Toyoda shows playful side at Lexus unveiling

DETROIT — Lexus unveiled the LC 500 with a debut as memorable and emotional as the sleek, sexy coupe.

It opened with a video of Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, the luxury brand’s self-appointed “master driver,” zipping up his racing suit and climbing behind the wheel for some tire-smoking track time. Then Toyoda stepped onstage in a rare personal appearance to turn on the charm and the one-liners, in English.

“I’m told I have a slight accent. You know, kind of like Sofia Vergara.”

“When I was a little boy, I wanted to grow up to be a taxi driver. Instead, I’m doing this.”

“Toyoda may be my last name. But believe me, Lexus is my middle name.”

It was up-close and personal for the president. He revealed his playful personality for the first time to an American public that largely doesn’t know him or, worse, remembers only his solemn testimony before Congress during Toyota’s 2010 recall crisis.

The event lived up to Lexus’ new mantra: Don’t be boring.

Lexus even cued up a promo clip reminiscent of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” music video, with a massive steel ball lining up to obliterate the LF-LC concept on which the new coupe is based. But, answering doubters who said Lexus would never build the car, just as the ball is about to broadside the LF-LC, it speeds off.

Engineers and executives credit Toyoda for driving the LC project. He test-drove LC prototypes several times to fine-tune the driving.

“I don’t want to sit behind a desk. I want to sit behind the wheel because that’s how I can best advise my team,” Toyoda told a crowd of more than 400 people at the LC 500’s unveiling.

Lexus planned for a huge turnout, rightly predicting that the Lexus booth would be too small. So the luxury marque commandeered the larger Toyota brand stand, transforming it into a “Lexus Theater.”

For the Toyota brand, it meant a fast turnaround. Normally, workers spend days prepping the stand. This year, they had to tear down the Lexus Theater after the Monday unveiling and build Toyota’s display overnight.