Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit

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 25hare of the luxury car market in the space of only ten years.

From the Inside Flap
Imagine a car that ran that ran quicker, quieter and offered higher quality than the best selling top-of-the-line German luxury model—and all for a sticker price of $30,000 less. That car, the Lexus LS 400, sent shockwaves throughout the worlds 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 crown of best selling luxury import brand in the U.S. and had cinched 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 marquee.

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 BusinessWeek magazine, Chester Dawson documents the growth of Lexus--from its genesis at 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.

About the Author
Chester C. Dawson III is an editor at BusinessWeek magazines headquarters in New York and a frequent contributor to the magazines automotive industry coverage. Previously, he spent ten years in Tokyo covering Japan Inc.s “lost decade” for BusinessWeek, Far Eastern Economic Review, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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 LS 400, sent shockwaves throughout the world's automotive industry. It was Toyota Motor Corporation's first foray into the global luxury market. It took 1,400 engineers and 2,300 technicians, 450 prototypes and six years to complete the vehicle at a cost of some US$1 billion. 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.