The brand, which debuted in 1989, grew 10 percent to 765,330 vehicles worldwide, Toyota said in a statement yesterday, powered by strong sales of its UX subcompact crossover and best-selling RX sports utility vehicle. China sales soared 25 percent to 202,000 vehicles last year and deliveries in Europe climbed 14 percent to 87,000 vehicles. Toyota has long sought to make Lexus a global brand, and its rapid growth in China and Europe after years of sluggishness is helping realize that goal. Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz saw sales last year rise 1.3 percent to 2.34 million vehicles, besting No. 2 BMW AG’s 2 percent gain to 2.17 million vehicles.
