Obsession builds perfection at Lexus
That "Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" thing isn't just a slogan at Lexus apparently. According to this Automotive News piece, Lexus really means it. Nowhere is it more evident than at the plant where Toyota builds its flagship Lexus LS600h L. Seeing themselves in an arms race of perfection, Lexus has taken perfection to an obsession. The workers are trained and retrained and re-retrained to focus on perfection. And we're not talking about the way a Formula 1 team might rehearse pitstops. We are talking about stuff like building finger strength with special plastic webbing trainers, arranging lip-gloss containers "to develop an eye for tints and color," developing a feel for five instead of six bolts in the hand, learning the sound of a properly torqued bolt. Amazing.
Workers have to go through extensive training, including lectures and computer simulations, in addition to the physical dexterity training. And that training gets tougher and tougher to identify different skill levels. Only 300 current workers at the plant have the highest Level 1 certification. But that doesn't guarantee anything. Every four months the workers have to go through the skills tests all over again. And no matter how good the worker's skills are, there's still that old saying about cleanliness being next to godliness to contend with. Follow the jump to hear more about the whole perfection equation at Lexus.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]
Signs are posted to remind workers how to dress. Hairnets might make sense in the paintshop, but Lexus even requires them in the engine-assembly plant. Air showers are even used at the engine plant, just like in a semiconductor facility. Although they don't require booties, they do want clean shoes too. Suppliers are even given guidelines that limit dirt and debris from their deliveries. That might seem like overkill in some ways, but the attention pays off apparently.
Besides the focus on workers' cleanliness and training, the finished product is also scrutinized like no other. Lexus tests every single car. When they determined that the previous generation LS deviated up to 50 cm over a 100 m path, they went to work and identified areas of unnecessary variables and streamlined the design. The new one cut that variance in half, and every single LS600 hL that leaves the line is given a white glove road test at 56 mph to see that it meets the new standard. The test driver also checks the other mechanicals and build integrity during a full shakedown run.
Lexus also employs twice as money inspectors as the typical Toyota plant, which is already among the industry leaders. The combination of the best trained workers working in a clean environment, the end product being inspected by skilled human inspectors using the latest in computerized analysis guarantees that these top-of-the-line Lexi are truly world-class. At $100,000, we expect owners of the LS will appreciate this kind of attention to perfection, even if they don't know what is happening behind the scenes along the assembly line.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Kowell 9:12AM (7/10/2007)
My father in law just bought a Lexus Es350 and looking at it I have to agree that the attention to details and level of interior quality is incredible. It's far above his now-replaced cadillac
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Bonita 9:24AM (7/10/2007)
Hence the reason Lexus is #1 in world-class quality, as opposed to GM's workers who -- when seeing a defect on the assembly line -- simply say, "Fuggit . . . they'll fix it at the dealers."
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Willie 12:39PM (7/10/2007)
I went to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green Kentucky. They did not look near as concerned about quality. The day I was there everyone got Ice Cream bars and stopped the line to eat. No blowing dust off people who have ice cream on their hands.
Don 6:23PM (7/10/2007)
You're sadly misinformed "Bonita".
l.i.dave 9:25AM (7/10/2007)
Why can't they masturbate in the privacy of their own homes? Why do they have to incorporate it into their occupation?
When I see a Lexus, well to be honest I never really notice them, but when one does become the dominate object in my field of vision, I think, "yawn, why does that Toyota have an "l" on it?"
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Tim 10:28AM (7/10/2007)
You must do an awful lot of yawning. Lexus is the best selling brand in the US. Where's Caddy?
Johnny Rocket 2:35PM (7/10/2007)
I have friends and relatives who own both Caddys and Lexuses. The CTS is a very good sedan, as is the STS. And with the STS's new high-output V-6, it's a real powerhouse. If you don't take notice of Cadillac's share in the US market, I can't help you. Cadillac has experienced a surge in sales and press from this decade. And the Escalade is a better full-sizer than Lexus's aging LX.
