Toyota unveiled a new luxury auto nameplate,...

Toyota unveiled a new luxury auto nameplate, rolling out two new models designed to compete with upscale European sports sedans. The Lexus line will be a division of Toyota Motor Sales USA, the American arm of Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. As Honda did with Acura, Toyota will try to establish a separate, upscale identity for Lexus through design, advertising and a separate dealer network. The cars, to be priced from $20,000 to $35,000 when they appear in September, 1989, are the Lexus LS 400 and ES 250.