Lexus Owners Club

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Lexus is one of the world’s younger car makers, but in spite of our relative youth, we have a proud history of achievements that have established our reputation and made an impact on the wider automotive industry From meeting the challenge of building a market-leading limousine from scratch, to creating the crucial luxury crossover market and being a pioneer of self-charging hybrid power, Lexus has proved its commitment to innovation and excellence. In a series of features we look back at milestones in our history and our development as an international luxury brand that extends beyond the automotive world to deliver amazing experiences and inspire others. The technology revolution Ever since its daring, disruptive entry into the luxury car market in 1989, Lexus has repeatedly broken with convention by pioneering new ideas. Principal among these is its long-established leadership in the development of self-charging hybrid electric powertrains – a technology that has changed the motoring landscape for good. Thirty years ago, powerful, heavy and fuel-thirsty engines were the unchallenged norm for upmarket automobiles. But as the millennium turned, the world was waking up to the immediate challenge of global warming and the need to conserve natural resources. A new solution was needed: step forward Lexus. Click here for the full story. The engineering revolution In 1983, Toyota president Eiji Toyoda challenged his company to build “a car that is better than the best in the world.” It was a remarkable ambition, and there were many in the automotive world ready to dismiss the idea as fantasy. How could a business with no experience of the international luxury car market have any hope of matching, let alone exceeding the achievements of the industry’s established leaders? The doubters were all proved wrong. Thanks to the inspiration and utter dedication of the people behind the “Circle F” project – that’s F for Flagship – the Lexus LS 400 was born. It’s a car that history now recognises as a landmark model, a revolutionary disruptor that redefined what luxury motoring was all about. Click here for the full story. The safety revolution In the past 20 years, Lexus has been at the forefront of technical advances that have transformed safety. Today, our cars are able to recognise the risk of an accident, alert the driver to the hazard and, if necessary, intervene automatically to prevent a collision, or reduce the consequences if there is an impact. For Lexus, safety is paramount, and our investment in the research, development and deployment of sophisticated new technologies is central to our goal of securing a future where there are no road accidents. Click here for the full story. The craftsmanship revolution Lexus uses the latest technology to design and build its cars, but people remain at the heart of everything it does. True to its proud status as a human-focused company, Lexus relies on the skills of its takumi craftspeople to achieve the finest quality and luxury standards. These dedicated artisans have talents beyond compare, and they lead and train the men and women who bring a very special quality to every Lexus that’s built. Click here for the full story. The market revolution Popular tastes ebb and flow in all things. For everything from music and fashions to food and holiday destinations, interest and desirability will wane over time as people seek new ideas and experiences. Just the same trends affect the motor industry, and in the early 1990s the love affair between motorists and large-scale SUVs was showing signs of coming to an end. Lexus had already made its mark as a disruptor in the auto business when it arrived on the scene in 1989. Now it saw another opportunity to challenge the status quo and bring something completely new to the market. The foundations were laid for the RX, a Lexus model that has consistently delivered success and innovation. Not only did the RX create a new market segment, it also went on to become the first luxury market vehicle to feature a self-charging hybrid electric powertrain. Click here for the full story. The brand revolution Lexus is about luxury and amazing experiences, well beyond the world of cars.With a sense of adventure, it has applied the skills of its engineers, designers and craftspeople to a wide spectrum of challenges. Some have obvious real life application, others display vivid imagination or are just made for fun. Here are some examples of how Lexus has taken its creativity, innovation and brand values into new territories, from science fact to science fiction, from the ocean wave to the movie screen. Click here for the full story. Three decades of world firsts Lexus is constantly pursuing improvement – of our business, our processes and our products. In our commitment to always finding ways of improving what we do, we have become architects of innovation, constantly exploring new ideas and opportunities. Our quest for improvement has delivered many world-first technologies. Here are 30 innovations we have brought to the global auto industry. The Lexus timeline Key moments from Lexus’s first 30 years are captured in this timeline, charting the development of the brand, its products and its technical achievements.

