Toyota Stunned America with the Lexus LS 400

[@Xeonerable]

Wow the first ever recall they gave you a signed letter, went to your home to pick it up and left a courtesy car. Fixed the issue and returned it with a full tank and car wash??? WTF That type of service feels unheard of today.

[@honor9lite1337]

Ok

[@UntiltedName]

Depends on what you drive. A honda fit with the famous exploding airbag? Not a chance.

[@Fennecbutt]

Loss leader. Pretty usual business strategy, they were trying to build the brand.

[@pizzablender]

A friend had an interior part come loose on a 6 year old out of warranty Lexus. Was replaced for free, as "it's a Lexus, that should not happen".

[@parvezahmedjalil7310]

NIO

[@andrearoberts1953]

My Dad bought a Lexus in the mid 1990s and kept it until he passed away. The service he got from the dealership was unbelievable. He was treated as if he were a rich man. Once he got that car, he swore he would never buy another American brand car. This was quite a change considering he had been a life-long Buick fan.

[@cen7ury]

My dad always drove secondhand American luxury (91 Lincoln Town car) and secondhand American trucks (88 GMC Suburban 2500) until his dad passed away, after which he finally bought new...and when the time came, he bought a 2002 Toyota Tacoma pickup, and a 2002 Lexus ES300. When he and my mom got divorced, she took the truck, and has owned nothing but Tacomas ever since (she is on her 3rd, a 2018 model) and absolutely swears by them. To their credit, Toyota always treated her quite well at the dealership, until the truck was no longer under warranty, at which point I caught them trying to sell her brake pads she didn't need (they claimed she was down to 3mm, she declined, then brought it to me to change the brakes before a long trip about six months later, only for me to tell her she didn't need brakes, as she was still at 7mm, meaning she had to have at least had 9mm left when they told her she had 3mm. The pads are 12mm when new). My dad, on the other hand, drove the ES300 until he died in 2018. It was the epitome of reliability, and I still own it to this day. It's now got 200k miles, and I know that if I didn't prefer motorcycles and stick shift vehicles, it would have continued to do so well into the future. Currently, I'm planning to bring it baci to showroom condition in his memory. Rest in peace, dad. Miss you.

[@jayyydizzzle]

Seems like some of the early es300s could be found with a manual, pretty rare though

[@cen7ury]

@jayyydizzzle Really early, maybe. They offered a stick shift until 93. You could get a v6 camry in a manual trans in 2002, but only in Australia or New Zealand.

[@hangdog7094]

Omg - thanks

[@zeroturn7091]

@@cen7urythat brought back memories for me. My grandma drove a ‘77 yellow Monte Carlo with a white leather like top. After she passed my father had it restored, but ended up selling it.

[@onlysublime]

This video ignored the other aspects that was revolutionary with Lexus. Our family was a Mercedes family. We also previously owned American cars like Dodge, Oldsmobile, and Ford. Lexus redefined the sales and service experience. When you brought your Lexus in for maintenance or service, they would give you a loaner car free of charge with zero fuss. It shocked my parents. The Lexus team was so professional and friendly. It was so different from any other car service. Meanwhile, I brought in my dad's Mercedes for him when he wanted an oil change and the guy tricked me into a $700 repair (and this was in 1992 money). In fact, I never liked taking a car to Mercedes who had an entitled view and viewed us like we should want to spend extra for German luxury. Nowadays a free car loaner seems almost common but it wasn't in 1985. Lexus made everyone up their game. Even Mercedes.

[@paulsz6194]

It’s getting less common today. Most "average" car brands charge you $30-50 per day for a loan car. Unless your car is in for warranty repairs ( where in some situations, ) the dealer can charge the cost of a loan car for a customer back to the manufacturer.

[@Gornemant]

I indirectly work for Merc Germany today, believe me, you would NOT want to get close to them, for them their customers are worth as much as their employees: absolutely nothing. Their IT infrastructure is a complete mess that's decades out of date, only seeking the cheapest possible solutions no mater the repercussions (new models can't be sold for days if not weeks after release because they still don't even have a procedure for new models years after the introduction of their "new" systems), sellers don't get paid their share on the sale for months if not over a year because they don't care if the system for that is broken, and now they are completely getting rid of their own retail. It's an absolute mess driving at full speed against a wall.

[@zeroturn7091]

From personal experience you’re not getting a free loaner from Chevy or Honda these days.

[@kroatoaneight-four]

Went to MB to buy an E-class but the salesman and manager looked down upon me and with disdain (I am Asian. And I don't dress flashy). Didn't even ask for my financial details. Needless to say, I went to a Lexus showroom and got me an ES hybrid.

[@syncmonism]

He DID talk about the high standards for sales staff, showrooms, and the policy of giving loaner cars during service.

[@grempal]

19:58 In the case of the LS400 it was 110% of the performance and quality of the Mercedes S class for 60% of the price.

