What is the Toyota name for Lexus LS 400?
The Toyota name for the Lexus LS 400 is Toyota Celsior in Japan; globally, the same car was marketed as the Lexus LS 400. This naming split reflects how Toyota styled its domestic market differently from international markets, where the Lexus luxury brand was used.
Market naming differences
To understand how the LS 400 was named around the world, note the distinct domestic badge in Japan versus the Lexus branding used elsewhere.
- Japan: Toyota Celsior — the LS 400 sold in Japan under the Toyota badge.
- North America, Europe, and most other markets: Lexus LS 400 — sold under the Lexus luxury-brand umbrella.
Both names refer to the same flagship model, with the domestic Japanese version adopting the Celsior designation while international markets used the Lexus LS 400 branding.
Historical context
Origins of the Celsior name
As Toyota introduced Lexus as its global luxury brand, it designated the domestic Japanese version of the LS 400 as the Toyota Celsior. The Celsior name was used specifically for the Japanese market, while buyers outside Japan encountered the Lexus LS 400. This approach reflected branding strategies that differentiated domestic products from international luxury offerings.
Brand strategy and impact
The naming divergence illustrates how Toyota navigated regional branding: the Lexus brand carried luxury perception abroad, while the Celsior name resonated with Japanese buyers as a distinct Toyota product line. The outcome was a single generation of a vehicle known worldwide as the LS 400, but with two names depending on market or badge.
Summary
In short, the Lexus LS 400’s Toyota name in Japan is Celsior; in other markets, the same vehicle appeared as the Lexus LS 400. The difference showcases Toyota’s market-specific branding approach during the early years of its luxury-labeled lineup.
What is the Toyota version of LS 400?
The Toyota equivalent to the Lexus LS400 is the Toyota Celsior, which was the version sold in the Japanese domestic market. The Celsior and the LS400 are essentially the same car, sharing the same luxury, performance, and reliability, with only minor differences in features like lighting and badging for each market.
- Same platform: The Celsior and LS400 share the same platform and mechanical components, including the original 4.0L V8 engine.
- Market-specific features: The primary differences were market-specific, with the Celsior having features like different headlights and a wider third brake light to comply with Japanese regulations.
- Brand strategy: Toyota launched the LS400 as the top-end model for the new Lexus brand in foreign markets, while the Celsior was its counterpart for the Japanese market to compete with European luxury brands.
Which Toyota is the Lexus LS based on?
| Lexus LS (XF40) | |
|---|---|
| Platform | Toyota N platform |
| Related | Toyota Century (G60) (for LS 600h L) |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 4.6 L 1UR-FE V8 4.6 L 1UR-FSE V8 5.0 L 2UR-FSE V8 (hybrid) |
Is the Toyota Avalon the same as the Lexus LS?
In fact, the Avalon and the Lexus are essentially the same cars, the latter offering a greater degree of refinement and a more appealing design. Otherwise, there isn't a reason for the Avalon to exist in a world gone mad for SUVs.
What was the LS 400 called in Japan?
Seeking to enter the luxury car market, Toyota debuted this vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show in January 1989 as the Lexus LS400. After releasing it in the North American market as the top-end model of the Lexus brand, Toyota placed it on the Japanese market as the Celsior.