Lexus today hosted the world premiere of its first ocean-going yacht, the LY 650, adding another dimension to its development as global luxury lifestyle brand and demonstrating its commitment to deliver innovative and amazing experiences Presented in Boca Raton, Florida, the LY 650 bears all the hallmark qualities of design, craftsmanship, advanced technology and performance that distinguish Lexus road vehicles, interpreted in the context of an exclusive and highly luxurious vessel. The LY 650 is a 65ft (19.94m) flybridge cruiser – a boat design that locates cabins below the main deck. It has been two-and-a-half years in development and is being built in collaboration with specialist boat builder Marquis Yachts, which manufactures the craft at its workshops in Pulaski, Wisconsin. The leading nautical design house Nuvolari Lenard also worked with Lexus on the design programme. Marquis Yachts has applied elements of the Toyota Production System to its boat-building processes to achieve high quality and efficient productivity, together with skilled craftsmanship that ensures authentic luxury in every detail. The LY 650 cuts a striking, coupe-like figure on the water, with a design that is very faithful to the Lexus Sport Yacht Concept that was unveiled in 2017. Its sporty and elegant lines are influenced by the same L-finesse design principles Lexus applies to its road cars; styling details echo those found on the LS and LC Lexus flagship saloon and coupe. With a high-volume aft section, the LY 650 has one of the widest beams in its class at 5.76m. For its premiere, the yacht was presented in an optional two-tone finish that amplifies its styling, contrasting with bright stainless steel details including a chafing plate on the bow, window frames and air inlets shaped in the famous Lexus “L” motif. Lexus Chief Branding Officer and President of Toyota Motor Corporation Akio Toyoda said: “The LY 650 symbolises the challenge Lexus has taken up in its aspiration to become a true luxury lifestyle brand, venturing beyond the automobile. “A collaborative team between Toyota and Marquis Yachts introduced the Toyota Production System to the boat manufacturing facility to improve productivity and quality. This allowed Lexus’s ‘Crafted’ philosophy of hospitality that anticipates a person’s wishes and meticulous attention to detail be realised in the form of a luxury yacht. I am truly looking forward to seeing the LY 650 display its beauty on oceans around the globe. As a mobility company, we are pursuing new possibilities for movement, even on the sea.” Accommodation In addition to a large and well-appointed upper salon with captain’s chairs and integrated sofas, the LY 650 has three berths, each with more than two metres of headroom and en suite facilities. It can sleep six and accommodate up to 15 people, according to local/maritime regulations. Luxury appointments include optional Mark Levinson Surround Sound audio systems, air conditioning, bespoke furnishings, real wood trim and a fully equipped aft galley. The interior design eschews sharp angles in favour of curved, flowing lines. These combine with a white colour theme to increase the sense of space and openness. Performance The LY 650 is powered by twin Volvo Penta IPSTM engines, available in a choice of three outputs: 1,050, 1,200 or 1,350hp for each unit. This powertrain can propel the 40-tonne yacht at speeds up to 31.4 knots. Computational fluid dynamics were applied to optimise the unique shape of the underwater hull, obtaining stability and manoeuvrability with high power output, yet low fuel consumption. Piloting support systems include joystick control, auto-flap trim tabs to help maintain position and a fixed point position-holding function at sea. Advanced materials Lexus has proven experience of working with advanced composite materials in road-going vehicles, such as the hand-crafted LFA supercar. Likewise, the construction of the LY 650 makes excellent use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) to save weight while gaining impressive strength and rigidity. The yacht rides on a light and highly rigid hull that combines CFRP with glass fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP), jointly developed with Marquis Yachts. CFRP is used for around 85 per cent of the underwater hull and for parts of the upper hull, including the bridge, helm console and flybridge hard-top. LY-Link LY-Link is an advanced connectivity technology that gives yacht-owners real-time sight of values such as voltage and fuel and water levels. It can also inform users of any abnormalities, as well as maintenance schedules and recommended actions. The app can also be used to control various on-board systems such as lighting, audio and climate control. Public sales The LY 650 will go on public sale in the USA on 30 October, coinciding with its first public appearance at the 2019 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (30 October to 3 November). Sales will be handled by Marquis Yachts and its franchised dealers, with prices in the region of $3.7 million (£3 million), according to customer specification.