[@777jones]

Correct, it was clearly a better vehicle than the W126 Benz, for like half the price. It shocked Mercedes to the bone. The same is true of Ferrari and the Acura NSX. Ferrari recognized Honda had totally outclassed their vehicle. The NSX drove better and had perfect reliability.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

I strongly prefer the S class. Better handling, and the German approach to cabin design is my thing

[@grempal]

@@wallacegrommet9343 The S class that existed when the original LS 400 was released objectively had worse handling than the LS 400. It took Mercedes the better part of a decade to regain the quality and performance lead. The modern S class isn't relevant to the conversation

[@777jones]

@@grempal even back then, the W126 was a very fine German car. It wasn’t as soft as the LS400. I, too, prefer the S class. But Lexus upset the game.

[@steelwhisperer]

My W140 still makes them look like well, Toyotas.

[@franzkoviakalak6981]

One of the highest quality machines ever made. Peaked with the LS430 two generations on. Mine has a bajillion miles and still looks and drives like new, every last of its countless electrical doodads and gizmos work flawlessly. Maintenance costs on par with a Corolla. Show me a German car that can claim the same.

[@Uberrandom]

If the LS430 got slightly better mileage, I would probably call it the perfect car. The ride is the smoothest of any vehicle I've driven, it's whisper quiet in the cabin, and they'll last forever with approachable maintenance unlike similar or newer German contemporaries.

[@franzkoviakalak6981]

@@Uberrandom it’s a privilege worth 17 mpg on premium.

[@paulsz6194]

@Franzkoviakalak6981 The Corolla has four cylinders, The LS400 has Cylinders. That means it has double the spark plugs , ignition leads/ coil packs, injectors and takes more oil , of course. LS400/430 engines have the starter motor in the valley of the Vee, whereas the Corolla has it attached outside the engine block. Think of the Labour costs alone on simply removing the starter, before you actually attempt to repair or replace it!

[@franzkoviakalak6981]

@@paulsz6194 yes, thank you for pointing out the obvious mister pedant. In general GENERAL, it has maintenance costs on par with a contemporary Corolla.

[@paulsz6194]

@@franzkoviakalak6981 well, what obvious to some, isn’t obvious to everybody, especially when it comes to the starter motor location and the effort involved to remove it… Have a good day 👍🏼

[@chi-towncalifornia5916]

My uncle still has his ‘96 LS400, which he bought in 1997, and it’s a spare, along with his LS430. The LS is the greatest full size luxury sedan to own, and easily the most important car to come out in the 90s. Lexus cars are made to be owned; Mercedes, Audi and BMW cars are designed to be leased and thrown away before the warranty expires.

[@JTA1961]

Well put.

[@5roundsrapid263]

Leasing is what turned German cars into junk. The carmakers realized most customers were just trading them in anyway, so they didn’t have to last.

[@ArifGhostwriter]

👍🏽👍🏽 And - BMWs went from 'hewn from stone' to 'made from polystyrene'. They (the Germans especially) also realised that all that mattered was the fit & finish of the cabin - & folk assume that the rest of the car will be quality. Cue - plastic parts everywhere - even in the engine.

[@paulsz6194]

@@5roundsrapid263I think it’s more so that parts are made so expensive so as to create another revenue stream of the car manufacturers . Most parts manufacturers will have agreements with the car makers that they won’t sell their own branded car parts ( such as radiators, water pumps, oil filters, etc) onto the market until at least until the warranty period ends on a new model if not 1-2 years after it ends.

[@JTA1961]

@@5roundsrapid263 interesting observation...the social pressure to be stylin with the latest model doesn't help much either

[@dosgos]

Photos comparing Lexus with Mercedes stunned Germany and the world. Automotive journalists had a field day. Incredible engineering and paradigm shift.

[@Mastermind12358]

The W126, the current S-Class at the time was an amazing car, but was literally designed and release in the 70s.

[@honor9lite1337]

​@@Mastermind12358really? 😮

[@Mastermind12358]

@@honor9lite1337 Yeap, came out in 1979. Its successor, the W140 came out two or three years after the LS400.

[@apollosungod2819]

Automotive journalists in the West were also highly biased in favor of European cars and often mocked the Japanese makes and models by nitpicking something to exclude them from being as valuable or because of lower prices thus raising the status of BMW and Mercedes Benz and Porsche or Ferrari. I recall reading some mocking remarks aimed at Toyota before the LS 400 and Lexus names were there and the same thing happened when it was becoming clear that Honda had manufactured the NSX to the point that I found some European magazines featuring the "Honda NSX" back when it was already decided to rename the car to the "Acura NSX" all because someone invented a FEAR that Americans would never buy an expensive Toyota or Honda aka basically backing the belief that it was impossible for those car companies to make vehicles on equal quality to high end vehicles because both made affordable cars... meanwhile in Germany whenever films or news reports came out from that country you could see Taxi drivers driving Mercedes Benz and BMWs.

[@paulsz6194]

@@apollosungod2819 But did Americans fear buying Cadillac , because its chassis & engine was basically a Chevy or Buick based? Same goes with Lincoln , did people fear buying it because it used Ford parts ? Can you understand why Honda had to introduce the Acura brand. And Toyota the Lexus brand? It’s called product differentiation…

[@hangdog7094]

Dad had one. It still survives with no issues

[@CockatooDude]

Do you check the transmission fluid every now and then? These cars are really well built but they aren't invincible. Transmission fluid should be changed every ~30,000 miles.

