2002 Lexus Parts
Need Lexus Parts?
The Lexus brand originated from a clandestine project initiated by its parent company Toyota Motor Corporation, and it proved to be a most lucrative endeavor. Launched in the United States in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection, the brand has since greatly expanded its vehicle line-up to meet the needs of its now global luxury customer base. Within only a few years, Lexus transformed itself from a relative newcomer into one of the automotive industry’s leaders as it redefined the notion of the luxury vehicle. Lexus has certainly earned a well-deserved reputation over the years for turning out utterly refined luxury vehicles but, like with all other automobiles, eventually parts need to be replaced or upgraded.
At 1A Auto, it is our mission to supply you with the right parts you need to keep your Lexus car or SUV working in tip top shape, at a great discount. Simply put, if you are in need of a replacement part for your Lexus vehicle, you've come to the right place. You'll find a large selection of new, high quality aftermarket Lexus auto parts, including headlights, taillights, fuel pumps, mirrors, door handles, alternators, radiators, and more, as well as genuine OEM replacement parts - the very same ones you would receive if purchased from your local dealer, but without the inflated cost. However, we don't only just sell replacement Lexus parts online here at 1A Auto; we also carry a selection of new and performance parts such as high flow air filters for your Lexus vehicle as well.
Our product development team spends over 8,000 hours a year researching the best Lexus auto parts, and they are carefully selected by our trained engineers so you can rest assured that you are getting the correct, high quality part you need for your car or SUV, at a discount price. If we wouldn't put the part in our own vehicles, we won't sell them to anyone else. A new aftermarket replacement Lexus part from 1A Auto will save you 30-50% on average over a comparable new OEM replacement Lexus part that you would get at a dealership, and our new aftermarket Lexus parts are also extremely durable and reliable. Don't overpay for Lexus parts and save yourself from a lot of potential headaches by shopping at 1A Auto.
You can shop for all of your Lexus car and SUV parts online and buy safely and securely right here on our website, or you can call our customer service toll free at 888-844-3393 if you have any questions about any of our parts, or to buy over the phone. With over 150 years combined experience, 1A Auto's customer service representatives are the most qualified to answer your questions about all of our new, aftermarket, genuine OEM , and performance Lexus car and SUV parts. Our representatives answer 99.9% of phone calls in less than one minute and emails are responded to within the hour because we know you need answers quickly to get your beloved Lexus back in working order again. We also know you want your part fast for the same reason; 98% of in stock Lexus auto parts ship from our warehouse within one business day so that you can get back on the road in no time, and all ground shipping in the continental U.S. is completely free. And, in the unlikely case that you are unhappy with your Lexus auto part for any reason, 1A Auto also offers the only No Hassle return policy for unused items in the industry. Simply put, our competitors can't beat the 1A Advantage. Don't just take it from us - take it from over 50,000 satisfied customers!
Look no further than 1A Auto for your aftermarket, original equipment (OE) replacement, new and performance Lexus auto parts and get your car or SUV the new parts it needs today from Lexus enthusiasts just like you! If you happen to be an enthusiastic Lexus owner, have a deep passion for Lexus vehicles, or just want to learn more about the automobile manufacturer, continue reading below for a detailed look at the brand's history and some of its past and present models.
Overview
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation. First launched in the United States in 1989, the Lexus marque soon became associated with luxury, quality, reliability, and unparalleled customer satisfaction. The brand’s reputation grew so quickly that it became the best-selling luxury line of vehicles in the United States less than a dozen years later, a position it held for over a decade. Lexus is now sold all over the world and has become Japan's largest-seller of premium automobiles while maintaining its position in the upper echelon of the top-selling luxury vehicles in not only the U.S., but in the world.
Contents
1. Origin
2. Growing and Expanding the Brand
3. Lexus Today
Origin
In the 1980s, the opportunity for Japanese automotive manufacturers like Toyota to export bigger, more expensive vehicles had grown due to a voluntary export restraint agreement negotiated by the Japanese and US governments in 1981, which limited the number of mainstream vehicles that the Japanese could export to the US annually. This, however, opened the door for Japan to be able to export luxury cars with less hassle. In 1983, former president and chairman of Toyota at the time, Eiji Toyoda, summoned a “hush-hush” meeting of top-level company executives. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility and gauge the receptivity of creating a luxury vehicle for the American market that would rival the best in the world. As a result of this meeting, the company embarked on a top-secret project, code-named F1 (“Flagship One”). The purpose of the project was to ultimately develop a flagship sedan vehicle that would expand Toyota’s current product line and provide both loyal and new Toyota customers with an upmarket vehicle, with the additional thought that the new car would eventually give the company a secure position in the premium automobile market segment.
In 1985, researchers from Toyota traveled to the United States to conduct focus groups and market research in order to discover what American drivers wanted in regards to a luxury vehicle. F1 engineers were also busy building and testing prototype vehicles in locations ranging from the autobahn in Germany to roads in the US. When research was complete, the conclusion was that a separate division was needed to present its new vehicle. Honda, a Japanese competitor of Toyota’s, launched its Acura brand in the US around the same time, further influencing Toyota in its decision to create a luxury division of its own. Plans were then made to create a new network of dealerships in the US market and, after much debate Lexus was eventually selected as the name of the new luxury vehicle brand.
