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Founded in 1989, Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota and one of the ten largest Japanese global brands. Created to compete with the luxury divisions of Honda and Nissan (Acura and Infiniti), Lexus was born out of a challenge issued by Toyota chairman Eiji Toyoda to "build the world's best car." Lexus is best known for their high-end, comfortable vehicles, making them one of the more recognized luxury brands in the world.
Lexus's first automobile was the 1989 LS 400 sedan, which featured a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive. The LS 400 originally cost $51,000, the equivalent of $111,447 in current value. Today, Lexus makes a variety of luxury vehicles, from sedans to full-size SUVs. Their current model lineup includes the ES 250, 300, and 350, the GX 460, the LX 570, and the LX 600. Lexus sold 331,383 vehicles in 2007 in the US, its highest year of sales.
Lexus recently announced they plan to have 20 new vehicles by 2025, including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrid electric vehicles. They also intend to have electric versions of every one of their car models by the same year. With their future EV plans, Lexus is building off the reputation they developed by introducing the first luxury hybrid model on the market, the Lexus RX 400h.