The Lexus LS400 blew everyone away in 1990
04 January 2023
Lexus
Depending on where you lived in the 1990s, the new Lexus LS 400 was a big enough deal to get airtime on the local news. At the very least hushed chatter in the valet line, leading to begrudging respect from friends of those who opted for Toyota’s North American flagship sedan instead of the traditional domestic and European offerings. Remember the TV commercials with champagne glasses and a chassis dynamometer?
The gravitational pull of the Lexus LS was so strong that the famous TV spot was later replicated by Nissan and Dodge, albeit conducted at slower speeds and tweaked for their respective demographics. (Note how neither “competitor” dared attempt 145 mph on dyno rollers.) Should we thank Lexus for forcing Nissan’s hand, which gave us the not-Stanza sedan named Altima?
It all stems from the good old days in Japan. It was before the economic bubble burst, before flights of engineering and design fancy were cancelled, never to be seen again. The JDM market had everything from radical Kei cars, to premium Mazdas with unique names. They are all old enough to legally import in the year 2023, but only one such effort made a stateside splash so fantastic when new. (My apologies to both Acura and Infiniti, as your greatness never moved the metal like Lexus has for decades.)
Lexus
Yes, the LS 400 was born from a country riding high on its industrial and manufacturing prowess. Toyota was a brand that left no stone unturned to ensure success. That last bit is important; proactive customer service and a covenant that promises a stunning dealer experience is what separates the cream from the rest of the crop. I remember family friends being upset by the indifference of service personnel at Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Jaguar service departments. They all fell like dominos after the first member of our circle bought a Lexus LS 400 in October 1989.
As a child, there are things you gloss over and things you’ll never forget. And I will never forget seeing my parent’s friend take delivery of a silver/red LS 400 while the local news covered his delivery for all Houstonians to see. As a 20-something, I drove that very same LS 400 for a month, making it my first subject in my art school’s photography class.
It was a seven-year-old depreciated barge, and my classmates still thought I was rich for owning it. I didn’t bother correcting them, and I truly enjoyed the car. Its command of the highway was unforgettable, and the “Lexus Covenant” rung true after the local dealer was tasked with rear air spring replacement during my tenure.
While the brand did (and perhaps still does) err a tad on the milquetoast side, the original LS 400’s engineering had no peer, be it at the top or bottom of the depreciation curve.
Toyota had to reimagine the luxury brand from nose to tail to make all this happen. And that’s where this video from the Barchetta YouTube channel comes into focus, as it sets up the Lexus story from brilliant beginnings with Yukiyasu Togo to the final advertising push from Saatchi and Saatchi … which created that famous tagline:
Lexus
Of course the good stuff in this video lies between those book ends. The engineering mandate eschewed give-and-take for a no-compromise approach and ultimately made possible a 155-mph top speed and superior aerodynamic performance, paired with a curb weight light enough to avoid the gas guzzler tax. The focus on quality made a car that no other manufacturer could touch, and the creation of the Shibetsu Proving Ground showed just how committed Toyota was to making a North American flagship sedan that would shake the luxury space to its core.
The Lexus LS 400 may not look like a work of art today, but was a revolutionary vehicle. Buyers who needed a Cadillac, BMW, or a Mercedes-Benz to fit their branding aspirations might have been hesitant at first to purchase the Lexus LS 400 (even if it was disturbingly cheap), but everyone else could find The Relentless Pursuit Of Perfection quite appealing. Early adopters love an underdog.
So whenever you have a moment to binge watch some brainless TV series, instead consider soaking in the above video in its entirety. I promise it will be worth your time.
Article Courtesy of Hagerty