X Marks the Spot: Toyota Unveils New Premium Sedan in Tokyo

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed)
Oct 27th 2009 at 10:01PM

Names like Infiniti, Acura and Lexus have come to occupy central roles in the luxury automobile market. But for decades, these brands were only sold in North America. Lexus came home to roost just a few years ago, while Infiniti and Acura are still dedicated exclusively to the foreign market. So while it may seem counter-intuitive to see luxury sedans marketed under labels we'd consider decidedly ordinary here, in their domestic markets the practice is commonplace. Take for example the new Toyota Mark X.

This slick premium sedan is now in its second iteration, recently revealed under the bright lights of the semi-annual Tokyo Motor Show. Sold exclusively in Japan, it shares its platform with the Lexus GS, but comes wrapped in a sportier shell, with a choice of V6 engines in 2.5-liter/203hp and 3.5-liter/315hp guises driving through a six-speed automatic transmission and either rear- or all-wheel-drive. Not unlike the Hyundai Genesis sedan which comes to market conspicuously void of Hyundai badges, the Mark X bares its own grille ornament, giving the premium sedan an air of sophistication to slot somewhere in between Toyota's image and that of its upscale counterpart Lexus.

Gallery: Toyota Mark X