[@hangdog7094]

@@CockatooDude I don't know. It went to a family friend. However, my 355,000 mi Corolla gets a trans drain/fill every 4th oil change. Original auto trans/water pump/cv/ac pump/wheel bearings etc

[@CockatooDude]

@@hangdog7094 Very nice! That is a commendable service practice.

[@roryoconnor4989]

My grandmother’s is still running. It’s an amazing car.

[@disconductorder]

LS430 here, if I find a ls400 with lower miles, I will be scooping it up

[@XantheFIN]

I am afraid it will outrun your grandma then.

[@001sander2]

What year

[@verttikoo2052]

I read that your grandma is still running 🙄🤭 Ouch 😅

[@roryoconnor4989]

@@001sander2 they bought it the year it came out. My grandfather never bought American again after that.

[@pac1fic055]

I really appreciate how you always translate the price/cost to today’s dollars. Inflation is a real thing.

[@halfsourlizard9319]

Thanks, Capt Obvious.

[@pac1fic055]

@@halfsourlizard9319 for example, often times people remark on how in the 1960s housing was $30k or so, and compare it favorably to today’s prices. Inflation is very often not taken into account or misunderstood in its magnitude. This is not obvious to a substantial population. Anyway, very unhelpful comment on your part. Best to think for a bit before posting next time.

[@kaiokendo]

Que pasa che

[@Andronicus2007]

I'm from Australia, but I wasn't shocked at all when the LS400 was released. Toyotas in the mid 80's had a very high level of quality, with some high points like the '87 Cressida and Supra demonstrating Toyota was a powerhouse company on the way up!

[@filanfyretracker]

I think at one time they had a saying in Australia, If you want to drive into the outback take Landrover. If you want to drive back out, take a Toyota.

[@Andronicus2007]

@@filanfyretracker Yes! Pretty true too, but the Landrover would probably use half the fuel and be easy to fix! 😅

[@paulsz6194]

@@Andronicus2007 Maybe an original one, or sure about the reliability of a Discovery2 or Discovery 3..

[@Andronicus2007]

@@paulsz6194 Defender all the way!

[@MarcPagan]

Thanks - great story. Bought one 11 years old, years ago - still the best car I've driven for the money. Second place, a Miata convertible w a stick. The paint, interior, fit and finish, ride, reliability, reasonable maintenance costs, ride noise, and even the radio/sound, ..all excellent.

[@wrxtuan]

Love the episode. I was hoping in your section about Lexus' advertising blitz that you would bring up the Lexus LS400 ad with the champagne glasses. That ad is the main thing for most of us older folks would remember Lexus' introduction to tthe US.

[@kevinbarry71]

Small correction, the engine did not weigh anything close to 4000 pounds. I think you mean the weight of the whole car.

[@noname-gp6hk]

Yeah my all iron 5.9 cummins diesel is like 1k lbs

[@ArifGhostwriter]

Lol - I just took it! I'm from the UK & don't understand pounds anyway. It always felt so meaningless to weigh such large things with units small enough to weigh small animals by.

[@BramBiesiekierski]

I find it easier to think of pounds in terms of bananas. 1 pound is equal to a small bunch of bananas. Simple really.

[@creativemindplay]

​@@ArifGhostwriter 1lb = 2.2 kilos.

[@ShazzPotz]

@@BramBiesiekierski How many bananas are in "a small bunch of bananas" ? (I know you can say it's 1 pound's worth.) Not so simple really.

[@Marc83Aus]

Toyota had a headstart making this as they had already been making luxury domestic cars for decades, most notably the Century, in any event I would love to hear Sandy Monroes recollection of how Detroit reacted to the LS 400, and particularly how much of this from his perspective was 'I told you so' in regards to Aluminium heads and so on.

[@gustiwidyanta5492]

was the Northstar engine a response to the UZs Toyota were fielding?

[@timeimp]

"Moved to California, ate at expensive restaurants and watched Asianometry videos" I see what you did there. Well played (and great video!)

[@LukeLongboneOfficial]

I felt as if someone (who?) should do a video about Asianometry for being such a good KZbin channel and compare Asianometry to the terrible recommendations that show up in my feed. Seriously this channel is remarkable. Simple edits. Smooth narration. Actual facts told through a compelling narrative. Nice work.

[@gondolagripes1674]

I drive a 1986 toyota Cressida, and its surprising how big the strides they made with the LS400 were, to the point that they killed the cressida after 1992 due to the LS400's success. Im not as big of a fan of the LS400 styling, but it would've been jaw dropping when it came out. Especially with Toyota's reliability.

[@onlysublime]

We had a pre-Lexus Toyota Cressida and we loved it. It was just so high tech. things like the automatic seatbelts were amazing. The stereo was incredible.

[@FerrariCarr]

Apparently when they drove the pre-production cars around, they covered any emblems/logos and told people who inquired about the car that it was an upcoming Mercedes…and people believed them!

[@onlysublime]

@@FerrariCarr because it does look like one. haha but imitation is flattery. if you're not worth copying, you're not worth it

[@stevenpelayo9418]

I sold a new 2002 Mercedes E Class within the first year and swapped it for a new Lexus LS400. The ride was smoother and quieter. The navigation included a color touch screen vs Mercedes monochromatic dial only for entering an address. What a pain. Loved that car.

