In the late 1980s, the luxury car market in America was dominated by European titans like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Jaguar. Their cars are synonymous with prestige, performance, and old-world craftsmanship. But little did they know, a revolution was brewing on the other side of the Pacific. A group of ambitious Japanese automakers were about to shake up the luxury game in a way no one saw coming. This is the story of how brands like Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti went from obscure underdogs to household names, and why, 30 years later, they're still going stronger than ever in the United States.
Although By the late 80s, Japanese automakers like Toyota, Honda, and Nissan had already made a name for themselves in the US market with their reliable and affordable cars. But they had their sights set on something bigger, they had the plans of cracking the lucrative luxury car segment that had long been dominated by the Germans and Americans.