Toshio Furutani, the senior managing director of Global Lexus, says the brand’s concept first came about in North America in the early 1980s. "Lexus was initially developed after learning that many of our existing Toyota customers were looking for a luxury car with the quality and reliability of Toyota ... After studying the luxury car offerings at the time, we felt there was a unique, unmet need ... that we could fill, and this became Lexus. Generally, we are most often compared to and shopped against BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz." The brand philosophy sets Lexus apart from other premium badges, according to Furutani. Full Article at The National Newspaper