5 Facts about How Lexus Vehicles are Produced
1. Lexus quality control differs greatly from Toyota's
While Toyota has its own reputation for build quality and reliability, the parent company of Lexus wanted to take things a bit further with its luxury brand. Separate assembly lines were developed from the beginning that contain specialized manufacturing equipment. The welding process, body panel fit tolerances and paint quality requirements are much more stringent than Toyota's as well.
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2. Lexus plant workers are true artisans
Lexus employs veteran technicians as plant workers, identifying potential candidates through performance evaluations. These technicians are ranked according to a skill grade assigned to them, with the highest level dubbed "takumi," which is Japanese for artisan. Artisans are responsible for key points in the assembly process, such as testing engine performance and vibration tests.
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3. Canada is home to the first production site outside Japan
Historically, Japan was the epicenter of all Lexus production through the early 2000's, but its first non-Japanese production facility is in Cambridge, Ontario in Canada. The Canadian production facility has been responsible for building the North American spec RX 350 since 2004.
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4. The ES 350 is built in America
While the vast majority of Lexus production occurs in Japan, the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) facility in Georgetown, Kentucky has begun building them here in the good ol' U.S. of A. The Kentucky plant began manufacturing the North American spec ES 350 sedan in 2015, and a number of Toyota models are produced there as well.
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5. Lexus has a dedicated hybrid plant
Lexus has shown true dedication to the production and development of hybrid vehicles. One major step in that process was opening a hybrid only facility in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka back in 2008. The dedicated site produces the CT, HS, and gasoline-electric RX models.
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