Lexus F
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| Marque | |
| Industry | Automotive industry |
| Founded | 2006 |
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Key people
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Yukihiko Yaguchi |
| Products | Performance engines and cars Automotive sports accessories |
| Services | Research and development |
| Owner | Lexus (Toyota) |
The Lexus F marque represents the high-performance division of cars produced by Lexus. The F marque refers to Flagship and Fuji Speedway, the chief test site of Lexus performance vehicle development in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The first vehicle in the Lexus F marque lineup, the Lexus IS F, was announced in 2006, followed by an F marque coupe concept, the Lexus LF-A, in 2007, and the production LFA supercar in 2009. All Lexus F performance vehicles are denoted by namesake badging on the front fenders. A related performance trim line, Lexus F Sport, was launched for 2007, with an F Sport accessory line and factory models in 2010. Lexus F models have been developed by the Lexus Vehicle Performance Development Division, which has also been involved with the brand's racing activities. The "F" designation was originally used at Lexus' launch in 1989, as an internal code for the development of its first flagship vehicle.
In late 2006, Lexus filed trademark applications for an "F" emblem, leading to speculation that the luxury marque was about to launch a performance brand. At the time it was suggested that "F" stood for "Fast" or "Flagship." Later reports surmised that "F" referred to the Fuji Speedway in Japan, whose first corner, 27R, was said to have inspired the shape of the "F" emblem. Interviews with company executives in prior years had included mentions of Lexus possibly starting a performance brand to compete with the likes of Mercedes' AMG, Audi's S/RS, Cadillac's V-series, and BMW's M division, among others. An earlier in-house tuning effort, the TRD-based L-Tuned, had offered performance packages on the IS 300 and GS 400 sedans in the early 2000s. Lexus' racing activities and sports model development had been handled by the Lexus Vehicle Performance Development Division, a branch of the Lexus Development Center, located in Aichi, Japan.
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