The Japanese brand Lexus made its first appearance in 1990. The impressive LS400 was the premiere number and with its gargling V8 the competitor for the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 series.
That first Lexus was not much more than a round of W126. The prominent nose was clearly based on The Great Example from Stuttgart, which was the benchmark in those days in the top class. Under the hood and in the interior it choked with the Toyota logos so that, after delivery, you were finely impressed with the facts: you drive Toyota, sir. A very large one, that again.
As conservative as we are in the Netherlands, most managers still gave themselves a fat German gift and Lexus led a somewhat dormant life in the first years. Now, twenty years later, that first LS400 has profiled itself as an extremely durable car with classic potential. after all, you don't see that much anymore. And units with attractive mileage costs the same as a comparable BMW.
Twenty years of Lexus. Twenty years of proven reliability and innovation. Toyota is not celebrating it. The brand prefers to focus on the future. Hey, what a pity. If you, as a car brand, really want to be taken seriously in enthusiast circles, then you need to have an eye for your past. for the cultural heritage that you have left behind. There is still much to learn, Lexus.
Chris de Raaf.