Toyota Mark II mid-size. The Cressida was an upper-level mid-size rear-wheel drive car with a straight-six engine, as the mid-market second-generation Camry was still classified as a compact car in the early 1990s. The Lexus GS, introduced in 1993 – one year after the Cressida's discontinuation – could also be considered a spiritual successor to the Cressida, as a midsize rear-wheel drive Toyota luxury vehicle with a strong kinship to the Toyota Supra and also derived from a shortened version of the Toyota Crown platform. A redesigned Mark II was released in October 1992, called the X90-series. It received a new front bumper
Luxury vehicle and safety. Luxury vehicles are also a status symbol for conspicuous consumption. Contemporary luxury cars also offer higher performance and better handling, which is often known as sport luxury. However, in Europe, where large-displacement engines are often heavily taxed and many luxury buyers shy away from conspicuous consumption, brands offer buyers the option of removing exterior engine-identifying badges. Forbes noted that the reputation of luxury marques enables them to continually introduce many new safety technologies and comfort amenities, such as anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and DVD entertainment systems, long before they trickle down to mass market cars. Numerous "smart