While Lexus was intended to be Toyota’s luxury subsidiary, over the years they’ve moved further apart. Are their engines made in the same factory?
Toyota has spent nearly a century building a reputation for manufacturing affordable vehicles as safe, reliable, and fuel-efficient as they are stylish. But for auto enthusiasts who prefer a little more power and panache when they’re behind the wheel, Toyota might be better known as the parent company of the luxury auto brand Lexus. In fact, Toyota has owned the luxury car brand since 1983, when the company’s then-sitting president, Eiji Toyoda, founded Lexus in hopes of building « a car that is better than the best in the world. »
More than half a century later, Lexus forges ahead with that singular goal. While it’s impossible to quantify the automaker’s success in that noble endeavor, with more than 10 million cars sold worldwide, some luxury car enthusiasts would no doubt argue Lexus has more than succeeded. However, Lexus’ ties to their less flashy parent company will likely never be completely severed, thanks in no small part to an extensive and ongoing history of shared design elements and vehicle components.
