LEXUS THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT

Author: C. Dawson
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Publication Date: 2006-09-01
Features: It is 1989 and German brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz dominate the luxury car market. Overnight, their world was changed by the launch of a brand-new vehicle. The maverick newcomer is quicker, quieter, more economical, and a full US$30,000 cheaper than its rivals. That car, the Lexus LS400, sends shockwaves throughout the world's automotive industry. It was Toyota Motor Corporation's first foray into the global luxury market. Within two years of its introduction, Lexus overtook Mercedes-Benz for the crown of best-selling luxury import brand in the U.S. and had clinched top place in J.D. Power Associates influential ratings for quality and service. Since then, Lexus has won more J.D. Power Associates awards than any other automotive marque. Yet the road to success was anything but smooth for Lexus. How did Toyota Motor come to dominate one of the most competitive, high-profile, and lucrative markets in the world? This book answers that question and looks at the issues Lexus now faces to stay on top. Using a wealth of internal materials and interviews with key sources, Chester Dawson documents the growth of Lexus—from its genesis at a top-secret Toyota Motor board meeting to its latest exciting line of cars. A fascinating insight into how Toyota conceived, developed, and launched its own luxury car brand—Lexus. This remarkable success story will explain how the Japanese giant went from zero to 25 percent share of the luxury car market in the space of only ten years.
Book Description: A fascinating insight into how Toyota conceived, developed, and launched its own luxury car brand—Lexus. This remarkable success story will explain how the Japanese giant went from zero to 25 percent share of the luxury car market in the space of only ten years.
From the Inside Flap: Imagine a car that ran quicker, quieter, and offered higher quality than the bestselling top-of-the-line German luxury model—and all for a sticker price of $30,000 less. That car, the Lexus LS400, sent shockwaves throughout the world's automotive industry when it debuted in 1989. It was Toyota Motor Corp.'s first foray into the global luxury market. And no expense was spared in its development. It took 1,400 engineers and 2,300 technicians, 450 prototypes, and six years to complete the vehicle at a cost of some $1 billion. But that investment has paid off many, many times over. Within two years of its introduction, Lexus overtook Mercedes-Benz for the crown of best-selling luxury import brand in the U.S. and had clinched top place in J.D. Power Associates influential ratings for quality and service. Since then, Lexus has won more J.D. Power Associates awards than any other automotive marque. Yet the road to success was anything but smooth for Lexus. How did Toyota Motor come to dominate one of the most competitive, high-profile, and lucrative markets in the world? This book answers that question and looks at the issues Lexus now faces to stay on top. It is an important tool for anyone with an appreciation for fine autos—or just plain business smarts. Using a wealth of internal materials and interviews with key sources developed in his years as Tokyo correspondent for Business Week magazine, Chester Dawson documents the growth of Lexus—from its genesis at a top-secret Toyota Motor board meeting in the fall of 1983 to the strategy behind an all-new line-up due out over the next three years to 2007.