Lexus is a Toyota company founded in 1989. This move was to compete with Acura who was extremely with their introduction into international markets for luxury vehicles. Because of voluntary export restraints imposed by the Japanese government, it was easier for Japanese companies to sell more expensive cars to make larger profits. Before even producing a vehicle, Toyota conducted many focus groups to better understand the luxury market in the United States. Toyota also moved key car designers in the company from Japan to California to observe the lifestyles and habits of wealthier Americans. With this information it was determined that Toyota would need to create it’s own Luxury brand along with a large network of dealerships across the United States. With the help of a very large marketing firm, many names were thrown around with Alexis being the most popular with the focus groups. One problem with the name Alexis was the fact it sounded like a persons name. That was changed by removing the letter “A” and swapping out the “I” for the letter “U”. The Lexus name was born and soon production would begin of their first automobile model.
The first automobile project for Lexus was the F1 project. The F1 project went through over 450 different prototypes and cost Lexus over $1 Billion USD to complete. The resulting vehicle would be known as the Lexus LS 400 in North American markets. The Lexus LS 400 was unique for a Japanese car because it was rear wheel drive and featured a powerful V8 engine. The new Lexus LS 400 interrupted sales of German and even American luxury car makers. The LS 400 also experienced a recall in the first year of production for faulty wiring. Lexus’ swift and timely response earned Lexus a very good reputation for customer service with the buying public. During the 1990s Lexus would go on to develop other vehicles including other sedans, a crossover and a SUV. The Lexus models were sold with Toyota branding from 1989-2005 in Japan. In 2007 Lexus would launch a new series of vehicles with the F name.
The Lexus LFA was designed to compete against high end Italian super cars. In 2010 the LFA made its debut, the car was powered by a V10 engine and a price tag of over $375,000 USD. The Lexus LFA was a very limited production run of 500 vehicles between 2010-2012. In a move to prevent cars from being resold by buyers, Lexus was very careful in selecting who could buy the LFA. Also no Lexus LFA were sold in North America, they were available on a two year lease only. After that two year lease the car could be purchased.
Here at Silver Arrow Service we understand your passion for your Lexus. Keeping your Lexus running great through quality service and careful repair work is our specialty. So if you live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire be sure to come by our shop in Litchfield, NH. Feel free to give us a call with any questions you may have or fill out the contact form. We are located just minutes off of Exit 4 Interstate 93 New Hampshire towards Derry/Londonderry.