[@valrabellkeys9867]

Not the LS swap I usually think of!

[@NickIggler1969]

@@valrabellkeys9867yummy

[@NickIggler1969]

@@valrabellkeys9867I'm gay today daddy

[@RomanJockMCO]

You mean an LS430. The 4.0 was punched out in 2001 to 4.3 liters when the third gen arrived. Best LS in my opinion.

[@bighulkingwar_machine1123]

Yeah I think he might be talking about an entire different Beast ​@@RomanJockMCO

[@jaredkennedy6576]

This is the Toyota development that other companies should have followed. Instead of kicking back and milking profits out of what you have, build something better. Improve the product, and everyone benefits.

[@rast9792]

Why in earth would you do that when the customer is dumb enough to still buy the products from a company that tells it „you are holding it wrong” (and the examples could go on forever)? Even Lexus toned down the engineering excellence with the newer models when they understood that it doesn't convert into profit.

[@lowstrife]

Mine has 170k miles and counting 🥂 Needed to rebuild the suspension, but it still drives better than a lot of modern cars. And the quality and durability of especially the plastic and leather interiors is something I've truly yet to experience in another modern car. Even expensive German stuff doesn't come close. I can't believe how good it's held up for 30 years.

[@gkanai1400]

There are a few million mile LS400s in the US. It is really a remarkable car.

[@rollingmancave4547]

My mother got one of the very first LS 400 cars in the USA. I was a teenager. I was totally impressed by the quality, fit, and finish. Granted, the ride was a little too spongy for me, but it was spongy and tight. The power was amazing. Interestingly, I found the large amount of wheel well noise out of place with the rest of the car.

[@JamesKarne]

I’m here for my 1990 Lexus ls400 still running since on the road. I was brought from old person is pass away and his car still running. His son sell to me. I drive my car since 4 years to now. His owner is 30 years. I owner that car since 4 years. It is so low maintenance level like Corolla. Look awesome but only weaker is starter motor give you an issue in every 10 years and power steering fluid leak too. I have 1985 Toyota pickup 22R is crazy reliable same level like LS400 do.

[@ccshello1]

These Toyota designers living in that Sunny California beach house watching Astronomy YT videos to learn about the chips, at the same time watching Terminator the movie and got the idea: They bought the foundry that has Arnold's melted super alloy body and "THAT" special chip. From that point on, Lexus' foundry has a tiny amount of the original foundry's liquid metal mixed in. The rest is the (car or chip?) history.

[@Jump-n-smash]

Seems like we are getting closer to the Japanese motorcycle video somehow.

[@brucenicoll4373]

That would be a great idea would watch that

[@AaronVanWolfen]

Asianometry, i love your videos... can you make videos about the history behind the giant corps of Japan and South Korea? Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Mitsui, Samsung..... its hard to find videos about them and i would like to learn about them from you. greetings

[@Ronald-nu9ud]

Taiwan luxgen etc, Singapore companies, also hong kong humanoid company too.

[@AaronVanWolfen]

​@@Ronald-nu9ud yeah, I agree with you, there is so much to learn and to be honest i am tired of KZbin obsession with american corporations

[@Jump-n-smash]

Kawasaki heavy industries and Yamaha

[@szaszm_]

Korean ones are called chaebols, but I think I've heard the term used for Japanese conglomerates as well.

[@mclovin1558]

One on temasek holdings would be great

[@sorbpen]

My man, you make some of the most well researched videos on here, and you produce them at a steady pace, I'm well impressed! Thank you so much i learn something here every time!

[@crooney82]

It’s not about showing off. It’s about enjoying a fine automobile. Most people treat their cars like crap and don’t enjoy them. Car guys love the LS400 because it’s a simple and beautiful car built extremely well. It has integrity. Itd got nothing to do with showing off. It’s about enjoying the drive. Enjoying the journey.

[@gags730]

Looking at the LS 400 its hard to describe what a game changer that car was. I was just a teenager when that car came out and I still remember how much people started to talk about Lexus. At the time It was best described as the Caddy that wouldn't break down. While most luxury American car buyers above 50 seemed to pay it no mind, most teens couldn't wait for their parents to buy one and they couldn't wait for them to start hitting the used car market with their new drivers licenses. The LS was a huge hit and redefined luxury for the younger crowd. No longer did they want American luxury, a huge boat with plush seats or a very expensive European car that was expensive to work on . The younger people looked at the LS 400 as youthful with its style and looks and as the more affordable car to own and keep running.

[@jasonwhiteley3612]

The big difference with the earlier Lexus was there focus on precision engineering which meant they were more reliable & rarely needed repairs. It’s not just an emotional factor as for the wealthy the more reliable the vechile the more time saved a bit like flying though reliability may be more important in this case

[@Tuppoo94]

When you're making 6+ figures, time matters.

[@BeantownMrs]

My parents owned a 1990 LS400. I still remember how soft and buttery those leather seats were.

