The Near Death And Revival Of Lexus
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
- Toyota had high expectations for Lexus, and could you blame them? It took them six years and $1,000,000,000 to bring the LS400 luxury sedan to market. I’ve actually covered the development of this car in extensive detail in a video that you can watch here. If you’d rather read about it, then I’ll link an article in the description. The super saloon wouldn’t be touching down in the United States by itself. Launching a new marque with just a single model would have looked a bit strange, so Lexus developed a companion model that would soak up buyers at a lower price point.
The ES250 uses a similar naming convention as its stablemate. ES is short for Executive Sedan while 250 represents its 2.5L V6 engine. This was no LS, to put it lightly. While that car was designed from the ground up to decimate the competition in every conceivable metric, the ES was a rush job. They took the Japan-exclusive Toyota Vista hardtop, gave it a few upscale touches, and called it a day.
No one could have predicted their meteroric rise. Their unraveling was equally unexpected. It started inconspicuisly enough. The Lexus flagship received an update in September of ‘92 that pushed the price to $46,660. It was nudged out of its original price point and now had to make a very different proposition to consumers. Lexus needed something that would slot into that $35,000 vacancy.
This came in the form of the GS300. The Italdesign-styled sports saloon was less of a “mini LS” and more of a focused sports sedan in the same vein as the BMW 5-Series. It was lauded for its driving dynamis and tidy exterior, but there was one glaring issue that spoiled its introduction and hamstrung its success in the market: its price. The $37,500 base price was actually $3,000 higher than a comparable BMW 525i. It didn’t matter how good it was. Being more expensive than the quintessential mid-size sports sedan was a death sentence. It became an also-ran as soon as it was released in 1993. Sales peaked at a little over 19,000 in 1993, tumbled to 14,000 in 1994, and then to about half of that by ‘95. Other Lexus models were losing the numbers game as well. By 1994, the LS was selling for more than $50,000, the SC and GS for more than $40,000, and the ES for well over $30,000.
The competition only exacerbated the issue with redesigned cars and reduced prices. German automakers were gunning for Lexus, but a new segment of vehicles were also gaining favor with car buyers. Mainstream automakers like Nissan, Mazda, and Mitsubishi were creating luxurious full-size luxury sedans that appealed to cash-consious consumers.
00:00 INTRO
4:04: THE PERFECT RECALL
8:57 EARLY SUCCESS
12:16 DECLINE
20:41 RESURGENCE
SOURCES: www.barchetta.co/lexus-ii-sources
LEXUS SC400 DEVELOPMENT/CALTY DESIGN RESEARCH ARTICLE: www.barchetta.co/articles/cal... - Авто та транспорт
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As a pro automotive tech I embraced the launch of the Lexus and Acura brands with open arms. These cars were so refined and practical to maintain. No other lux cars could compare. I loved working on them. I still enjoy them to this day.
This video title is misleading . They are selling well and are untouchable globally for initial build quality and reliability together for at least 30 years. Their challenges were from the market not their products. That's a long time at the top.
The story of this brand never fails to teach, inspire and humble arrogance with denial especially across the pond ( the UK) and the channel ( the EU/EC).
It's story is more than about just cars. Its not just about Japan and its culture either. Lexus's tag line 'the relentless pursuit of perfection' ; its also about the US and its laizere fairre genuine meritocracy. Its a very layered story. I live at the crossroads of Asia and the US. Exceptionalism isn't dead.
Eh BMWs actually used to be almost as easy to work on, til the engineers jumped the shark
As a DIYer with no money to pay a pro...and who also owns a pretty minty SC400, I'm soooooo thankful that the OG Lexus cars do not have the same level of, "sophistication," (Computer crap) that the new Lexus cars have.
That said, doing a starter job on the 1UZ-FE in my car, was a female dog...lol
Lexus customer service is amazing. They paid to replace my dash at 120k mikes and then at 140k miles. They replaced all my doors. 8k worth of parts and labor free. I was the 3rd owner of that vehicle. I have been a loyal Lexus owner since. I hav what’s multiple Lexus for the last 15 years. I never have problems. Def not the fastest cars but always great for long drives. They actually get pretty decent mileage on cruise control.
