How would someone define the term "perfection"? By the most basic of definitions, perfection roughly translates to the craving of unparalleled results; an achievement bar none to anything that has existed so far in the realms of space. Ideally speaking, perfection is something every ambitious human being strives to claim; a worthy and satisfactory omega. However, nothing can be perfect in this world, and that is a fixed, absolute perception that we all must consider in our pursuit of perfection. So then begs the question, how far possible can we close the gap? At what point can our results reflect the impossible noun ever so similarly? In 1989, Lexus had that answer, in the form of what was then the most ambitious luxury saloon that the world has ever conceived. Refined and perfected to boundaries which pushed the limits far, far beyond what even the most sophisticated car manufacturers can comprehend. The Lexus LS400, or as the Japanese would like to call it, the Toyota Celsior. One car, one name, one dream, and one huge success which changed the face of the Japanese automotive industry, forever.
In the mid 1970s, Toyota had established themselves in the United States as being one of the premier budget car manufacturers, providing cheap, affordable, and crucially reliable transportation amidst the ongoing oil crisis. However, When the neon-drenched 80s came about, Japan was starting to enter a period of major economic growth, which would soon become what many refer to as the "Bubble Economy Era", an era which defined luxury excess and pushed the ever evolving boundaries of technology. Then Toyota president, Eiji Toyoda, saw this opportunity as a stepping stone for Toyota to show the world that Japanese manufacturers can still go toe-to-toe, if not better than the American and European establishments. Taking into consideration that, at the time, Japanese auto makers were considered second-rate vehicles roughly purposed for the "tight on a budget" crowd. The sheer hard working principle of Japanese workers prompted Toyoda to challenge the impossible. In 1983, he proposed an idea to make a luxury saloon that was, in better wording, the best in the world. Quieter. Faster. Better. Far surpassing the likes of their own Japanese-centric Crown and clandestine royalty Century, and dominating tough European crowds such as Mercedes-Benz or BMW, which were regarded as the meta for luxury sedans at the time.
Circle F, or Project F1 as it's known to be called in its later years, became a severely ambitious, highly confidential project for what it was. About 4,000 people, consisting of 60 designers, 24 teams of 1,400 engineers, 2,300 technicians and about 220 support workers joined in the relentless pursuit to find the closest physical embodiment of perfection, sans any budgeting measures. Five key, yet borderline impossible milestones were placed on the forefront of the project. First, a body which had a drag coefficient of 0.29, which, to put into context, was far more slippery than that of a then-new Porsche 964 (0.32), or even any luxury sedan of that matter (0.34 average). Next, a desired level of quietness no more than 58 decibels, which equals that of a quiet working office, complimented by a welcoming interior that was also sophisticatedly functional. Last, an engine that is as fuel efficient as it is powerful, enough to propel the car to north of 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour), whilst still managing a 10.5 kilometer-per-100 liter average ( 9.5 kilometers-per-liter, or 22.5 miles per gallon) to meet "gas guzzler tax" standards. Some engineers questioned the possibility of such a colossal target, as such numbers were nearly fantasy for the time being. However, Toyoda's reassurance of his company's excellence and a few years in the making proved their doubts wrong.
Before they could tackle anything related to the car itself. 20 researchers consisting of designers and engineers of the Circle F team were flown to the sunny shores of Southern California. Where they were tasked with the simple objective to observe the lifestyles of luxury car owners. What sort of quirks and tidbits they were looking for in their huge land yachts. Said research concluded upon three distinct categories, all with different psychologies. The first group, consisting of proud Americans who fancied themselves upon the big hunks of Detroit prominence: Cadillac and Lincoln. A big roomy interior with supple suspension and a powerful, torque plenty V8 engine is all they ever needed. When asked with the possibility to convert to a Japanese luxury saloon, these individuals would often refuse blatantly by the mention of it. The second group preferred the sheer driving experience and feel of Deutsch's Bavarian Motoren-Werke automobiles, claiming that they enjoy the thrill of driving their cars while also having the image and status of a European sports luxury saloon. These people were more likely to convert for a more oriental take on luxury, but with a fifty-fifty probability. The third group were, as basic as it may sound, disappointed Mercedes-Benz owners, who felt that they were let down of their expectations after having spent so much on a car they expected to be as perfect as their money talked. These are what the researchers thought to be the most vulnerable of the bunch.
