Editing Lexus LS (section)

{{Short description|Full-size luxury sedan series produced by Lexus}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{use British English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Lexus LS
| image = 2019 Lexus LS 500 AWD beige, front Hagerty 6.1.19.jpg
| caption = Lexus LS 500
| manufacturer = [[Toyota]]
| aka = Toyota Celsior (Japan, 1989–2006)
| production = May 1989 – present
| model_years = 1990–present
| assembly = Japan: [[Tahara, Aichi]] ([[Tahara plant]])<ref name = "75 Years of Toyota, Tahara Plant">{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/automotive_business/production/production/japan/general_status/tahara.html |title=Tahara Plant |publisher=Toyota Motor Corporation |year=2012 |access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref>
| class = {{unbulleted list
  | [[Full-size]] [[luxury car]] ([[F-segment|F]])
  }}
| body_style = 4-door [[Sedan (automobile)|saloon]]
| layout = {{unbulleted list
  | [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive]]
  | [[Front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, all-wheel-drive]] (since 2006)
  }}
}}

The {{nihongo|'''Lexus LS'''|レクサス・LS|Rekusasu LS|lead=yes}} is a series of [[full-size car|full-size]] [[luxury car|luxury sedan]]s that have served as the [[Core product|flagship]] model of [[Lexus]], the luxury [[division (business)|division]] of [[Toyota]], since 1989. For the first four generations, all LS models featured [[V8 engine|V8]] engines and were predominantly [[rear-wheel-drive]]. In the fourth generation, Lexus offered [[all-wheel-drive]], [[hybrid vehicle|hybrid]], and long-[[wheelbase]] variants. The fifth generation changed to using a [[V6 engine]] with no V8 option, and only one length was offered.

As the first model developed by Lexus, the LS 400 debuted in January 1989 with the second generation debuting in November 1994. The LS 430 debuted in January 2000 and the LS 460/LS 460 L series in 2006. A domestic-market version of the LS 400 and LS 430, badged as {{nihongo|Toyota Celsior|トヨタ・セルシオ|Toyota Serushio|lead=yes}}, was sold in Japan until the Lexus marque was introduced there in 2006. In 2006 (for the 2007 model year), the fourth generation LS 460 debuted the first production eight-speed [[automatic transmission]] and an [[Advanced Parking Guidance System|automatic parking]] system. In 2007, V8 hybrid powertrains were introduced on the [[Lexus LS (XF40)|LS 600h/LS 600h L]] sedans.

Development of the LS began in 1983 as the [[#XF10|F1]] project, the [[code name]] for a secret flagship sedan. At the time, Toyota's two existing flagship models were the [[Toyota Crown|Crown]] and [[Toyota Century|Century]] models – both of which catered exclusively for the Japanese market and had little global appeal that could compete with international luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar. The resulting sedan followed an extended five-year design process at a cost of over US$1 billion and premiered with a new V8 engine and numerous luxury features. The Lexus LS was intended from its inception for export markets, and the Lexus division was formed to market and service the vehicle internationally. The original LS 400 debuted to strong sales and was largely responsible for the successful launch of the Lexus marque.

Since the start of production, each generation of the Lexus LS has been manufactured in the Japanese city of [[Tahara, Aichi]]. The name "LS" stands for "Luxury Sedan",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/car/id60012621/index.html |title=1st Lexus LS (LS460) sedan |publisher=Toyota Motor Corporation |year=2012 |access-date=2012-12-30}}</ref> although some Lexus importers have preferred to define it as "Luxury Saloon".<ref>{{cite web |title=LS – Luxury Saloon |url=https://www.lexus.com.au/range/ls |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140601003852/https://www.lexus.com.au/range/ls |archive-date=2014-06-01 |publisher=Lexus Australia}}</ref> The name "Celsior" is taken from Latin word "celsus", meaning "lofty" or "elevated".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/data/automotive_business/products_technology/vehicle_lineage_chart/origin/index.html |title=Data: Origin of a car's name |publisher=Toyota |year=2012 |access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref>