LS 400 forever changed the luxury car landscape. Not only was it the first-ever Lexus, but it was unlike anything that Mercedes, BMW, or Cadillac had ever done before.

Created by the parent company, Toyota, the engineering team went to great lengths to get the LS just right. When legendary automobile journalist, David E. Davis (founder of Automobile magazine) first test drove the LS he famously wrote, “I’d say the fox is about to find his way into the henhouse.” In other words, this was a game-changer.

A brief history of the Lexus LS 400

Fueled by the success that BMW and Mercedes were beginning to have in the luxury market in America, Toyota set out to create the LS in the early ‘80s. But coming from the stripped-down, yet highly reliable Toyota models, they needed to first figure out what the luxury consumer was truly after in America.

To do this, the design team spent a month in a rented house in Orange County, California to earnestly discover their future clientele. When they got back they assembled a team of 3,700 engineers and technicians to create what they had conceived.

The finished product didn’t have a speck of Toyota parts on it. While Cadillac had leaned into shiny chrome and the German luxury cars were high functioning yet austere, the Lexus LS 400 was pure, simple luxury. The inviting, leather-lined cabin became the epitome of approachable opulence.

The 250 horsepower, V8 engine ran so smoothly that Lexus had a commercial featuring a champagne glass tower on the hood while the car ran.

As for the handling, Toyota brought in Indy/NASCAR legend, Roger Penske, as a consultant test driver to put the LS through the wringer. Roger and the team dialed in the suspension to create the now-famous Lexus LS handling.

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Lexus LS 400 Reception

Motortrend

magazine named it a 1990 All-Star saying, “None of us expected such a stunning first-year effort from the masters of the econobox.”

It was an overnight sensation that truly turned heads. By its second year on the market, Lexus had already surpassed BMW and Mercedes in total sales.

On top of its strong performance, Lexus was able to sell the LS 400 for under $40,000 which was far less than what its competitors were asking.

Part of this was due to a unique economic situation where the U.S. dollar was exponentially more valuable than the Japanese Yen. So, at least at the time, one Lexus sold in USD translated to a flood of Yen into Lexus’ pocket.

From the original to today

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After the initial success, Lexus never looked back. They of course have gone on to make many other models, but the LS is the flagship. They are now on the 5th generation of the luxury staple.

Along the way, the car has become bigger, more aerodynamic and more powerful. They now make a hybrid LS 600 with a 600 liter, V8 engine! They’ve forced the old guard of BMW and Mercedes to become more affordable but also higher tech and more reliable.

In short, if you’re in the luxury market and are looking for a short cut to one of the best, you’d be remiss if you didn’t include the Lexus LS on your test drive list.

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