20 years ago today, Lexus sold its first vehicle.
The first Lexus was sold 20 years ago today. It was an LS 400, and to commemorate the event the brand’s general manager, Mark Templin, sent a memo of thanks to Lexus workers. Prior to Lexus, Toyota’s idea of luxury was the Cressida, a boxy four-door sedan. Creating an entire luxury brand seemed like a tall task. But it took Toyota less than 20 years. In 1989, Mr. Templin’s memo recalled, Lexus had 81 dealerships (compared to 227 today), “zero hybrids, zero J.D. Power awards and my weight then: lean and mean.” – From NY Times