From the Inside Flap Imagine a car that ran that ran quicker, quieter and offered higher quality than the best selling top-of-the-line German luxury model?and all for a sticker price of $30,000 less. That car, the Lexus LS 400, sent shockwaves throughout the world?s automotive industry when it debuted in 1989. It was Toyota Motor Corp.?s first foray into the global luxury market. And no expense was spared in its development. It took 1,400 engineers and 2,300 technicians, 450 prototypes and six years to complete the vehicle at a cost of some $1 billion. But that investment has paid off many, many times over. Within two years of its introduction, Lexus overtook Mercedes-Benz for crown of best selling luxury import brand in the U.S. and had cinched top place in J.D. Power & Associates influential ratings for quality and service. Since then, Lexus has won more J.D. Power & Associates awards than any other automotive marquee. Yet the road to success was anything but smooth for Lexus. How did Toyota Motor come to dominate one of the most competitive, high profile and lucrative markets in the world? This book answers that question and looks at the issues Lexus now faces to stay on top. It is an important tool for anyone with an appreciation for fine autos--or just plain business smarts. Using a wealth of internal materials and interviews with key sources developed in his years as Tokyo correspondent for BusinessWeek magazine, Chester Dawson documents the growth of Lexus--from its genesis at top secret Toyota Motor board meeting in the fall of 1983 to the strategy behind an all new line-up due out over the next three years to 2007. Read more From the Back Cover Toyota is the best car company in the world. From a truck-maker in World War II to a carmaker in the 1950s to a Lexus maker in the 1980s, it excels everywhere. Chester Dawson is a Japanese-speaking investigative reporter who has got the inside story of Lexus and made it come alive.- Ezra F. Vogel, Professor, Harvard University Chester Dawson brings to life the story of Lexus. This is a tale of invention, innovation, consumer insight, dedication and resolve. Dawson tells the story with drama, vision and insider detail. He unlocks the keys to how Toyota took a vague idea and turned it into a flagship brand and a new automotive icon.- Michael Silverstein, Senior Vice President, The Boston Consulting Group While Detroit is still trying to figure out how Toyota made Lexus the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, Chester Dawson has dissected the Lexus story in an enlightening way. Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit brings to life the personalities who brought about an automotive phenomenon. This is a must-read not only for car buffs, but for any manager or executive who wants to understand any manager or executive who wants to understand how to create, sustain and expand an elite brand.- Micheline Maynard, author of the End of Detroit: How the Big Three Lost their Grip on the American Car Market Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit takes you behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious and lucrative business strategies executed in the past 20 years. Learn why Toyota Motor decided to take on the German luxury brands-and how the company attacked the problem, starting with a top-secret board meeting in 1983 Find out what drove the brand's success: the hows and whys of its unparalleled quality, those unforgettable ads and the unprecedented customer service Get the inside story on the birth of the luxury division, the vehicle code names and the lawsuit that almost derailed the launch of the billion dollar brand in 1989 Discover how Lexus stumbled into its most successful line of vehicles: Luxury SUVs Take a virtual tour of Toyota Motor's crown jewel factories: the flagship Lexus plant in Tahara, Japan and the newest Lexus facility in Cambridge, Ontario. This book is essential reading for automotive and business professionals! Read more See all Editorial Reviews
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