Celebrating Lexus' 35th Anniversary in Canada With the 1991 LS 400
Thirty-five years ago, Lexus entered the Canadian market with the LS 400 and ES 250 sedans, aiming to capture a valuable piece of our luxury car segment. The brand’s unpretentious, low-key luxury philosophy came with a breath of fresh air. And it has remained one of Lexus’s pillars over time. In their first full year on the market, 441 LS 400s and 156 ES 250s were sold. Lexus would eventually set up its very first assembly site outside Japan in Cambridge, Ontario.
During a celebration of Lexus's 35th anniversary in Canada earlier this summer, we had the opportunity to visit the brand's assembly plant and get behind the wheel of an exceptionally well preserved 1991 LS 400.
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Luxurious in its Own Way
Imposing yet unpretentious, the LS 400 arrived with a comfortable, chic and well-assembled interior, all powered by reliable powertrain. The cobalt blue metallic model we briefly test-drove had only 104,668 kilometres on the odometer. But its 4.0-litre V8 engine, paired by a 4-speed automatic transmission, has clearly retained all its smoothness and quiet character over time. In terms of displacement, the 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque offered enough punch – for 1990s sedan!
The LS 400 was once used as a test bed for the development of an active suspension system by Bose, the speaker manufacturer, as part of the Sound Project. According to various sources, the company invested a hefty $100 million US in the venture, but never delivered a production model. Admittedly, the technology has served as inspiration for several equipment manufacturers in the industry today. Regardless, the Lexus LS 400 lived up to its reputation for a smooth ride, and our tester was a prime example.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the LS 400 is undoubtedly its turning radius of approximately 11 metres, combined with imprecise steering, making it a very clumsy ride in the city.
The Rest is History
Lexus has been assembling vehicles in Canada for over 20 years. The adventure began with the RX 330, the first Lexus vehicle assembled outside Japan, which has been part of Lexus's history in Canada to this day and has sold no less than 1.5 million units across all versions.
Lexus vehicles may be criticized for lacking the sportiness of their German counterparts and for being highly coveted by thieves. On the other hand, they boast an assembly quality that is virtually unmatched in the industry. The Cambridge plant is finely tuned to reflect this philosophy through a combination of advanced and ongoing training for assembly employees, consistent raw material quality, and rigorous quality assurance protocols.
Looking to the Future
“For now, TMMC remains and continues to invest in Canada, and we do not foresee any changes for Toyota or Lexus in the short to medium term,” said Scott McKenzie, Director of Corporate and External Affairs at Toyota Canada. Lexus, and Toyota's entire manufacturing footprint in Canada, is being hit hard by the fallout from U.S. government tariffs. And the manufacturer's representatives know that the situation is not sustainable in the long term.
In fact, 82% of vehicles assembled by Toyota and Lexus factories in Canada are exported to the United States and more than half of Lexus vehicles sold in North America are assembled in Canada.
For now, Toyota is absorbing the tariff impacts and is constantly looking for opportunities, such as exporting to Europe and other markets.