I'm surprised there hasn't been more of an anti-Lexus bash here on the topic, as BMW and Mercedes fans seem to be threatened by the thought of a Japanese luxury marque becoming superior. For all of Toyota's current woes, Lexus is a superstar in customer service and quality. If you read the official Lexus history, you'll see the strict business and technical detail that went into the development of a Toyota luxury division and the LS400.
I would take an IS350 over a CTS or G35 any day of the week--the same for the GS450h or the LS460. The LS line is a build and tech marvel. But I will give Cadillac credit on sporty cars: the XLR is a much better car than the SC430. If there's one area Lexus engineers haven't discovered, it's on-road fun. That is one area where BMW has Lexus beat, too.
l.i.dave 9:27AM (7/10/2007)
"twice as money inspectors as the typical Toyota plant"
what are money inspectors? You're doing a puff piece about quality and you don't even proofread your work.
Nonsensical cheerleading is bad enough, at least get the grammar right honey.
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Boone Pickens 9:40AM (7/10/2007)
Sounds like someone is pissy that their Ford Tempo didn't get the attention to detail that Lexus does.
FThorn 10:37AM (7/10/2007)
Totally agree. This article (loose term) is full of crap.
Tyk 9:31AM (7/10/2007)
Yay... the only Lexus plant (or plant that builds Lexus) outside of Japan is in Cambridge, Ontario (Canada)! No freakin' UAW/CAW slacks there... there, you have you **EARN** your place on the Lexus line.. its not a UAW/CAW given right.
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Gardiner Westbound 9:46AM (7/10/2007)
Lexus' marketing flacks got more mileage out of this puff piece than a New York taxi. It's about the sixth time I've seen it.
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Gooch 9:51AM (7/10/2007)
My fiancee's GX470 doesn't display the same level of finish and absolute quality of a new LS, but it is apparent that Lexus considers itself on a different level when it comes to their vehicles and how they treat their customers. The wood trim, for instance, has a sheen that is remarkable and unlike any I have seen in any other vehicle. My lady is tough on her vehicle (parking garage paint scrapes, damaged carpet from her high heeled shoes digging in), but the dealer has fixed everything, no problem. Even the paint scrapes -- gratis. It's as if they're saying "When you drive one of our cars, we've got your back." I'm not a Lexus guy, but I can't argue with this level of customer satisfaction. When I get my M3, I can't imagine BMW service being this great.
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Timothy 10:01AM (7/10/2007)
People are way too much into specific brands on this blog (and other blogs for that matter).
Posters here seem zealot-like in their admiration for certain brands. Maybe the following link explains why. They are being paid for it!
Check this out...it could really ruin blogging.
http://payperpost.com/
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Richard 11:53AM (7/10/2007)
As a Subaru fan-boy, perhaps I should check out being paid for posting relative to my experience with their products...
...but I bet Lexus might pay more. ;-}
Gary 10:05AM (7/10/2007)
Was this an advertisement or article? I'm confused.
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Kn1ves 10:10AM (7/10/2007)
LEXI is not the plural of Lexus. Lexus is the plural of Lexus according to their press releases. And grammatically speaking it would be Lexuses not Lexi.
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AMGoff 11:51AM (7/10/2007)
Wouldn't the plural of Lexus be Lexus'?
Perfection is a relative term. Do they have the best fit and finish of any brand? Yes. But to me perfection is rumbling sound of a big V8.
I can see why some people like them but they're arent't my cup of tea. To me they are a boring looking, over priced Toyota, but that's me. If I ever were to buy an import and had that much money to waste, it would be on a Euro make.
No amount of obsessive training can perfect a car's character and/or soul.
AMGoff 11:55AM (7/10/2007)
Ha! Talk about perfection... "they're aren't"
My bad, goes to show what happens when I forget my coffee in the morning!
Ted 10:11AM (7/10/2007)
I'm looking at a G35X or an IS250. Both look extremely well built. You can tell that both companies put a lot of work into fit and finish.
Only time will tell if the quality is really there.
After numerous problems in the VW/AUDI camp I can say that quality is hard to assess by looking at the car. When I bought my last VAG product, I thought "Gee, these guys really sweat the details"....unfortunately after a couple painful years, I realized that the quality was only skin deep.
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