Clicking around on the Lexus International website, I came across this excellent description of the brand’s design philosophy:
Starting with the original LS 400, we have continually reinvented automotive luxury by bringing seemingly incompatible ideas into harmonious coexistence. This philosophy of “yet” permeates Lexus from the way a single component is engineered, to the way the automobile performs on the road.
For example: Lexus indulges your desire for comfort and pleasure yet lives up to your high expectations for social and ecological responsibility. Lexus brings you an exhilarating driving experience yet attains excellent fuel efficiency.
In this way, the idea of “yet” lives at the heart of our uncompromising approach to luxury. So you can enjoy a refined blend of high performance and environmental sustainability, one that is inspiring and also brings peace of mind.
Cut through the corporate phrasing, and what’s left is something very simple: Lexus tries to strike a balance between two seemingly opposite ideas with their vehicle designs. Elegant yet functional, Modern yet comfortable — think about it for a moment, and it’s clear how the YET philosophy is central to all Lexus design.