[@ADUSN]

I've driven it all, and quite like Rolls Royce, but the Ls400 seats are like leather pillows. Very memorable

[@Wargasm54]

Lexus changed the game. When the LS hit the streets, the Germans and Americans were quaking in their boots. I’m a Benz driver. And own 2 of them now. So I’m not a Lexus or Toyota fan boy. But the LS 400 was and still is an amazing vehicle. It made the Germans wake up and take stock. The Americans never woke up. They just started building SUV’s. Sadly, the German build quality took a big hit further down the road to remain competitive. And they’re still not as good as some of the 80’s and early 90’s models were. But I think they’ve made strides. But they’ll never be the amazing over engineered tanks they used to be. And now a flagship Lexus will set you back over 100 grand. And although they are still fantastic cars, I’d rather buy an AMG Benz for that money. Great video 👍🏻

[@RetroJack]

I continue to be amazed by the amount of research you put into these videos - thank you for all your hard work, and your ability to make it accessible to people like me!

[@alanrkanter]

I purchased my first Lexus LS, an LS400 in December of 1990, a 91 model. It was the very revised model that remain pretty much unchanged until the LS430 appeared. I purchased the LS430 in 2003 and the LS460 in 2012. I have loved each of these, and still own the 460. I moved on to a Tesla Model S (2022) and love it, but sort of wish it had a slightly softer ride like the Lexii. In all of the years with my Lexii i had only one repair (the A/C dryer broke and sent little silicate balls in to the system) and performed only the basic maintenance. I know the people who inherited both of my hand me downs and they are still driving their cars with nothing bad happening except the some of loudspeakers needing to replaced/repaired due to the rubber surrounds failing due to age.

[@staninjapan07]

In 1990 I worked at a Toyota dealer in the UK. At that time, the Lexus was a Toyota car, or at least it was sold from Toyota dealers. I was an apprentice mechanic. I remember a real mechanic taking me out in an LS 400. I could not believe the performance with almost no sound. Now, some years later, I live not too far from Toyota city, and not too far from Tahara. I could have sworn the LS400 was based on the Celsior body. No mention of that here, though. Great video, thanks.

[@paulsz6194]

@staninjqpan07 That’s because it was . The Lexus brand did not exist within Japan until 2005, the LS400 was the Celsius, the ES300 was the Toyota Windom, The GS300 was the Aristo, The Altezza was the IS200/300 and the RX300 was the Harrier.

[@staninjapan07]

@@paulsz6194 Good on you for letting me know. That's why they all looked so familiar, By the way, it is Celsior and not Celsius, but that's no big deal. Thanks.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@@staninjapan07 you go to Japan in 2007?

[@staninjapan07]

@@longiusaescius2537 No. I am actually 007, but it's very secret, so don't mention it on the Internet, whatever you do. MI6 might come knocking. Japan is the code word a secret country near Korea.

[@longiusaescius2537]

@@staninjapan07 hopefully the us wont wreck it like we have Korea

[@charleschaimkohl]

Fascinating video! Please do a video on Infinity and Acura as well!

[@2beJT]

My friend's dad got the first one I ever saw. I remember thinking it was sooo nice when I felt the interior.

[@davidtydeman1434]

One of things I loved about my Lexus was that all options were included. Mercedes had pages of options which delayed delivery and massively increased the price.

[@mdquaglia]

I just had a random thought: a student gets assigned a research project. Said student requests Asianometry to do a video on the subject. Student get an A+. 🤔🤓💯

[@ambiguous9999]

I was very young when this car came out but I remember thinking it was beautiful. Itwas THE car to have for Asian parents in my area.

[@deansiracusa3966]

I was the Sr staff photographer at Road & Track Magazine during the time of the Lexus introduction. We all were amazed with the LS400. It made Cadillac and Lincoln look and feel so cheap. And, the reliability of Lexus vehicles really scared Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

[@marcellinofresquez4213]

12:59 “ichiro flipped his bat” good quick joke.

[@vagellan_8842]

What a lovely lovely story of how I've always thought excellence in business should ALWAYS be! The nearly 1000 prototypes alone, not to mention the estimated billions of dollars and inconceivable man hours spent on R&D (for a consumer good) made my heart burst at the seams. Someone... No; clearly almost everyone at Toyota back then had passion for what they were doing. The company culture at the time obviously encouraged passion to show through one's excellent work. I wish I lived back then. I love the LS 400 today. Everything good you've heard about it is true. Such an excellent machine. Thank you for your videos. I've been enjoying them for almost a year now, wish KZbin would put them in front of my face more often.

[@campbellpaul]

The LS 400 is still in my top 5 best cars to own. The period Mercedes compact luxuries were also fine cars.

[@designthinkingwithgian]

As Steve Jobs said, the japaneese focus relentlessly on quality; American companies tend to prioritize marketing. Great video!

[@Erik-rp1hi]

My company in Torrance Ca. worked with George P Johnson. They still do auto show displays. I was task to make a "seat buck" from a prototype 95' Lexus 400. It was to be cut up and installed at a 45 deg angle in a case just showing the interior, the door sill the highest point of the car. A bezel hide the rest of the car which was cut off at the engine fire wall and trunk line. I was told it was most important to have the dash display and center console light up. They had been the first to have the speedo and tach needle made from a neon tube and want to show them off. The display with the rest of the Lexus set made the rounds of the US Auto shows. I went to the LA Auto show and saw it after they finished the set. It was a great display and I wanted that engine but everything had to be given back to Toyota and crushed.