Damn where's your dealership? My Lexus dealership charged me $600 for a $200 part and a 5 minute installation!
@@thecianinator call Lexus customer service! The 800#. They work with you. You will have a person assigned they will review your case. Just be persistent.
That first gen GS 300 was worth every penny....I am still driving mine
I own a 1992 and 1995 LS 400 these cars are bulletproof with the right maintenance and TLC And in the right hands longevity is undefeated!
The LS400 was one of the best looking large saloons ever built.
I'm real tempted to trade in a car for a mint condition one
Um no. It's a well made - bland looking saloon. A good looking saloon but not well made is a Jaguar.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 Well, I agree with you about Jaguar saloons being good looking, the finest looking large saloon ever made was the Series III XJ6. Pininfarina waved their magic wand over the already good looking Series II.
The modern XJ I can't say the same for.
I never said the LS400 was one of the best looking saloons, I said it was one of the best large saloons.
It is very hard to make all that bulk look good.
The LS disguises it's size very well.
And as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It all depends on taste.
@@harveysmith100 You wrote "The LS400 was one of the best looking large saloons ever built". BEST LOOKING....
@@bigmacdaddy1234 Best looking LARGE saloons. There is a difference. Once you move up from the 5 series BMW and E class to the S class and 7 series it becomes increasingly difficult to get the proportions in harmony.
Lexus bring back the comfort and ride of the originals. If I wanted a sports car, I'd just buy one. Stop listening to the damn car journalist that want everything to be track worthy.
Another brilliant documentary. Thanks!
The legend himself!
HOLY CRAP! Thanks so much!
@@Barchetta The Celsior video was really well done. I gave it a shout out in my recent Lexus LS video (Optional Extra).
Somebody really paid 30k+ for the Ls400 in the 90’s and i bought it for 4.5k with barely 114k on the dash this baby still got a couple more hundred thousand miles left in her🙏🏼🔥
The rx350 blew my mind when I first saw it. And I still see them driving around today!
What’s crazy is that a lot of critics slammed the original LS400 for being a Mercedes knock-off in terms of styling, but if you look at actual Mercedes models from the era the LS400 debuted, the silhouettes are completely different, and the LS400 looks more “put together”. The German competitors from that era always looked like they had random bits tacked onto the car last minute, whereas everything looked a bit more integrated and refined on the Lexus. Mercedes and Lexus didn’t really start looking similar until the mid-late 90’s, so if you think about it, Lexus had the “look” first.
It might not be an LS, but my ES330 demolishes any car I've driven before. What a ride.
I would love to see a video about the development of the original Infiniti Q45, one of the LS400's main rivals from back in the day. It had a lot of tech and design philosophies that catered more to enthusiasts rather than luxury car buyers, thus it didnt sell all that well. Theres not really any good videos or essays aside from old magazine articles about the car, it seems that most people simply forgot about it.
I totally agree. I had a 1995 Q45 but switched over to the dark side with several Lexi now. The Q45 was an amazing car for its time.
For years, my grandmother drove Mercedes-Benz cars, that is until the she saw the Q45, which she bought in 1991. Fit, finish, quality were top notch. Transmission problems were the only downside to the Q45. INFINITI, however, failed to advertise the car correctly. They didn't show photographs of the car, not giving the Q45 the proper exposure. Why someone in the marketing department didn't put a halt to the poor advertising for the car before it reached the market is beyond me. While great cars, not advertising adequately sealed the car's fate, making it never quite able to catch up. This led to it being pulled from the US market after the 2006 model run.
Definitely agree, the Q45 was very nice vehicle as well. Unfortunately I don't see them on the road today like the LS and Acura Legend.
@@350zlover2 most of them probably just werent preserved, a lot of the ones i see for sale are in very poor condition, then again they never sold very many to preserve in the first place.
@@2AMinLosAngeles They didn't want the q45 to sell because it would eat into maxima sales, which was setting the example in design at the time. So they didn't really advertise infiniti like they did Nissan. Even today, you don't see many infiniti commercials, but plenty of Nissan commercials.🤔
I have so much love for the ls400, trying to buy another one soon because of its reliability
Awesome brand and I’m glad they choose to be accountable to their early customers. Wish they mentioned the IS sedan though, awesome sport sedan
One of the greatest case studies in consumer level engineering
See that's the difference between Lexus and American car companies. They got a handful of complaints about their new product and it was all hands on deck to resolve the issue. In America, they would only issue a recall if the potential lawsuit settlement amount was greater than the cost to fix the problems in the first place.
