Toyota Mark II most of all, its reliability; the Cressida was quickly gaining a reputation for outstanding ownership. In August 1983, Toyota chairman Eiji Toyoda initiated the F1 project ("Flagship" and "No. 1 vehicle"; alternatively called the "Circle-F" project), a clandestine effort aimed at producing a world-class luxury sedan for international markets. This led to the creation of an all new, full size luxury sedan designed for export markets and was called the Lexus LS. The US-market 1981 Cressida was the first car to come with motorized automatic shoulder harnesses which wrapped around front seat occupants when the door was closed and the
Luxury vehicle the United States, the mid-luxury segment is dominated by Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as executive cars from lesser-known manufacturers such as Citroën and Infiniti have not had much success. Vehicles in this segment include the mid-range models of several luxury car manufacturers. Executive cars such as the BMW 5 Series are crucial to a luxury automaker's bottom line, and although not the highest-selling model, they generate a significant amount of profits due to the lucrative technology options. Also known as full-size luxury cars, grand saloons, flagship car, or premium large cars, while "Oberklasse" is used in Germany. Many of these are