Image via Complex Original
Lexus has now existed for 25 years. That’s long enough to make a major impact on the world, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s still a relatively young company. Twenty-five years ago, Lexus launched with just two models. Today, the brand offers a full lineup that consists of everything from massive luxo-barges to sports coupes. Of course, you don’t evolve over 25 years without a few keystone moments and changes. So with the new RC-F pushing the brand forward, here are the 5 Cars That Have Shaped Lexus’ Past.
1989 LS 400
Obviously, you need to start at the beginning. The original LS 400 set the tone for what makes a Lexus a Lexus. It was big, quiet, luxurious, and retained the reliability that Toyota made its name with. It wasn’t concerned in any way with lap times, although it did feature a rather large engine, because waiting around while a tiny four-pot screams isn’t very luxurious. Lexus has taken this ethos—that of comfort and isolation from the world—and built a company on it.
1996 RX 300
If you go to any parking lot in the country, you’ll see tons of dressed up, leather-filled, gadget-festooned vehicles that are the result of the public constantly demanding both the appearance of an SUV and the more civilized dynamics of a car. That’s right—we're talking about the luxury CUV. They’ve multiplied faster than rabbits on ecstasy, and the first one was the RX 300 back in 1996. This didn’t just change Lexus’ course, it changed the course of the whole industry.
1999 IS
Small luxury sports sedans make up the most hotly contested and largest luxury segment in the world. The 1999 Lexus IS was the company’s first entry into this category, and it was one of the first signs that Lexus was really planning to expand on the calm luxury thing by also offering some more sport-oriented cars in the future.
2007 IS-F
The original IS was the clue that there was more to come, but the IS-F was the proof. Dropping a 417hp 5.0L V8, upgraded brakes, and tighter suspension drastically transformed the demeanor of the IS and not only turned it into a fun car that’s practical, but into a genuinely track-worthy sports car.
2010 LFA
The LFA sent a very clear message to the world: Lexus was demanding to be taken extremely seriously when it came to fast cars. The first dedicated sports car from the brand wasn’t just a fun car on an original platform; it was a monster that could literally breathe fire and liked to spend its time setting eye-popping lap records at famous tracks. Lexus skipped over sports cars and supercars and went straight for the $395,000, limited-production hypercar. Amazingly, this first attempt was a world class one.