After an extended development process, the F1 project was finally completed in 1989. The result was its flagship sedan, which would become known as the Lexus LS 400. It premiered in the US at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January of that year, alongside a second, smaller entry-level luxury sedan, the Lexus ES 250, which was based on the Toyota Camry. The LS 400 featured a unique design that shared no major elements with previous Toyota vehicles, unlike the first Acura models that had reached US markets three years prior, which were just rebadged Hondas. The car was widely praised, although there was certainly no shortage of critics either amongst automobile critics. The luxury cars went on sale to the American public later in the year and were a big hit with consumers, instantly establishing customer loyalty while providing quite the jolt to luxury competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Each went on to win numerous major “Best Car” type awards the following year from industry trade publications such as Car and Driver.
Only a few months after launch, the brand initiated a voluntary recall of all of the LS 400 cars that had been sold up until that time, based upon two customer complaints that it had received in regards to defective wiring and an overheated brake light. In response to these complaints, the company sent technicians to pick up affected vehicles, repair the defective parts, and return the cars to customers free of charge. It also flew in personnel and rented garage space for affected owners in remote locations. All of this was done over the course of 20 days, and the response was raved about by those in the media, helping to establish the marque's reputation for customer service early on. While sales of the cars were initially slow, by year’s end the brand had reach its sales goals. The Lexus brand had been introduced to the world!
Growing and Expanding the Brand
In 1990, the company began exporting cars in limited numbers to other countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada, in order to begin expanding the brand globally and increase sales outside of the United States. In 1991, Lexus released its first sports car, the Lexus SC 400, which was followed by the Lexus ES 300, the replacement for the ES 250, later that year. The latter quickly became Lexus’ top selling car. By the end of the year, Lexus had become the best-selling luxury car import in the United States, surpassing both Mercedes-Benz and BMW. A smaller engine version of the SC 400, the Lexus SC 300, debuted the following year. More industry awards were bestowed upon both vehicles.
In 1993, the brand introduced its first luxury performance sedan, the Lexus GS 300. That same year, the company also unveiled a certified pre-owned program (CPO), with the aim of improving trade in model values, becoming one of the first car brands to do so. 1996 saw the launch of the brand’s first sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Lexus LX 450 and, in 1998, Lexus launched its first luxury crossover SUV—the upmarket Lexus RX 300. The latter vehicle became the brand’s top-selling model, surpassing the ES 300. The company also expanded into South America, launching in Brazil that same year. 1999 was a memorable year for the brand as they sold their one-millionth vehicle in the US market and were ranked as the top-selling vehicle make in the US overall. The brand also entered the motorsport arena for the first in 1999 as well, an arena it still participates in to this day. Quite the list of accomplishments for a brand that was just around a decade old.
The start of the new millennium brought with it the launch of the entry-level Lexus IS 300 luxury sports sedan. In 2001, Lexus updated its classic SC model, turning it into a hardtop convertible. The resulting Lexus SC 430 was the brand’s first convertible model. In 2002, the company released the luxurious and rugged Lexus GX 470 and, in 2005, it released a hybrid-powered version of its RX crossover, the Lexus RX 400h. The RX 400h was the industry’s first luxury hybrid SUV.
In 2005, the brand was organizationally separated from its parent company, Toyota. At this point, Lexus began operating its own exclusive design, engineering, training, and manufacturing centers, which were now solely responsible for the brand’s vehicles. This move was made to coincide with the introduction of the brand to its home-market Japan that same year. By doing so, it became the first Japanese luxury car marque to launch in its country of origin. The brand was also launched in China that same year, further increasing its global expansion into major world markets. By the end of the decade, the company had expanded into over 70 countries across six continents, and continues to grow.
In 2006, the marque began selling its second hybrid vehicle, the Lexus GS 450h. The GS 450h was the automotive industry’s first luxury hybrid sport sedan. A premium hybrid sedan, the Lexus LS 600h L, went on sale in 2007. It was the first full V8 hybrid vehicle in the world, marking another automotive industry first achieved by the brand. In 2007, Lexus launched a new F marque performance division, which would produce racing-inspired versions of its performance models. The first vehicle in its new high-performance division was the Lexus IS F sports sedan, followed by the world-class Lexus LFA supercar, which began selling in the United States in 2011. In 2009, the marque released the Lexus HS 250h, the world’s first hybrid-only luxury vehicle. All-new IS 350C and IS 250C hard-top convertibles were also released that year. In 2011, the brand’s fifth hybrid vehicle, the Lexus CT 200h compact hatchback was released as well.
Lexus Today
By the end of the decade, Lexus ranked as the fourth-largest premium vehicle marque in the world by volume. It had also been the top selling luxury vehicle brand in the US for ten consecutive years, with an eleventh following its decade of dominance. However, it would get knocked off of that perch as a result of a terrible tragedy. In March 2011, a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the country of Japan, causing massive damage to the country. Toyota had to shutter a number of its manufacturing facilities in the country as a result, causing a severe disruption to Lexus' Japan-based production lines. This created a shortage of vehicles, which hindered the brand’s near-term sales prospects. Due to the substantial drop in sales in the US market as a result of this event, Lexus lost its position there as the top-selling premium vehicle brand to BMW in 2011, followed by Mercedes-Benz in 2012. However, the brand recovered substantially from the tragedy as sales increased 23% in 2012.
Today, the brand features an extremely broad line-up of vehicles that ranges from sedans to convertibles and SUVs to hybrids. It has expanded over the years to meet the changing needs of its global luxury consumers. Lexus vehicles continue to emphasize design and build quality, reliability, luxury and comfort while the company also strives to provide the ultimate in customer service to satisfy its customers and encourage loyalty to the brand. Its relentless pursuit of perfection has resulted in Lexus vehicles outperforming other automotive manufacturers in industry ratings many times over the course of its existence, a reputation it works hard to protect.
