‘The Lexus Story’: Feed Your Head with Fascinating Facts

Jonathan Mahler’s 2004 tome may show favoritism toward the LS at the expense of the ES, but it’s a rich history with over 200 cool photos.

New York Times Magazine contributing writer Jonathan Mahler‘s The Lexus Story takes readers deep inside the making of one of the world’s greatest car brands in a comprehensive tome that features over 200 color photographs.

Featuring a foreword by former Lexus general manager Danny Clements, The Lexus Story traces the Japanese automaker’s history from the brand’s launch to compete with Mercedes-Benz and BMW to its rise to become one of the most popular vehicles in the world, one even preferred by superheroes. Within just a few years, Lexus had transformed itself from an unlikely outsider into one of the industry’s leaders as it redefined the idea of the luxury vehicle while also building a dealer network that gave unprecedented attention to service. The Lexus Story describes the brand’s rapid ascent and its travails along the way.

Mahler’s 2004 tribute to Lexus is the first journalistic telling of the history of the company. And it is the only account afforded full access to the designers, engineers, dealers, and company leaders who molded the cars and the brand.

One reader recently commented on The Lexus Story on Amazon, praising it as “a competent corporate autobiography written for Lexus owners who want to feel good about their buying decision.

The only drawbacks that Lexus loyalists point out is that the book focuses almost entirely on the LS 400 and its successors while ignoring the ES models, “and the book left out how the IS 300 was a huge failure…and left out how the first-generation ES250/ES300 were just glorified Camrys. At least they acknowledged that the original GS 300 was a failure,” says one Lexus enthusiast in his Amazon review.

Another sums up the book nicely: “Have to have this book if you’re into the LS 400 at all. Very high-quality leather binding, nice photos and a bunch of history I didn’t know about.”

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David Ciminelli

Los Angeles-based journalist David Ciminelli has covered everything from high-profile Lexus and Toyota reveals to reality TV show competitions focusing on custom automotive mods. He considers the "Droptops & Dirt" event in Malibu, “Luftgekühlt” and Sunset GT among his favorite automotive events to cover.

He has also interviewed artists like Megadeth and Jennifer Lopez, handled red carpet interviews at the MTV VMAs, and covered rock icons Rush getting a star on Hollywood Boulevard for media including The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, Out Magazine, IN Los Angeles and more. His byline has also appeared in Billboard, Ad Week, Backstage and Art Voice.

Currently, David contributes to over a dozen automotive websites, including Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Club Lexus, Rennlist, Chevrolet Forum, Corvette Forum, Team Speed and Harley-Davidson Forums.