For Laurie Rosenberg, family and community is everything. The 75-year-old retired headteacher and pastoral leader is married with three children and four grandchildren. After retiring he worked within the Jewish education community for 12 years. He now travels the length-and-breadth of the country working as a freelance holocaust educator using virtual-reality to engage with children.
The Community
It is hard for us to get Laurie’s attention as we arrive at Lexus Woodford – he seems to know all the staff and many of the customers by name and is busy shaking hands, hugging and catching-up with them all. He asks about everyone’s family and their well-being, while simultaneously cracking jokes and beaming from ear-to-ear.
Sales director Nahide Crisp explains why we’ve been invited to the east London Lexus centre: “Laurie’s a very special customer. He’s been one of our customers for many years – and not just him, his whole family as well.
“I say customer, but I really mean customer, neighbour and friend. Friend, yeah. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“He recommends his family and his friends all to come to us – so they all live and breathe Lexus too,” explains Nahide, who has been at Lexus Woodford for 18 years.
Taking a break from his hand-shaking, Laurie sits down and chips-in: “Yes, it’s a familial trust that’s built-up between us – especially with Nahide.
“You’re joining a family here. You’re not just joining a ‘dealership’. I hate that expression because they’re not a dealership. It’s part of a family. And I feel part of this family.” he smiles.
Laurie’s daughter and two children were living in Dubai and had to leave when international tensions escalated recently. “They came and stayed with us here and I needed a larger car,” explains Laurie.
“We have a family-phrase; when anyone has a problem with a car or needs a new one, we say ‘ask Nahide’ – so I called her and she recommended this UX.”
Laurie bought his silver 2019 UX 250h ‘Premium’ two months ago for £15,000 (check out the new one here). “I use it as the family car for shopping and for travelling around the country for work. The other day I was in Aylesbury – then Birmingham. I do a lot of miles.
“It’s smooth, quiet, responsive and so easy to drive. The tech is so solid and Nahide upgraded the infotainment system adding Apple CarPlay. And it does about 56mpg on a good journey. It’s just a remarkably comfortable car – I always get to the end of a journey feeling fresh.
A Family Affair
“It’s a well crafted machine. The way the doors shut – the lack of wind-noise coming through the door seals – every single thing is engineered to perfection. The fact that everything works – I don’t have to keep prodding and playing with it. The way it all comes together is perfection-personified.” he exclaims.
Laurie’s passion for Lexus began in 1990 when his late brother bought an LS400. “It was the most incredible machine on the road at the time. It ignited my spark of love for Lexus and I thought ‘yes’ I want one of these.
“My brother had a few more Lexus – including an incredible convertible LC500. I bought my first GS300 in 2002. It did about 180,000 miles. It was bullet-proof – a phenomenal car.
“My son recently bought a car from Nahide and my daughter-in-law’s parents also drive Lexus,” he adds.
“I’d be really disappointed if Nahide ever left Lexus, but I’d keep coming here – I’ve built up a relationship with the key staff. “
“I always feel welcomed here – they’re a really good bunch of people. Lexus invests in their people – when I first came here many years ago, lots of the same staff are still here, but they’ve all moved-up and been given positions of responsibility” he says.
What Lexus means to Laurie
Laurie can regularly be heard on BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought where his wise-words are heard by millions. “Driving a Lexus creates the right image for me – I think it’s an unostentatious look. It gives-off a calm, careful and considerate air. It certainly doesn’t shout out ‘wealth’ or ‘hello, look at me!’ A Lexus isn’t vulgar or showy. You’re not going to be a boy-racer roaring off down the road making a big noise if you drive a Lexus.
“Although – between you and me – if I put my foot down in the UX, I’m punched. The power is incredible!” he smirks, before posing for photos, shaking more hands and disappearing quietly into the London streets.
Words by Rod Kirkpatrick
Please note: The interview for this article was conducted via a third-party contractor on 5 May 2026 and is solely based on an independent account of the 2019 UX 250h customer (owner since March 2026). All experiences expressed are personal and not to be taken as a broad customer experience. Any purchase cost or running cost price comparison in this article is subject to personal use and can vary depending on factors such as selected grade and transmission, accessories fitted (post registration), driving style, weather conditions, speed, vehicle and battery age/condition, government scheme and vehicle load. This article shouldn’t be taken as a typical customer experience.