A clear idea on the preferences and needs of luxury car owners wasn't enough to satisfy their hunger for information. The researchers took it upon themselves and tried to further experience what it was like being an owner of a prestigious automobile. Rumors afloat that they bought nail extensions on purpose, to be able to feel what it's like driving with added accessories on, as how most of these prominent individuals do when they drive their European grand saloons. Coming back to Japan, the team concluded that they needed a car which could combine all the possible preferences each category had. Three design prototypes were prepared to be presented to the executives, each featuring striking lines and a low profile shape, being loosely based on Toyota's current global luxury sport saloon, the Cressida. Such designs were promptly rejected however, as the higher ups felt that the bold design was too "in your face" and lacked the warmth present in many of its European and American rivals. In 1985, the objectives of the project were slightly revised, now focusing to create "a luxury sedan with a sense of intelligence, excluding gimmicks and pursuing the essentials". This prompted the radical design to be watered down, incorporating a more traditional boxy shape. Chief exterior designer, Kunihiro Uchida, came up with 8 different designs, of which all of them were also rejected, until one was eventually green-lighted in May 1987.
Ichiro Suzuki, ex-vehicle body assembly employee of Toyota Motor Company, was soon put in charge of the car's development as chief engineer, replacing Shoji Jimbo in 1986, as he was appointed to become a managing director, only able to supervise the project from a far distance. Suzuki was well known for his steel perseverance during his early years working as an employee for Toyota's body assembly department, and this would lead him to create the five key points of the Circle F project as mentioned earlier, which by now was called Project F1, which stood for "Flagship One", and not the open wheel racing league that you might have expected. One of the key points of development was the LS400's engine. Powerful. Smooth. Lightweight. Quiet. The four milestones Suzuki hard pressed as part of the engine design. The original idea was to put the already existing 7M-GE three-liter inline-six engine found in the Crown, but, it was soon discovered that further refining the engine for smoothness and quietness would make much less sense than to build a completely new engine, as it might not meet their expected standards of performance. However, engineers insisted that they kept the three-liter specification found on the Crown's 7M-GE engine, as increasing displacement would jeopardize Toyota's expertise at engine making, seeing that they are venturing to unknown, yet dangerously risky territory.
Suzuki begged to differ. He argued that a 3-liter engine would not stand out in the vast majority of big displacement saloons, and he wouldn't give no as an answer. During a rigorous testing session on Toyota's very own Shibetsu proving grounds, a 3.5-liter equipped prototype LS400 was put to the paces, dealing with all sorts of bumps and road imperfections likely found on Japanese and especially American roads, as such was the target sales demographic. But that was not the point of concern at the time, it was the engine. The prototype weighed in at a ballast heavy 1900 kilograms (4200 pounds) and only managed to do 8.7 kilometers per liter (20.5 miles per gallon), a good 0.7 kilometers or 2 miles off the expected standard. Suzuki was not in any way pleased, as he demanded the standards to be met whatever the cost, considering the mere fact that such poor fuel economy would cause the saloon to obtain the "gas guzzler tax", an American specific tax regulation which increases the taxes of automobiles from an extra $1000 to as much as $7000 depending on fuel consumption. This caused lead engine designer, Yoshihiko Dohi, to scrap the existing 3.5-liter design in favor for an all-new 3.8-liter, which, after numerous fine tuning and adjustments, was able to clear the expected fuel economy standard set by Suzuki, whilst giving added performance which could help the car compete against its rivals.
