Lexus- History

*Lexus' Glory*		September 1996 A more luxurious, more powerful, second-generation ES 300 is introduced. LS 400 is ranked Most Appealing Premium Luxury Car in the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study.^SM
July 1996 The LS 400 is named one of the Twenty-Four Most Important Automobiles of the Century by Automobile Magazine.
June 1996 Lexus is ranked a Best Overall Nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Satisfaction Index.^SM
	May 1996 The ES 300 and the SC 400/300 rank as the Best Entry Luxury Car and Best Premium Luxury Car, respectively, in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study.^SM
March 1996 In its second year of eligibility, Lexus is again ranked first by J.D. Power and Associates as the Best Overall Carline in Vehicle Dependability^SM after five years of ownership.
		January 1996 Lexus introduces the LX 450 luxury sport-utility vehicle. Just two months later, it climbs to the top of the luxury SUV segment, surpassing Range Rover in units sold.
July 1995 For an unprecedented fifth consecutive year, Lexus ranks as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study.^SM
		March 1995 In its first year of eligibility, Lexus is ranked by J.D. Power and Associates as the Best Overall Carline in Vehicle Dependability^SM after five years of ownership.
January 1995 The SC 300 is named a Car and Driver 10Best. The LS 400 receives Popular Mechanics' Design and Engineering Award. And Lexus was the best-selling luxury import in 1994.
	December 1994 The new LS 400 is designated Best of What's New by Popular Science.
November 1994 The redesigned second-generation LS 400 goes on sale.
		July 1994 Lexus is ranked as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study^SM for the fourth straight year and as the Best Overall Carline in Sales Satisfaction for the third time in four years.
May 1994 Lexus sweeps the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study,^SM with the Best Overall Carline ranking.
		February 1994 Lexus is ranked as the Best Overall Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Performance Study,^SM reflecting satisfaction after three years of ownership.
July 1993 For the third year in a row, Lexus is ranked as the #1 Carline in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study.^SM
		June 1993 The LS 400 is named the Best Import Car for 1993 by The Robb Report.
January 1993 Lexus introduces its first luxury performance sedan, the GS 300. The SC 300 is named to the Car and Driver 10Best and to Automobile Magazine's All-Star list.
			September 1992 A freshened LS 400 appears with more than 50 changes, many as a direct response to dealer and customer requests.
July 1992 Lexus again tops the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Study^SM as the #1 Carline, and the Sales Satisfaction Study^SM as the Best Overall Carline.
		March 1992 Motor Trend and the Motoring Press Association name the SC 400 Import Car of the Year.
January 1992 The SC 400 and ES 300 are named Automobile Magazine All-Stars, and SC 400 a Car and Driver 10Best. Lexus outsells BMW and Mercedes-Benz to become the number-one luxury import.
	September 1991 The ES 300 replaces the ES 250.
		August 1991 The SC 300 is introduced. Lexus sweeps the J.D. Power and Associates studies, topping the Customer Satisfaction Study^SM as the #1 Carline, the Initial Quality Study^SM as the Best Overall Carline, and the Sales Satisfaction Study^SM as the Best Overall Carline.
May 1991 Lexus unveils the first new addition to its product line, the SC 400.
		July 1990 Lexus first appears in a J.D. Power and Associates study, ranked as the #1 Carline in the Initial Quality Study.^SM
February 1990 The Motoring Press Association names the LS 400 Best Imported Car of the Year.
	January 1990 The LS 400 is named a Car and Driver 10Best.
September 1989 The LS 400 and ES 250 go on sale.
		January 1989 The LS 400 and ES 250 are unveiled to the world at Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows.
May 1987 Management approves the final design of the LS 400.
			September 1986 Extensive testing on American roads begins.
May 1986 Performance testing begins on the Autobahn in Germany
		July 1985 The first of the LS 400 running prototypes is built.
May 1985 A study team visits the U.S. to conduct focus groups while a design team moves to California to develop concepts.
August 1983 At a top-level, top-secret meeting, Toyota Chairman Eiji Toyoda determines the time is right to create a luxury vehicle to challenge the world's best.