the consistency of top quality. Whether it is a luxurious four-door sedan or a handsome two-door hardtop sports car, every LEXUS adopts the same high-end design with ingenuity, meticulous precision construction, and incredible strictness. Quality control to ensure you have the best possible ride. Let us look forward to LEXUS creating new miracles for us.
[Edit this paragraph] Lexus China official website
www.lexus.com.cn
[Edit this paragraph] Introduction to all Lexus models
Introduction to the ES series
ES is one of the most successful and highest-selling models in the history of Lexus. After 15 years of history, ES has long become synonymous with luxury, elegance and comfort in the international market. ES also adheres to this design concept. It has a sharply contrasting styling design, a simple and smooth body waistline and a rich and varied interior. It is the perfect combination of "power and elegance". Lexus's success in North America and its reputation accumulated over the years have made this Japanese high-end brand gradually familiar to the world. ES is one of the representative products. It has locked its competitors in high-end luxury cars such as BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The new generation ES350 perfectly presents the LEXUS L-finesse design philosophy, taking human senses as the design origin and fully meeting all driver expectations.
Domestic models: ES350 (RMB) 489,000
GS series introduction
The original development concept of the Lexus GS series was to produce a car that combines high performance and A highly comfortable luxury car with a level between LS and ES. It aims at the market share of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class or BMW 5 Series, with more advanced equipment, stronger jumping dynamics, wider cabin, and larger luggage capacity. It is a new generation product that uses space as a selling point and targets the younger generation and customers who value speed and enjoyment. GS fully embodies "L-finesse". "L-finesse" is Lexus's new design concept, which includes three elements - "pre", "pure" and "wonderful". These cars are stylish, eye-catching, exciting and humane. Improve individual elements to improve overall performance. GS430/GS300 fully embodies 'L-finesse'. 'L-finesse' is LEXUS's new design concept, which includes three elements - 'pure', 'wonderful' and 'pre'.
Domestic models: GS300 (RMB) 688,000 GS430 (RMB) 944,000
IS series introduction
The purpose of Lexus’ birth is to compete with European famous brands In the North American luxury car market, BMW is one of its main competitors. It is such a very young brand, and now its opponents cannot underestimate it. Lexus has not only won many awards, but more importantly, it has a very good reputation for quality in the minds of consumers. Ten years after the birth of the Lexus brand, it was the first to launch compact luxury cars in the United States. The sports sedan IS series, like many best-selling Japanese cars, is priced cheaper than Mercedes-Benz and BMW of the same level, using high cost performance as its main means of competition. The current IS series is the second-generation new car launched in 2005, and its regular sales channels have also appeared in Europe and Asia. The IS series prototype embodies Lexus' ideals of extreme craftsmanship and perfect technology, and gives it a new interpretation of dexterity and dynamics. Its status in the hearts of car fans has grown rapidly, just like the speed on the highway. Widespread praise in consumer satisfaction surveys and success on international circuits have also continuously verified the IS series’ inherently excellent pedigree. Now, the spirit of freedom inherited from the first IS series sedan has reached a new level - the birth of IS 300 will completely liberate your driving passion.
Domestic models: IS300 (RMB) 399,800 IS300 dynamic version (RMB) 484,000 IS300 luxury version (RMB) 520,000
Introduction to LS series
As the flagship model of LEXUS, LS is irresistible with its surging power and noble temperament, both of which reflect its extraordinary design concept as a modern sedan. LEXUS LS takes the car's aerodynamic design, powerful performance, luxurious interior and leading safety performance of its class to a new level. With smooth driving, exquisite design, and quick and responsive response, the Lexus LS series interprets the true definition of luxury from the perspective of top performance, with a noble, elegant, and agile flagship temperament. It integrates the elegance of appearance and technological innovation to forge a design Lexus luxury cars with impeccable precision, mature technology and high quality. With its elegant appearance and strong power, Tongzhu is your exclusive luxury palace. LEXUS Lexus LS460/LS460L has many world firsts, especially in the field of safety prevention, both active and passive safety are exceptionally powerful. What's even more memorable is that the seemingly infinitely powerful power reserve can deliver smooth and smooth output, obeying your driving will.
Domestic models: LS460 (RMB) 1,231,000 LS460L (extended version) (RMB) 1,350,000 LS600hL (RMB) 1,510,000
LX series Introduction
As a full-size large SUV, the Lexus LX series has always been at the top of the pyramid. Since the first LX was launched in the North American market in January 1996, it has set a precedent for full-size luxury SUVs and has been well received by the media and consumers. The LX series is world-renowned for its excellent off-road capabilities and luxurious and comfortable interior space. The new Lexus LX570 not only improves the core elements of power, luxury, comfort, etc., but also introduces Lexus's most advanced technology and top-level configurations in terms of intelligent control and safety, reaching the highest level among products of the same level and becoming a sports car. The versatile vehicle sets new standards. Today, Lexus brings a new standard of luxury SUV-LX570. Whether it is the spacious space of only eight seats in the five-meter-long and two-meter-high body, or the control feeling of the Active Height Control active suspension height control system, or the center console panel and gear lever, they are all made of rare materials. Bubinga's noble details are decorated with solid wood, and it also complies with Euro IV emission standards... All these re-creations of luxury SUV standards are just to match you.
Domestic model: Lexus LX570 (RMB) 1,593,000
Introduction to the RX series
RX is the representative of Lexus’s sports luxury SUV, and the RX sports The multi-purpose vehicle combines multiple uses, smart technology and luxurious equipment, providing strong power, precise control and highly engaging driving pleasure. Both the RX350 and RX400h have an engaging, sporty nature and set new benchmarks for SUV sedans with their exquisite craftsmanship and awe-inspiring presence. RX400h even uses a gasoline-electric hybrid system. So far, despite all the mass-produced luxury SUVs around the world, I can't find another model that can compete with the RX400h. Combining gasoline power and electricity, RX400h effectively reduces environmental damage, which has been one of mankind's dreams since the birth of the automobile. The RX sports utility vehicle combines multiple uses, smart technology and luxurious equipment to provide you with strong power, precise control and highly engaging driving pleasure. Both the RX350 and RX400h have an engaging, sporty nature and set new benchmarks for SUV sedans with their exquisite craftsmanship and awe-inspiring presence. If you taste it carefully, you will find that the RX400h is subtly different. The unique round fog lights and new front grille design are symbols of more powerful power.
Of course, the RX350 is also enough to provide you with the same excellent performance; the only difference is that the RX400h is driven by the forward-looking Lexus gasoline-electric hybrid.
Domestic models: RX350 (RMB) 783,000
SC series introduction
Lexus SC is the envy of everyone. As one of the few luxury sports cars introduced into the country, with its advanced technology and performance, the SC430 maximizes the free and romantic temperament of a convertible sports car. It integrates pleasant shapes, colors and dynamics into your passionate life, presenting a personalized driving experience. Competitors of Lexus SC include BMW Z4, Mazda RX-8, etc. It is a high-end and personalized consumer model. Appearing on stage amidst applause and expectations, he was surrounded by envious eyes. With advanced technology and performance, SC430 brings the free and romantic temperament of a roadster to the extreme. It integrates pleasant shapes, colors and dynamics into your passionate life, presenting a personalized driving experience.
Domestic model: SC430 (RMB) 1,320,000