Lexus

Lexus (レクサス, Rekusasu) is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars, and has ranked among the ten largest Japanese global brands in market value. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan. Operational centers are located in Brussels, Belgium, and the U.S. in Torrance, California.

Lexus originated from a corporate project to develop a new premium sedan, code-named F1, which began in 1983 and culminated in the launch of the Lexus LS in 1989. Subsequently, the division added sedan, coupé, convertible, and SUV models. Until 2005 Lexus did not exist as a brand in its home market and all vehicles marketed internationally as Lexus from 1989-2005 were released in Japan under the Toyota marque and an equivalent model name. In 2005, a hybrid version of the RX crossover debuted, and additional hybrid models later joined the division's lineup. In 2007, Lexus launched its own F marque performance division with the debut of the IS F sport sedan, followed by the LFA supercar in 2009.

Lexus (disambiguation)

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota. It may also refer to its automobile branches:

Lexus may also refer to:

See also

Lexus 2054

The Lexus 2054 is a concept car designed for the 2002 Steven Spielberg film Minority Report. The vehicle was shown being built at an automated factory in the film, and later driven by star Tom Cruise in several action sequences.

History

In 2002, Lexus was requested by Steven Spielberg, a Lexus owner himself, to design a vehicle that would fit the requirements of year 2054 for his movie adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story Minority Report. Designers working with Lexus came up with an advanced vehicle that would run on fuel cells and have many advanced safety features, including a crashproof structure and biometric security systems. (Lexus' cinematic concept car also appears in The Island, though it is colored blue, not red).

A film tie-in site proposed a Lexus future vehicle that would drive itself, take dinner orders verbally, and select music to match occupant moods. The Lexus 2054 later appeared at several auto shows and public events. The site won several advertising awards. Lexus paid $5 million for the rights to market the vehicle and its brand in relation to the film.