
is a Japanese brand. Lexus was the previous name of the current Lexus brand. The models under Lexus include: GS, ES, LS, IS, UX, etc. Taking the 2017 Lexus GS as an example, it is a mid-to-large-sized car with body dimensions of: length 4880mm, width 1840mm, height 1455mm, a wheelbase of 2850mm, and a body weight of 1660kg. The 2017 Lexus GS is equipped with a 2.0T inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, with a maximum horsepower of 245PS, maximum torque of 350Nm, maximum power of 180kW, and is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

I've been driving the ES300h for five years, and this brand truly has Japanese heritage. I remember researching when choosing the car – Lexus is Toyota's premium sub-brand launched in 1989, headquartered in Toyota City, Nagoya. I particularly love its Eastern aesthetic design elements, like the spindle grille and bamboo wood interior, which perfectly embody Japanese craftsmanship. Last week when accompanying a friend for maintenance at the dealership, the technician pointed to the hybrid system in the engine bay and said it's Toyota's proprietary technology – fuel-efficient and quiet. Actually, Lexus maintains full Japanese import status globally; even models produced at North American plants use core components from Japan. As an owner, I most appreciate its reliability – after 100,000 kilometers, apart from oil changes, there have been zero issues. This level of quality can only be achieved by Japanese luxury brands.

Back when I worked at an automotive magazine, I did a feature story on . This brand was born under Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation. In 1983, Toyota Chairman Eiji Toyoda initiated the flagship vehicle project with the goal of creating a Japanese luxury car that would surpass Mercedes-Benz and BMW. When the first LS400 debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 1989, it stunned the audience. Its iconic demonstration of placing champagne glasses on the engine hood to showcase its silent technology became legendary. The name 'Lexus' is actually a combination of 'Luxury' and 'Elegance,' symbolizing Japan's unique interpretation of luxury. What's particularly interesting is that in the 1990s, its success in the U.S. was largely due to Eastern service philosophy—Lexus dealerships offered free car washes and coffee bars, a level of meticulous service only a Japanese company could conceive.

I'm a veteran car enthusiast who has known since the 1980s. It's undoubtedly Japan's proud brand, owned by Toyota. I remember it was still called 'Lingzhi' in China in the early 1990s, and wasn't uniformly renamed 'Lexus' until 2004, but all models had 'Made in Japan' badges on the rear. What makes this brand truly outstanding is how it takes Japanese manufacturing to the extreme - it consistently scores full marks for reliability in North American Consumer Reports. Last year at the Tokyo Motor Show, I made a special trip to see the LF-Z concept car, where you couldn't find a single screw visible on the entire vehicle. This level of precision craftsmanship is unmistakably Japanese DNA.

There are two cars at home, an RX450h and an older LS460. Whenever friends ask about the brand's origin, I always emphasize that it's purely Japanese. Toyota established an independent team to develop these cars to compete with German luxury vehicles, even setting up a separate production line. The most distinctive Japanese feature is the hybrid technology—my RX can run 800 kilometers on a full tank, a result of Toyota's two decades of dedication. Once, during a factory visit, I saw them using 'craftsmanship inspection,' examining every weld point with a magnifying glass—this extreme quality control standard is very Japanese.

During college, I took a course on automotive culture where the professor specifically discussed the case of . This luxury brand was entirely nurtured by Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation and can be said to be synonymous with Japanese luxury. It skillfully blends the precision of German cars with the refinement of Japanese cars. For example, the LS model features 40 sound-absorbing designs in its insulation layer, and even the windshield wipers have noise reduction treatments. Interestingly, Lexus designers are all trained in Japan, with the design center located in Shizuoka Prefecture. Last year, I learned from a documentary that their clay modelers take ten years to become fully qualified—this spirit of craftsmanship is truly characteristic of the island nation.


