A Look At Lexus' Clever Commercials and Design Orientation

Lexus had a ton of commercials until now, but among them were some that really stood out and showed people that Japanese luxury can be had in a package that’s very different from the Germans'. Even from day one, Lexus tried to show it is something apart. Let’s have a look bellow at each commercial that boosted the automaker’s image in chronologic order.

BALANCE - This was the first commercial Lexus played on TV, setting the brand off with its first luxury vehicle, the LS 400 model. Known as “Circle F” among Lexus' staff, the LS represents the work of 60 designers, 1,400 engineers, 2,300 technicians and over 200 support workers.

The 4-liter V8 engine under its long hood was and still is a masterpiece. There were 973 prototypes that went through different tweak programs, like reducing normal machining tolerances by up to 50 percent, all helping to build the final engine. It was running so smooth that 15 champagne glasses could be stacked on the hood while the car was accelerating on the dyno, as you can see in the ad.

THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION - Several years later and the fourth generation Lexus LS 460 was coming out along with a new ad. This one was a bit more artistic, showing a series of evocative scenes, such as a prancing horse, a speeding boat, a woman’s encounter with the Northern Lights and other things meant to suggest Lexus’ pursuit of control, performance and beauty.

The fourth generation LS 460 was borrowing few major components from the previous LS 430. The flagship was powered by a new 4.6-liter V8 producing 35 percent more power and 30% more torque while its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were noticeably reduced.

PITCH - The LFA supercar was the greatest engineering milestone Lexus achieved in 2010, thanks to Toyota president Akio Toyoda who really wanted its best engineers and designers to come up with the greatest two-seater vehicle they could. Toyota had to create a special looming machine to make the carbon fiber reinforced plastic body parts necessary for the LFA.

But the icing on the cake here is Lexus’ first and only V10 engine. The 4.8-liter demon makes a unique sound along with 560 hp and 480 Nm of torque. To emphasize this, Lexus revisited the champagne glass motif, only this time they get shattered.

POISE - In 2013 Lexus came with a different approach toward its vehicles, marked by the redesigned 2014 IS model and the afferent Poise TV ad. You see, Lexus was seen as an automaker turning Toyotas into nice-interior-fitted cars driven by old men until 2013. But then, the luxury automaker came with the spindle grille, L-shaped lights and other crazy designs, all correlated with trendy fashion and music in order the attract young buyers.

That’s how the 2014 Lexus IS was introduced to the public. Putting accent on the model’s precision engineering and body stiffness, ballet dancer Tamara Rojo did quite an interesting performance aided by the Step it Up track exclusively produced by Kozmeniuk.

CONCENTRATED LUXURY - The 2014 Lexus CT got slightly improved to run for another year or so. The changes are not drastic, but they do have a big impact on the overall design. Things like the full spindle grille, glossy black roof and new rims on the F Sport version, new interior color combinations, new steering wheel and slimmer dash-mounted LCD display along with a new red exterior color made the CT 200h align with the automaker’s new style. It also comes with enhanced aerodynamics and revised handling, making it more enjoyable.

The fast-paced TV commercial that came with the new model emphasizes all the luxury packed in Lexus’ smallest car in the lineup.

THE RC REVEAL - Well, this one can’t be named a TV commercial now, simply because the Lexus RC is not in production yet and the clip was not broadcasted on TV. So that’s why we’re putting it last despite the fact it was released before the CT’s concentrated luxury ad. However, it has a special place in our hearts and you can see why bellow.

When the RC was in the makes, designers had one huge word written on the drawing board - PASSION. That inspired them to create this amazing red machine with organic shapes matched by fierce angles, a humongous trapezoidal grille that can eat you alive and one of the best interiors Lexus ever made. The clip bellow talks for itself about the RC’s personality and I can definitely say my hair rises every time I watch it.

That being said, these are the most interesting advertising clips Lexus made so far. You can clearly see the differences in the automaker’s vision between its first and latest ad campaigns. It started with posh smooth-running sedans and now, having a huge lineup covering almost every niche, still retains that quality feeling but adds a lot more wow-factor.

It’s thrilling to see what Lexus did in about 25 years, isn’t it? This automaker managed to catch up and even beat other automakers that started making luxury cars way before. This really proves the passion and dedication Lexus’ designers and engineers put in these vehicles along with their obsession for details.