DShiekhi

Interesting Facts in the History of Lexus



There are many things that took place before the establishment of Lexus that some of us might not know.

Read the rest on the ClubLexus.com homepage. >>

703

I wonder if the original LS400 with very low miles can one day fetch a million at the auctions.

Stroock639

every time i read this kind of info i just feel more certain that the LS was absolutely the best you could buy back then. the sense that they really wanted this car to succeed is so apparent and it makes me very proud to have one. mine has about 131,000 miles and still runs as though it were new, and is still much more smooth and refined feeling than many brand new 2015 cars i've driven.

703

A pretty good history account of the LS

http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/lexus-ls400/

dseag2

Where is information about the Camry-based Lexus ES250 that debuted in 1989 along with the LS400?

mmarshall

Wiki has some good information.

There are also some spec-tables on the site that can't be copied/pasted here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_ES

The first Lexus ES (VZV21) debuted in January 1989 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit as part of the launch of the Lexus division. In order to avoid introducing the nameplate with only one model, the LS 400, Lexus debuted the ES alongside their flagship sedan. The smaller representative of the initial two-sedan Lexus lineup was designated the ES 250, and powered by the Camry's 2.5 L, 116 kW (156 hp) V6, which was aimed directly at the Acura Legend.[citation needed] The ES 250 was based on the Toyota Camry Prominent/Vista (V20),[11] and was exclusive to Toyota Japanese dealership network called Toyota Vista Store.


Interior of Lexus ES 250 (VZV21)
On the exterior, the ES 250 shared the same general body style and overall dimensions as its Toyota counterparts, but had a more prominent grille, bigger tail lights, chrome trim, frameless windows, and distinct wheel design similar to its LS brethren. Inside the cabin, the ES 250 featured a six-speaker Pioneer sound system, genuine wood trim, one-touch power windows, and leather seats. A four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission was offered. The Electronically Controlled Automatic Transmission (ECT) featured "normal" and "power" modes.

Safety features included a driver's SRS airbag and anti-lock brakes. In typical specification, the ES 250 further included 15-inch alloy wheels, a power driver's seat, power moonroof, and CD player.[12] Leather upholstery was common equipment,[12] despite being listed as an option, while some ES 250s were also produced with cloth interiors.


In September 1989, the ES 250 and the flagship LS 400 went on sale in the United States. The ES 250 was marketed as the "luxury sedan of sports sedans," and carried a U.S. market suggested base price of approximately $22,000. During the first month of release, the ES 250 logged 1,216 units in sales.[13] However, these numbers were eclipsed by the larger LS sedan, which unlike the ES was built on a unique and all-new platform. The original LS had been envisioned as a standalone model, but Lexus dealerships had asked for an additional vehicle to accompany its launch. Due to its similarities to the Camry, some viewed the ES 250 as a placeholder product of badge engineering and the vehicle ultimately did not sell as well as its larger counterpart. Initial perception of the ES led some to believe all the development time and research spent creating the larger LS showed that they overlooked one of the reasons the LS was developed, which was the 1986 Acura Legend, so it seems that the appearance of the LS was shrunk to fit the ES so as to compete with the Legend.

Production totaled 19,534 units in 1990 and 17,942 units in 1991, most for the automatic transmission model. Production commenced in June 1989 at Tsutsumi,[9] with the first 1990 ES 250 rolling off the production line on August 30, 1989. Production ended on July 5, 1991. Because of its relatively brief production run, the ES 250 is a rare model on US roads today.

Fizzboy7

Photoshop pic in the main story? Something looks way off.

So was the original ES250's V6 the same as what slipped into the 2006 IS250? Or two totally different motors?
I remember being a passenger in my friend's new ES250 when he punched it going up a freeway onramp. It was the smoothest engine I'd ever felt and you could not hear or feel any straining at all- even nearing redline. I was blown away and still am.

Sulu

No, they are completely different engines. The 2.5-litre 4GR V6 in the 2006-and-later IS 250 may be an ancient engine (so say the members of Car Chat) but not as dinosaurish as the 2VZ V6 in the late-1980s Camry and ES. The 4GR came out in 2006 with an aluminum block and all the latest, state-of-the-art valve-train technology. The 2VZ came out in the late-1980s with an iron block. Toyota does not have any iron-block car engines anymore.

Toyota's iron-block VZ V6s (first introduced in the mid-/late-1980s), aluminum-block MZ V6s (first introduced in the mid-1990s) and aluminum-block GR V6s (first introduced in the early-/mid-2000s) have always been known for their smoothness and refinement.

dseag2

I may be biased, but I also think the LS was the best you could buy. My dad had American cars most of his life until he finally agreed to go test drive a '91 LS400. We couldn't even tell the car was running when he started it. I'll never forget that. He said it was more than he paid for his first house, but he ended up buying it, then keeping it until he traded for a '99 LS400 that looked just like yours. God rest his soul, he passed away shortly afterward. I got the car in his inheritance, but I traded it for a GS300. It was a great car and I felt like a Million Bucks driving it, but it was just bigger than what I needed.

tvoingoo

well,It was a great car and I felt like a Million Bucks driving it, but it was just bigger than what I needed.

jkeller

The original LS was everything MB and BMW wanted their S class an 7 series to be and weren't, except for sporty. Remember at the same time Nissan came out with Infiniti. But they had a disastrous ad campaign with zen rock and water commercials that never showed the cars.

http://jalopnik.com/5880496/whats-th...al-of-all-time

dseag2

Was that a message for me?

andromeda1

This is pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing!

mmarshall

The history of Lexus is more than just automobiles. One thing I really liked in early Lexus ads was this guy's soothing voice.....James Sloyan. In 2009, he started doing Mitsubushi ads instead.

dseag2

Yeah, just the right soothing voice that lends credibility to everything he says. Loved those commercials.