The first Lexus dealerships have been opened in Toyota’s homeland of Japan. Sixteen years after the car was launched on the international market, 143 showrooms will now offer the luxury cars to Japanese consumers looking for something a little more upmarket. However, despite the launch of Lexus, the cars have actually been available in Japan for some time, the only difference was that they were sold under the Toyota name and were not quite as luxurious as the Lexus.

Toyota is now trying to create a brand identity with the Lexus name, hoping to urge Japanese consumers to spend more money on a higher end premium car that has added features such as leather upholstery and a navigation system.