Suzuki believed that problems can be solved by the Japanese motto "genryu taisaku" or translated as "returning to the essences". Coming back to the core building blocks of a certain working project to recognize and fix the problem. Hence, this formed a "not yet" principle for Suzuki, that as long as he's not satisfied with the product shown, he would simply utter the phrases "not yet", as he felt it could do better. In later times, Suzuki overheard the news of a new Nissan luxury saloon being developed. Considering the tight rivalry between Toyota and Nissan throughout the years, he felt uneasy. More news soon came to surface that Nissan was supposedly planning a 3.0-liter V8 engine into their brand new saloon. In anticipation of such a competitive engine, Suzuki (and supposedly Yoshihiko) scrapped the 3.8-liter design yet again, and finalized on an even bigger 4.0-liter twin overhead cam V8 engine, improving upon the previous 3.8-liter mock up. The engine continued development until April of 1988, where it would be finalized as the well-known 1UZ-FE. Constructed using an aluminum block with cast iron cylinder heads, the engine was very lightweight, ticking the list to one of its original targets. The end result was an engine capable of producing 260PS (256HP) at 5600 RPM, with a maximum torque of 35.9 kg-m (353 newton-meters, 260 ft-lb) kicking in at 4400 RPM.
Not only was the engine powerful, but it also achieved a scarcely believable level of smoothness as well as unprecedented quietness. Instead of using a conventional (at the time) timing chain, the 1UZ utilized a belt surrounded with aramid teeth, giving for a quieter and lighter engine. Other measures included the repositioning of the starter motor. In most cars, the motor would be affixed to the side of the engine. However, Toyota improvised and relocated the motor to the inner bank of the V8 engine, thereby reducing external noise. The driveshaft was also completely reworked. Using the "genryu taisaku" principle, the engineers searched long and hard to find the cause of an unsettling drivetrain noise, which could in fact fail to meet the cars expected standard. It was soon found that the conventional two-piece drivetrain design, one which the rear half of the shaft bends on the knuckle joints between the two shaft pieces, caused major unwanted vibrations and noise. Hence, the engine was tilted slightly back, enabling the driveshaft to connect to the differential in a completely straight line, thus eliminating the cause of vibration and noise. The finished product resulted in an engine that was so quiet and smooth, it will not cause a stack of champagne glasses to move an inch, even if the car was approaching 140 miles per hour. Demonstrated beautifully by their iconic advertisement here, forever etched into the minds of many luxury automotive enthusiasts.
The design of the car remained relatively similar to the original concept. However, due to the watered down, block-centric shape, the engineers found it difficult to reach a slippery drag coefficient of 0.29. Hope was not lost however, as they were able to work their way around, achieving the desired drag coefficient that they oh-so helplessly pursue. Instead of re-working the exterior of the sedan, they got to work on the undercarriage of the car. Air deflecting spats were placed ahead of the front wheels, directing air downwards into the car's flat belly pan, stretching underneath the whole length of the car in order to help airflow. Care was also taken to the design aspect of the exhaust itself, where it was shaped to be as aerodynamically efficient as possible to reduce drag in the underbody. Of course, like the razor-sharp attention to detail most Japanese workers have, little things matter. The exterior of the car was adjusted ever so slightly, having its glass window panes and door handles sit flush with the body line, as well as having spring loaded side headlight markers to reduce panel gap, all in the name of sweet aerodynamics. A spoiler was apparently conceptualized to aid in rear downforce. However, Suzuki felt that it would throw off the car's characteristics and eventually give it a completely different personality, but, a few subtle design changes to the rear trunk enabled a small integrated trunk spoiler to find its way into the design, sweeping up ever so slightly to produce just enough downforce.
