The repositioning of Lexus was not forced by its new big brother brand Century, says the global boss

Lexus President Takashi Watanabe told it Daily Sparkz The brand’s repositioning was not forced by parent company Toyota’s decision to introduce the even more upscale model century Brand worldwide.

In October 2025, Century was announced as the top of the “Toyota family brands”, which also includes Toyota, GR, budget brand Daihatsu (not available in Australia) and Lexus.

Through an interpreter at the Japan Mobility Show (JMS) in Tokyo, Watanabe-san explained that Lexus’ repositioning is part of a broader examination of what brands will focus on in the future.

“It’s not necessarily because we published the Century,” he said.

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When Daily Sparkz When asked about the timing of the restructuring, Watanabe-san emphasized that the ever-changing dynamics of the global automotive industry represent a turning point.

“This show represents the right time – we’re at a critical point. That wasn’t just because of Century, but because the world is changing so much.”

Lexus is currently performing strongly, with record global sales (851,214) in 2024 and an upward trend in Australia. Local sales have increased by 9.7 percent since the beginning of the year.

The high-profile new approach comes at a time when the brand is in a position of strength, rather than a rethink following lackluster results.