[@j_k_rz]

10:22 watched Asianometry videos 😂😂 always loved that tinge of humour you inject

[@ricardokowalski1579]

Cadillac Management: Toyota built this car, in a cave, with a box of scraps!!! 😡 Cadillac engineers: We are not Toyota. 🤷

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

This is called projection. It's where the worst insult you can think of is accusing somebody of being like yourself.

[@fabiangirsch2391]

I really love your channel. Everything about it is just right to me. If you deem a topic interesting enough to make a video I’m 100% sure it’s worth a watch and I didn’t get disappointed thus far. Keep up the great work. Many honest thanks and greetings from Germany

[@Ultimatebubs]

My Dad had a 1997 Toyota Avalon, which was basically a front wheel drive version of the Lexus LS400 without the wood trim. He must have held onto that car for a decade, and rightfully so because it was practically indestructible.

[@H4KD11]

Same sort of car as the es300 or camry

[@EvanDannenhirsch]

nothing like an LS400, it had a different engine V6 vs V8, different drivetrain FWD vs RWD and was not built with the same materials, suspension, or even at the same plant

[@BiboyHernandez]

You put a lot of Car KZbinrs to shame! This is an excellent video.

[@vuyobubu8525]

The 90’s was such an amazing time in the car industry. So many dazzling offerings.

[@dr.brysonsfamilymedicine2453]

I always loved the LS400.

[@Bazed.]

There’s one where I live that’s been lowered and fitted with larger tires that I’ve seen hitting a lovely drift and sounding amazing.

[@snoopiti1]

Loved that video that was a bit more lighthearted than usual while still staying serious!

[@briancavanagh7048]

In parallel with the 1980s Japanese advance into the US luxury car market was the 1990s advance into the sporty car dominance. The 1990s is seen as peak Japanese performance cars and still coveted today by gear heads around the world. Models such as the RX7, Supra, NSX & GTR. These JDM models all exhibited technical brilliance which German brands struggled to emulate at any price point.

[@blurby]

the acura integra in 1986 at 4:17 was $10.5k base price in but 3 years earlier in 83, the Toyota camry at 7:17 was 13.5k? that's a very surprising fact that a luxury car was cheaper than a best selling sedan or else some of the numbers are getting mixed up between adjusted and standard. more explicitness with prices on screen would be helpful for viewers like me pls

[@ShaiyanHossain]

the integra was smaller

[@russtuff]

lol "would you like to know more". I love that reference.

[@JoaoSilva-t5i]

"Why wouldn't I buy something that is equally good for a low price?" It sounds obvious but this just doesn't happen in the EU/Japan where heritage is more important than the thing in itself. I think this is the true strength of the US vis a vis EU, Japan. This willingness to try something that's not known, but you feel it is better. Innovation is not only about people making new stuff, consumers have to be willing to try new things too. And in the US, people are more willing than people in other countries. that is why they are winning in the tech industry where the first mover advantage combined with the network effect is making them invincible.

[@autohmae]

The biggest reason tech the US is doing well is: the VC funding system/ecosystem in the US. Which at the moment seems to be having a harder than before. The AI bubble needs lot of money and it's trendy and thus VC is flowing that way... we'll see how many make it. Seems like they will hit trough of disillusionment soon enough, then we'll see what really works in practice. Not just a took for juniors to use without actually learning how it works.

[@Orcawhale1]

The europeans are constantly chasing "bang for the buck". That's litterally why we started the European Union, so we could get cheaper and better products. We are not slaves of brands or of so called "heritage". We just buy whatever fits our use case. Litterally nothing of what you've said is remotely true.

[@jmiquelmb]

Yeah this is the story that the US likes to tell themselves but the reality is different. American cars still subsist from government subsidies and protectionism. I'm from Europe, and I visited Japan last summer. No American cars in Japan, but many BMW, Mercedes and even high end Renault (not a single Audi in sight though wonder why). And in European countries like Spain or France a similar story happens: most non European brands are Japanese and Korean. The only American company with a substantial presence was Ford but it seems to be dwindling a lot in recent years. You can't explain that with just nationalism. People in Europe and Japan are ok buying foreign brands but not American brands because most of them they don't know how to adapt. The only one who seemed it could make a change was Tesla but I don't think they fare well in the following 10 years which will be the crucial ones for the EV industry. Despite having the massive perk of infinite money from American tech venture capital they're unable to have efficient production lines and haven't released new viable models in years (let's better not talk about the Cybertruck). The Chinese are already surpassing them in sales, and companies like Volkswagen will probably ramp up production soon. Also, Americans are nationalistic towards their cars. I still remember the film Gran Torino where Clint Eastwood admonishes his son telling him to buy an American car. It's a decent film but also an American car advertisement

[@stephenheath8465]

@@jmiquelmb American Corporate Culture is extremely arrogant for years

[@baronvonjo1929]

​@jmiquelmb The American brands have been in decline here in the states for decades. While there are those who refuse to buy anything but American, the vast majority of us gave up on them. They have had a collapse in market share since their peak. Toyota is the best selling brand now. I always thought Europeans were significantly more nationalistic with their car brands. French buy French, Germans buy German, Italians are moving away from some Italians brands but still prefer them. Japanese prefer Japanese brands. But Americans? Other than a few American models I would say we prefer anything not American. Our automakers have gone bankrupt, they have been in decline, they are leaving markets all over the globe and leaving segments. The Chyrsler brands aren't even American anymore. I'm waiting for GM or Ford to go bankrupt. Tesla is a current golden child. They are doing better than any other in terms of future prospects. At least atm. Their cars were number one sellers last year in various European countries. However I wouldn't be surprised if they lose their momentum. They are far too reliant on just two models.

