Description

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A behind-the-scenes look at Lexus's surprising twenty-year success story--in a revised new edition

In the 1980s, German brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz dominated the luxury car market and had little reason to fear competition from Japan. But in 1989, Toyota entered the market with the Lexus LS 400, a car that could compete with the Germans in every category but price--it was US$30,000 cheaper. Within two years, Lexus had overtaken Mercedes-Benz in the United States and made a stunning success of Toyota's brave foray into the global luxury market.

Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit reveals why Toyota decided to take on the German automakers and how the new brand won praise and success for its unparalleled quality, unforgettable advertising, and unprecedented customer service. From the first boardroom planning session to Lexus's entry into the mega-luxury supercar market, this is the complete and compelling story of one of the world's most admired brands.

• Includes a new Foreword by legendary designer Erwin Lui, an Afterword with updates since the first edition, and a new Coda by leading Japanese automotive journalist Hisao Inoue
• Covers the racetrack triumph--and tragedy--behind the new US$375,000 Lexus LFA supercar
• Offers important business lessons for brand managers and executives

For car enthusiasts, business leaders, and anyone interested in branding and marketing, Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit offers an amazing story of excellence and innovation in the automotive industry.

About the Author

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Chester Dawson has worked as a business journalist and editor at several top media outlets, including BusinessWeek, Dow Jones & Co., The Associated Press and Bloomberg News. He spent 10 years as a foreign correspondent in Tokyo reporting on the Japanese economy and specializing in the automotive and financial industries. After serving as International Finance Editor at BusinessWeek magazine's headquarters in New York, he entered high finance--first at a Japanese hedge fund and then, most recently, in the institutional asset management unit of a Wall Street bank. Mr. Dawson earned his M.A. in East Asian Studies at Harvard University and a B.A. in history with an economics minor at Ohio University. He spent his junior year abroad at Sophia University in Tokyo.