How the Lexus LX Land Cruiser was Born
Blame Land Rover and a looming trade war for the creation of the Lexus LX.
SUVs became increasingly popular in the 1990s. No longer bare bones vehicles, manufacturers moved their products upscale. Families traded in their minivans for vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. And the launch of the Range Rover in the US market paved the way for luxury SUVs.
Also at the same time, the U.S. considered imposing heavy tariffs on Japanese cars. The tariffs would add a 100% tax on any car not manufactured in the US. This meant cars like the Toyota Camry, made in Kentucky, were safe. However it put Lexus in the crosshairs. Most of the cars in the Lexus lineup, including the LS and GS originated in Japan. If the tariff legislation passed, Lexus might not survive.
Fortunately the legislation provided a loophole. For whatever reason, the tariff only targeted cars and not SUVs. For Toyota, this meant the popular 4Runner and Land Cruiser would avoid the tax. Seeing an opportunity to expand their product line, Lexus decided to sell a rebadged Toyota SUV. Launched as the LX 450, this vehicle was a thinly disguised 80 series Land Cruiser with higher trim options, a different grille, and wheels. Lexus positioned it as a competitor to the Range Rover and Land Rover Discovery. Their ads told customers “It’s everything a Lexus is, and everything a Lexus isn’t”.
The tariff never passed, but the LX 450 launched in 1996. Produced for two years, the premium Land Cruiser opened up a new market for Lexus. The LX 470 quickly followed in 1998. Like it’s predecessor, it was a badge engineered Land Cruiser. But there was more to distinguish it from the Toyota. More distinctive styling and more standard features set it apart from its fraternal twin. A new 4.7 liter V-8 rectified inline-6’s lack of performance. Sales increased and remained steady even after Lexus launched the RX crossover.
When the third generation debuted for 2008, it completed the LX’s transformation to a full on luxury SUV. It no longer looked like a rebadged Toyota. And while it didn’t quite have the street cred of a Range Rover or Mercedes G-Wagon, it was every bit as posh. Car and Driver raved about it, calling it “the most desirable SUV on the planet“. The 383-hp 5.7 V-8 launched the three-ton LX to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. A quiet 8 passenger cabin offered more refinement and luxury than Downton Abbey. And with with high levels of refinement and serious off-road chops, Earl Grantham could go rock crawling without spilling his Earl Grey tea.
The Lexus LX occupies the middle-high ground for SUVs. It may lack some of the brand recognition of other luxury SUVs, but it’s a better SUV than its luxury rivals. In fact, the LX 570 outperformed just about every other vehicle in a 2015 comparison test. It also lacks the Land Cruiser’s reputation as a serious off-road vehicle. But it is every bit as capable. And while Toyota no longer sells the Land Cruiser in the U.S., the LX remains as a stalwart for people who want an uncompromising, go-anywhere vehicle.
Photos: Lexus
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