With an incredibly butter smooth engine and trick aerodynamic improvements, all the car needed in terms of mechanical prowess was the suspension underpinnings itself. Toyota never once compromised during the build process of this ambitious saloon, hence, the LS400 utilized full high-mount double wishbone suspension systems all round. Suspension choice boiled down to an optional air suspension system or Toyota's home-brewed Piezo TEMS, short for Piezo Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension. The system comprises of a sensor which is connected to the car's steering rack, while a microprocessor attaches itself to the rear brake lights. The multitude of sensors and microprocessors will send information to the ECU, comprising of engine speed, throttle position, and individual tire travel. Along with a ingenious load leveling system, which accounts the number of passengers inside of the car, Toyota's TEMS system enables optimum ride height adjustment as well as shock absorber stiffness to suit any road, at any needs. Of course, such precision performance wouldn't be satisfactory with a dull interior. Toyota interior designers took inspiration from the insides of a Gulfstream 4 mini jet; A straightforward, yet elegant design with no compromises. Such was the design concept they took for the LS400's interior.
The attention to quality didn't just end there. The LS400 utilized a very unique analog speedometer, one which was an industry first at the time. In collaboration with electronic giant Denso, the designers managed to create an analog tachometer which was as classy as it was high tech. When the car is not in use, the tachometer would be hidden in plain sight behind a panel of dark, smoked glass. Turn the starter key, and the tachometer needle lights up as if it were a miniature Light Saber, as described by instrument panel designer, Michikazu Masu, whom was able to achieve such an effect by inserting a single cathode tube into the tach needle. Afterwards, comes the whole tachometer, as it lit up to life, illuminated with fluorescent lights which, not only was functioning in both day and night situations, but also help gave the impression that the tachometer was running afloat. Other key interior aspects was the choice of wood panelling. Over 24 different wood grains were assessed to find which of the 2 dozen examples best suited a customer's expectation of a luxury car, in which Californian Walnut became the chosen material. Premium leather was used to cover the seats, as it reflected the choice material for many luxury cars of its time. However, Japanese-spec Celsiors would also be given an option of soft wool fabric, which helped in heat dispersion and would reduce the chances of someone's butt setting ablaze in a hot, scorching afternoon.
The sound system was especially tailored for the LS400. A high-quality Pioneer sound system came as standard equipment. However, those who want to feel a little more fancy could opt for a specifically designed Nakamichi sound system, which, in partnership with Toyota, was built to maximize the sound echoing qualities of the car's interior, further enhancing the depth of noise coming out of each individual speakers. Dedicated fluid-damped cabin fixtures were affixed behind panels, maintaining the interior's clean presence while also helping to kill out all unwanted noise coming from outside of the car. Other technological and groundbreaking advancements include, but are not limited to: Power adjustable seats (10 adjustments for driver, 8 for passenger) with memory system. Telescopic and tilt steering wheel also equipped with a dedicated memory system. Power adjustable seatbelts. Positioning of driver controls which were intensively researched and designed by Toyota's Human Factors Laboratory, tailoring each button shape depending on how often they were used. A special anti-aging composite coating helped to prevent material wear and tear even after 80,000 kilometers (50,000 miles) of use. The paint itself was of a special iron oxide material, containing crystals that helped changed the hue of the paint depending on environmental conditions.
After almost 6 years, 4.4 million kilometers worth of testing distance, and a breathtaking total of 973 prototypes, 450 of them were test mules. The LS400 was ready to be unveiled to the world in January of 1989, precisely at the 1st North American International Motor Show. However, considering the image of Toyota as being a cheap economy car manufacturer at the time. Suzuki-hired business analysts Yoshi Ishizaka and Bob McCurry were convinced that the LS400 will not sell as a Toyota. They devised a plan to create a separate, yet Toyota-related luxury brand in the States, one which would be seen as a more prestigious side of Toyota Motor Company. At first, there was a clash with the higher ups, as they felt that taking such a risky move could jeopardize the good relations Toyota Motor Company had with other manufacturers as well as their customers. But, as classic as Suzuki can get, he, again, wouldn't say no for an answer. The plan eventually went on, and about 219 names were chosen to be the candidate of this "luxury Toyota" manufacturer. Out of all the names which were consulted by New York advisory company Lippincott and Margules, Toyota decided to run the "Alexis" name, but, George Borst, Toyota America's corporate marketing manager, pointed out that the name was far too similar to the character of a 1980s American TV show named "Dynasty". Hence, further tweaks were made, and finally, Toyota settled with one name, a name that still is used to this day, and a name closely related to luxury offerings made by Toyota. Lexus.
