Toyota · Celsior

Toyota Celsior 1st generation (UCF10/UCF11)

Years: 1989–1994
Chassis: UCF10/UCF11
Drivetrain: FR

Story

The Japanese-market version of the LS400, the top model of the newly launched Lexus brand. Development started from scratch, quietness was raised by reducing vibration and noise at their source ("source countermeasures"), and it was even said to have set a new standard for luxury cars.

Stories

Designing everything anew under the "F1" project, with no budget or deadline set

Toyota chairman Eiji Toyoda launched a secret project, "F1", to build a luxury sedan that could compete with the world's best. Under this project, which set no budget or deadline and used none of Toyota's existing platforms or parts, chief engineer Ichiro Suzuki designed everything anew, aiming to beat the flagship sedans of America and Europe in aerodynamics, cabin quietness, top speed and fuel economy. Vibration and noise were suppressed by reducing them at their source ("source countermeasures"), and the car came out as the Lexus LS400 in North America and the Celsior in Japan.

Ichiro Suzuki

Chassis

Front

Double wishbone

Rear

Double wishbone

Curb weight: 1,690-1,750kg

Production plants

Tahara Plant
Tahara, Aichi

US import eligibility

Earliest cars: Eligible since October 201425 years after sales began in October 1989
Last cars: Eligible since 201925 years after sales ended in 1994 (month not recorded)

Eligibility depends on each car's month of manufacture on its build plate, not on the sale dates shown here (NHTSA).

Japanese cars by US import year →

Engineers

Ichiro Suzuki

Head of overall design for the first-generation Celsior (XF10).