[@stefanschneider3681]

Great story, greatly presented! Thx!

[@msb3235]

10:20, Moved to California, ate at expensive restaurants, and watched Asianometry videos...and I was like "Wait the minute, let's listen to that again!"

[@RomanJockMCO]

Nice video. I'm curious though why you would show some cars and ads from the second gen claiming it was the original? Originally Lexus chose to focus on their engineering accomplishments with the car. I was blown away by it back in 1989. Although I found the original a bit slow and soft to complete with the Germans. The 1993 mid-cycle freshening tightened up the suspension a bit but I always wished it got the shorter final drive of the SC400. It was quicker to 60 by 1.5 seconds or so but sacrificed top end if I recall correctly.

[@AliasHSW]

Just a few days ago I was thinking of the rise and history of Lexus and Acura. In 1986 when Acura debuted locally my brother, uncle and BIL each bought an Integra from the dealer. Needless to say it made the dealer really happy

[@AryanKumar-fz2dm]

The car is pretty famous in India as well, even though, one such 1991 LS 400 was ever imported into India.

[@Aengus42]

As a British Toyota Corolla hybrid estate owner I'm still impressed by what the Japanese car manufacturers can turn out! It's beautifully put together, solid, smooth, technically innovative & right down to the shut lines it's just about perfect. 42 mpg & when that 2 litre injected lump gets going with a huge dump of Watts from the electric motor it's a real hoot to drive! Love it to bits!

[@dbkfrogkaty1]

I had a 2009 Nissan Maxima that got flooded by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. I was able to get an old Lexus 1999 LS470 SUV after getting insurance money. I have it to this day. It rides like a dream, looks great, and we still get requests from people wanting to buy it from us. We had the leather seats replaced along with the carpets. It has 230,000 miles on it. Fantastic car.

[@demiller74]

Remember in ‘Street Fighter II’ when they smashed a LS 400? In retrospect, after GM went bankrupt, that attitude was spot on. America needs a domestically owned car manufacturing industry, even if it’s not the best car on the market.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Lexus is more American than GM at this point

[@JayMcK-yj8ht]

I worked for Lexus in Brisbane-Sydney -Perth Australia from 92-07 , I was a quality controller and loved it .First gen LS is my fav .

[@doctorrusty6494]

Great video and good job! I really enjoy those not-so-technology-oriented side topics delivered with a genuine Asianometry style. It's pure gold!

[@Awesomes007]

Had one of these. A 1991 or 92 I think. Absolutely incredible machine.

[@nathanhale3006]

Loved my 1990 Legend. Would still drive one today.

[@peterkramer288]

Every time I step into my 1999 Camry Wagon with the Lexus 3.0litre V6 engine I sincerely thank the Toyota Company and the wonderful people of Japan. God bless.

[@XmarkedSpot]

11:02 I LOVE the 944

[@soberek]

When I saw the last graph showing 1986-2000 Lexus sales, my jaw dropped. I had no idea how successful they were. This was an absolute thickest steel rebar shoved up Detroit's ass.

[@iScoopyPal]

They were serious about building a luxury car and they indeed delivered it. Ironically, the recall was an accidental opportunity to introduce the Lexus services to the owners!

[@inaj27]

As a kid I rode in one of these back in 1992 in the snow ! Those ls400’s are so smooth and luxurious .

[@sunahamanagai9039]

10:36 Wow, that looks like the Chrysler Concorde which came much later. They really did grasp the American taste.

[@alexlarson2466]

Toyota also scared the sh*t out of the industry when they built the XV10 Camry to Lexus standards, they developed the ES300 first then built the camry on it which is why the 3rd gen is so overdone for a camry, and they gave it a similar styling and influence. The fact Toyota could make a mainstream non-luxury model to such standards scared the holy hell out of the industry. But not sure Toyota kept making the Camry as these standards after the 3rd gen. I enjoyed your Genesis shoutout. Idk if you referenced Wikipedia- I wrote the section about the LS400's influence, I am a Mechanical Engineer, work as a quality engineer and CMM programmer/metrologist at a CNC machine shop, where I also implement Lean principles into our shop! I wrote the part on wiki about John Krafcik who did his MBA at MIT with the IMVP Lean group with the book "Machine that Changed the World", then he headed Hyundai for a while. I have an XV10 Camry in my garage, and 3 Xiaoguang 1:18 LS400 models in my 1:18 collection, one in silver, white, and forest green. I absolutely love these cars to death. I'm autistic and these cars are my ASD special interest. To speak of how high these standards are, the quality methods are used to set the standard for aerospace and is used to carry out AS9100 standards.

[@Hunter4042012]

The XV20 was Just as good as it had the same underpinnings.