With a name that has been set, Toyota is now ready to head over to Michigan for their big debut. But, unfortunate events strike yet again. On December 30, 1988, an information service company under the name of Mead Data Central filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Toyota, as their "Lexus" name bears resemblance to the corporation's "Lexis" computer data retrieval service, used commonly by attorneys to provide computerized data on legal cases. The judge ruled out that Toyota was prohibited to use the name as it might adversely impact and "dilute", as quoted from a Los Angeles Times article, the distinctiveness of the Lexis brand, worrying that potential Lexis customers were going to be familiar with the Toyota-based car brand by mention of the name. Toyota wasn't going to give up easily, they rushed an appeal on New Year's Day, 1988, claiming that a research questionnaire they've conducted showed 74% of the respondents having no clue as to what "Lexis" is, or thought that it was said "Dynasty" TV show character. Toyota, ready for the worst possible outcome, had prepared duct tapes and even created "TLD", or short for Toyota Luxury Division engine caps to cover up their Lexus badges prior to the Motor Show, had their plan failed, but, fortune favors the bold, and Toyota was granted a temporary pass until the final verdict was reached, enabling them to use the Lexus brand at D-Day, considering that there were already 89 Lexus vehicles built at the time. As of Mead, the company suffered north of 100 million dollars in losses over the next 15 years.
In January of 1989, as was their expectation, Nissan debuted their Q45 luxury saloon automobile under their American luxury brand Infiniti. However, all eyes were attracted to the Lexus stands, where a beige two-tone LS400 was up for display. Journalists and bystanders crowded the then new Lexus, intrigued by curiosity as how they were able to make a car this sophisticated, and this well thought-of, from the impeccable fit and finish, the svelte interior, to the overall design, it was safe to say that, the Lexus LS400 made history. It became the first Japanese car to be taken seriously by overseas manufacturers, and gone was Toyota's "econobox maker" image all those years ago. Sales reception was a major box office hit for the LS400, surpassing that of European giants BMW and Mercedes Benz. The impact was so huge, Mercedes-Benz eventually freaked out. It's unprecedented number of high tech gizmos for half the price (LS400 was priced at $35,000 new, W140 S420 $79,500) of their flagship S-class models caused Benz to overrun their budget, spending over $1,000,000 on additional upcoming features and eventually costing the job of chief Benz engineer Wolfgang Peter. General Motors tore down the LS400, to which they concluded that the LS400 could not be built with existing GM methods. In December of 1989, Lexus recalled over 8,000 LS400s due to defective wiring and overheated brake lights. It only took them only 20 days for ALL vehicles to be repaired, establishing an incredible service reputation for Lexus.
The impact of the LS400 shook the world. Not only did it gave a mega blow to car manufacturers, other companies in general also respected the LS400 for it's production standards and build quality. Toyota's very own production system began seeping in to American manufacturing processes at the time, in conjunction with lean manufacturing coined by MIT and IMVP academic groups. Hyundai and Kia used TPS (Toyota Production System) methods ever since, and Toyota themselves used what knowledge they had to be put into good use on their future models, with some of the LS400's (or Celsior's) tech trickling down to their modern line-ups of today. Intel, the computer manufacturer company, modeled their "Internet of Things" from the LS400's perfectionist level quality standards. Undoubtedly, the LS400 set a defining standard to almost every aspect of life, a car so ambitious, so impossibly close to perfection, that once it came to life, became the living proof that anything impossible is always possible as long as one can make it work. The Lexus LS400 will go down in history as the car that, not only changed the perspective and image of Japanese car manufacturers, but, it was also, quite literally, an automobile that changed the world as we know it.
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