Lexus Readies for Take Off into the Final Frontier of Aviation
Hinted at during launch of LY 650 yacht, potential executive jet would go up against Honda, Gulfstream, other builders.
Just 30 years ago, Toyota launched the Lexus brand with a pair of cars, receiving praise and accolades from every corner of the globe. Lexus would go on to bring Japanese luxury to nearly every segment it wanted to conquer, from the entry-level mainstay that is the ES, to the wildest machines ever conceived in the LFA and LC 500.
Soon, if Toyota has its way, you might be able to go from the highway to the skies without having to leave the luxury Lexus is known for today. CarsGuide reports the company’s president and Lexus brand officer Akio Toyoda wants to build a Lexus jet.
“Toyota itself is trying to transform from an automotive company to a mobility company,” said Toyoda, “and in order to enhance the value of the Lexus brand we need to cover land, sea and also air, and therefore the yacht was a concept we thought we really need to have.”
The yacht he speaks of, of course, is the LY 650, which was launched in Boca Raton, Florida September 19. The new Lexus of the seas is an extension of the brand beyond the highway to cover every aspect of luxury transportation. A new executive jet would complete the trifecta, and when asked about it by CarsGuide, Toyoda asked everyone to “watch us in what we do when it comes to that area.”
Should Lexus follow through and deliver an executive jet for its well-moneyed customers, it would follow in the footsteps of Honda’s own HondaJet and HondaJet Elite. The latter has a range of 1,653 miles, allowing passengers and pilots to reach nearly any destination in the United States from as far away as Denver. It also has a luxurious cabin for seven passengers, though it’s luxury as Honda sees it; we expect Lexus to take it to the next level.
Lexus is no stranger to investments in luxury aviation, though. According to The Asian Executive, Lexus Australia entered into an exclusive partnership with Melbourne Jet Base in April 2019. The deal includes a fleet of LS sedans and RX L SUVs, which are used to ferry passengers to their private jets residing in the airport’s VIP-only terminal. Perhaps there will be a Lexus jet waiting in the wings one day? We shall see.
Photos: CarsGuide; The Asian Executive
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