This was a great video! It really shows how Lexus was determined to do well.
The real reason I think the LS400 is such a great car...it was RWD.. Japanese cars aren't known for making RWD cars but when they do they do it right
Buddy they make the best RWD cars in the world, the Japanese known to be the best
@@jamie3uz344 those were sports cars
Never NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the Japanese Toyotas, Honda, even Nissan BEFORE their merger ( i have owned a 90s Nissan 20 years now, good quality well made totally Reliable!!!! When i have to go out of town 600--800kms++ sometimes in one day it is this Nissan because i know it will not let me down and we will get home safely ) others Mazda, Suzuki, built good vehicles too!!!!
Too Bachetta; your videos are excellent, clear, 10 out 10, keep up the good work! 👍
I think people forget how good Nissan was. Nissan just needs to leave Renault and do development for themselves.
You are criminally undersubscribed. Loved everything about your content. Thank you.
If Lexus chose Creceda'Chaiser as a brace for ES, Lexus would've been in a different place on prestige chart today.
the jzs147, was the first twin turbo 2jz car
I personally liked Lexus LS 400, LS 430, and the LS 460 which is my favorite. The new Lexus not so much due to the cluttered screen and lack of v8.
Especially the lack of a V8!!
love these videos
Outstanding documentary! Thanks!
Man this need to become a series. Love the content man!
LS 400 are tanks proud owner of 2000 gs & Ls owner classic with class and power
If you made a video for every Lexus series I'd definitely watch it. GS300 and IS were only side characters here. If you'd made a playlist of documentaries with each model series for Lexus as detailed as the LS documentary. I would definitely watch all of it.
Need one for the first gen SC too. I haven’t seen a single documentary on those. And they’re even harder to find than LS400 in unmolested state
This was incredible!
And to this day, America still doesn't build luxury cars.
Im the recent new owner of a 2002 RX300, very interesting video. Great car, 178k miles, will probably drive another 178k if i take good care of it.
You would think that the established brands such as BMW , Mercedes ,Jaguar and Cadillac would have made competition harder for Toyota to break into their market but instead they did just the opposite! They made the mistake of making their cars less reliable thus putting profits before quality and reliability! Toyota ran with it all the way to the bank!
Exactly & it’s still the same story today! German care still aren’t that reliable
Great video. I was hoping you would cover the last 15 years and how Lexus has fallen from the top. I was a huge Lexus fan but the past 15 yrs haven’t been great.
Thanks for watching. I definitely plan on following up on this video.
Lexus/ Toyota is still my favorite brand because of their quality, reliability and great resale value.
@@350zlover2 That’s the problem. Any other reason?
Yes Lexus did a great job of getting it right. My Brother lived in a Top 15/20 Gated Community in the USA in the 90's "Blackhawk" Danville Ca. in the SFO Bay Area. My Brother's Friend Diane owned Blackhawk Realty with a partner. They leased 2 new Mercedes every 2 years. Well , they got Lemons and Mercedes instead of giving them New Mercedes - Said under warranty we fix !! Well , there are 2 busy high end Business Gals that don't need their Mercedes in the shop every week. This is the mid 90's.So they sued Mercedes(gave cars back) and leased 2 new Lexus LS400. Me being the car guy in the family , My brother asked me will they maybe go back to the Mercedes after the lease is over with the Lexus. I said No Way - these are 2 busy High End Real Estate Gals that need and want a dependable luxury car for their work. Mercedes lost 2 customers.
I got my first Infiniti in 2002 and I've NEVER changed since, I've had 5. I think people kinda forget about them.
Great video, makes me appreciate Lexus even more. One day I'll have one
I have owned many luxury brands and have to say Lexus is the best all round.
Straight from the sewing machine. I ❤TEQ
Own an is350 great car didn’t really like Lexus before but I’ve had a GS300 and now a is350 and I am a fan.