[@dansv1]

13:38 Isn’t that is the weight of the entire car, not the engine weight?

[@vikramrao6391]

The Lexus LS was 10 years ahead of the Germans, 20 years ahead of Cadillac and about 30 years ahead of Jaguar. The Lexus had every option and was cheaper than a base S Class or 7 series. Mix that with stunning fit and finish and you see why they put legacy manufacturers to shame.

[@JTA1961]

Yup

[@ShaiyanHossain]

mercedes sued lexus for makng the ls400 too cheap

[@vikramrao6391]

@ShaiyanHossain there is an old top gear episode where the presenter compares the LS 400 to a Mercedes S class, a 7 series and an XJ. The only one that sort of compared favorably was the 7 series, the other two were hopelessly out of date. The presenter made an imonious prediction for the other 3.

[@peterparsons7141]

You videos are excellent, lots of good information and enjoyable entertaining to watch. Re the v8 engine for the fist Lexus lS weight you mention might be incorrect. The engine weight is; The 1UZ will weigh roughly 425-450 lbs. It is a 4.0L V8 outputting about 255 HP at the crank in stock form.

[@randomstuffwithnofluff7472]

I owned a 1990 LS400, it was one of the most finest cars I ever bought back in the day. I actually liked taking it to the dealer for service, because it was a great experience (I never felt pressured of ripprd off). We would get a loaner car just for an oil change, sometimes even restaurant vouchers or movie tickets. We would sometimes get opera or show tickets when it was sponsored by Lexus. Regrettably we moved on to other luxury brands because of model and personal preferences, but no brand EVER beat Lexus quality and service to their customers.

[@pushslice]

And around the same time, Honda released the NSX, which shattered “the emperors clothes of exotic cars” , ie reluctantly held belief that declared they were ‘allowed’ to be unreliable, sell cars with prototype-level build quality, and be awkward to drive and operate. Ferrari and Lamborghini had to completely up their game from there, in order to justify what they were charging over and above what an NSX cost .

[@JTA1961]

Well said

[@transamericanlife]

I love my 93 LS 400, I just wish Lexus still made the parts for it.

[@JoshuaDavis-yi9ts]

Part 2 would be welcome, this bid was awesome.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

0:53 man so many good cars there that have crumbled to rust

[@syncmonism]

My mom had an 89 Corolla. Man that was a GREAT car. It never needed any major work over about 350,000 km, and it may well still be on the road today for all I know.

[@frankchan4272]

I bought a 1987 Acura Integra & it included a service manual so you can maintain the car if you want. There was fairly large aftermarket parts for as it borrowed many parts from existing Honda’s. The only thing that set the 1st generation Integra was the torsion bar front suspension which set it apart from other Honda models.

[@therealjayseh]

Honda Civic CRX had torsion I believe

[@frankchan4272]

@@therealjayseh I stand corrected. They shared the front suspension

[@mikeh2520]

I was able to check out a limousine version of the LS 400. It was slightly lengthened at the rear door to make it easier to get in and out of. That car was very comfortable. It was impressive.

[@AaronSchwarz42]

Well said, nice video about why Tesla / Lexus are so reliable, well made, popular and why they sell well worldwide :)

[@jasonhoch7105]

I had a 1983 Cadillac DeVille as a first car. It was a terrible car, but it was beyond comfortable. 130HP out of a 4.1 liter v8 in an over 2 ton car was absolutely laughable. It was a relic of old American luxury car tastes when it was new. Big, floaty, cushy, slow. (Kind of miss that car)

[@jasejj]

The Chinese companies need to concentrate on getting their basic quality right first. Despite all the hype, the cars we've received in the UK under the acquired MG brand have been mediocre at best in terms of build and reliability - and in Europe there are massive backlogs of unsold cars in docks as a result. They seem desperate to fly before they can crawl, never mind walk. Although it should be noted that the Chinese-built Teslas are far better than the US-made ones!

[@midiman5045]

I still have my 92 LS 400. Great car.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Toyota stunned American mechanics with the impossible-to-access Lexus starter in the lifter valley.

[@therealjayseh]

And it worked they kept their hands off the cars haha

[@t0mn8r35]

Very informative and well done video. Thank you.

[@AlexRoivas]

Asianometry I love your videos. Thank you for making my break times at work amazing.

[@paulbates2626]

I inherited a 2015 ES300 hybrid from my dad. I didn’t keep it long. I was involved in an accident that was a direct result of Covid. Yay 2020. That car was smooth, quiet, and got 35 mpg or better all the time. I took it to the dealer multiple times for routine maintenance. The service was second to none. Lexus, their vehicles and employees are a class act. The mouse infotainment system sucks hard though. The infotainment systems in my 2017 previously owned Tacoma and my current 2020 tundra are much easier to use.

[@Mastermind12358]

13:04 correction, the larger displacement of the engine, 3.6 vs 4.0 doeskin actually mean a bigger engine. Physically, I doubt you could tell the difference looking at it from the outside.

[@Il0vebagels69]

I’ve owned 4 Lexus ls400s. They’re simply the best vehicles ever made. The engine is so smooth, even with a misfire. Everything still works after 400k miles and countless hours on the road.