Great Historical video on Lexus brand , now what the future for Lexus looking like EV?
Matt Farah of "Smoking Tire" had an LS 400 with the original engine,transmission and rear end made it to one million miles! It was plagued with extreme wear and oil leaks everywhere but the car would not die!
I have a Lexus RX300. Great vehicle.
My dream Japanese car is the LS. Or the Century.
EDITED - CORRECTED TEXT
TOYOTA had high expectations for LEXUS - and could you blame them ?
It took them six years and $1,000,000,000 to bring the LS400 luxury
sedan to market. I actually covered the development of this car in
extensive detail in a video that you can watch here.
If you would rather read about it - then I’ll link an article in the
description. The super saloon wouldn’t be touching down in the
United States by itself.
Launching a new marque with just a single model would have looked a
bit strange - so LEXUS developed a companion model that would soak up
buyers at a lower price point.
The ES250 uses a similar naming convention as its stablemate.
ES is short for Executive Sedan while 250 represents its 2.5L V6 engine.
This was no LS - to put it lightly. While that car was designed from
the ground up to decimate the competition in every conceivable metric -
the ES was a rush job. They took the Japan-exclusive TOYOTA VISTA
hardtop - gave it a few upscale touches - and called it a day.
No one could have predicted their meteoric rise.
Their unraveling was equally unexpected.
It started inconspicuously enough.
The LEXUS flagship received an update in September of 1992 that pushed
the price to $46,660
It was nudged out of its original price point and now had to make a
very different proposition to consumers.
LEXUS needed something that would slot into that $35,000 vacancy.
This came in the form of the GS300
The ITALDESIGN -styled sports sedan was less of a “mini LS” and more
of a focused sports sedan in the same vein as the BMW 5-Series.
It was lauded for its driving dynamise and tidy exterior - however -
there was one glaring issue that spoiled its introduction and hamstrung
its success in the market: its price.
The $37,500 base price was actually $3,000 higher than a comparable
BMW 525i
It didn’t matter how good it was.
Being more expensive than the quintessential mid-size sports sedan was
a death sentence. It became an also-ran as soon as it was released in
1993
Sales peaked at a little over 19,000 in 1993 - tumbled to 14,000 in 1994
- and then to about half of that by 1995
Other LEXUS models were losing the numbers game as well.
By 1994 - the LS was selling for more than $50,000 - the SC and GS for
more than $40,000 - and the ES for well over $30,000
The competition only exacerbated the issue with redesigned cars and
reduced prices. German automakers were gunning for LEXUS - and a new
segment of vehicles were also gaining favor with car buyers.
Mainstream automakers such as NISSAN - MAZDA - and MITSUBISHI were
creating luxurious full-size luxury sedans that appealed to
cash-conscious consumers.
00:00 INTRO
04:04 THE PERFECT RECALL
08:57 EARLY SUCCESS
12:16 DECLINE
20:41 RESURGENCE
The first few generations of the Lexus are great looking. Can't say the same for the modern crossover garbage they've been selling
in 1994 a famous stock broker bought a lexus ls400. from then on lexus has become famous
pretty good documentary, but i didn't enjoy it as much as ones from other channels (ie big car, mustard, hagerty, issimi) and i think i know why
you speak quite fast, and you don't incorporate that many pauses after each sentence, which makes it feel like you're 'rushing', and sometimes i didn't find myself able to process the information fully in time, and i had to rewind. i think a documentary should be enjoyed in a casual, comfortable setting, without it feeling like the creator just forcibly stuffed a huge amount of information down our throats
speak slower, put some 2-4 second pauses between sentences.. let us soak it in, and take in the photographs so we get an idea of the scope of things you're trying to portray
if that makes your video too long, maybe you could work on reducing the length of your script
I have a 2002 SC430 with 145,000 miles which I love and will not sell regardless of the British idiots saying it was a bad car. That's funny, everyone I know who owns one loves theirs and plans on keeping them. The resale value is excellent and the reliability has been very good. Everything works perfectly and it runs like new. What were they thinking? Oh ya, you can't power slide it thru corners and it won't smoke the back tires, I must have forgot what the basis of their conclusion was. Real geniuses. Show me any other 2002 car that's as bullet proof as these Lexus please.
4,000 lbs and 288 crank hp isn't exactly luxury and it's not front mid engine v8 like it's elder. It's a boomer mobile, and that's okay. You'll only get big money for a low miles highly spec'd one. It has more displacement and makes less power than the 2000 SC400... without a real trunk to boot.
Wait, what? It was placed under the crown? You cant be serious. Crown was a V6 and priced alot less than the LS400
Infinity was good back in the day
have you looked into the brand that never was, Amati?
Lexus is a brand that evoked an idea of unrelenting excellence and refined creation, but thats bad for business :v
Really, there’s only a few examples from Lexus that really fit that original idea of relentless pursuit; the original LS400, the LFA, and currently, the LC 500. Honorable mention goes to the first gen ISF. Really, to create product and get money on a company scale they had to be more pragmatic on concepts than what would essentially require pricing on the level of high luxury, like Aston Martins, Lambo’s, etc. Imagine an alternate reality were Lexus was up that far…
It'a sad to see where consumer sentiment went after the 90s... You had one of the best cars ever built (LS400) but people went for the glorified RAV4.
Sadly, the acceleration recall was issued on December 1, 1989, the same day that Gloria Carter Spann, Jimmy Carter's sister, his last surviving sibling and original family member, was diagnosed with the terminal pancreatic cancer that would claim her life just after 1 a.m on March 5, 1990, three months after diagnosis.
Carter and His Political Party who tried blocking Immigration of My People from My Ancestral Homeland yet, culturally appropriate us today.
@@josephgee2515 it's sad your paperwork was blocked but I was addressing the situation with his sister, Gloria Carter Spann, 63, who was diagnosed with cancer on December 1, 1989 and died on March 5, 1990 from the disease. RIP Mrs. Spann.
....what
@@matthewbowen5841 you read correctly.
1.52 * 10^11
I bought a brand new 2007 Lexus IS350. Build quality issues and no ‘character’. The sunroof rattled from day 1 and until I traded it in it still rattled. They took it apart many times at dealership to avail. My 2000 Honda Prelude never rattled anywhere and spending $30k more on the Lexus I expected even better quality. The traction control system was brutal and even when ‘turned off’ would kick back in at the worst time. It was fast and turned heads especially with some of the light mods I did. The next vehicle I bought was a 2011 Auid A4 Premium Plus S-Line and there was no comparison. Quality way above Lexus, the Audi had a soul and just felt better driving even though it was slower. Interior quality and the Alcantara seats are second to none. The 6-speed manual was a dream to drive and the Quattro proved unstoppable in winter with a set of Blizzacks. Only downside was maintenance was expensive as hell on the Audi and I hated dealing with the local dealership who was always looking to soak its customers for unnecessary maintenance
I would never get another modern Lexus as I find them boring inside and outside. Just my opinion.
Didn't know this happened with Lexus remember Audi had unintended acceleration. I used see these LS400s all over the place seems they rushed Lexus out didn't check on trouble spots excited having a Toyota luxury brand. I am so glad the salesman and buyer didn't loss their lives glad Lexus took care of the problem but two decades later it happened again with numerous Toyota and Lexus with unintended acceleration. My favorite Lexus are SC, LS and ES models though had some bugs needed worked out they are some of the best cars would had gotten a LS400 in '91.
It's not good to be stubborn sometimes, prevention is better than cure they. Ah, Teutonic arrogance.
I prefer Toyota trucks,
I respect Lexus but no desire
Exaskerbated???
Lexus is not dead yet ?
A brand without any history without any soul..
I mean they're toyota at heart I love them
It’s just a branch of Toyota, Toyota has tons of rich history.
Straight from the sewing machine. I ❤ TEQ
lol who cares about history if the cars are good. if the plastic interior in your new mercedes rattles and creaks as it's falling apart does it matter how much history they have? besides, Lexus has been around for 40 years now. they have history, and soul
Buy a modern Chrysler then, I'm sure you'd love their rich history.
The most boring car company in the world. In Europe they sell...nothing. Europeans tend to buy unreliable German cars just because those are interresting. Lexus totally fails on this field.