2005 Lexus Rx330 Fully Loaded on 2040-cars

Auto blog

This 'tattooed' Lexus UX is the first of its kind, and we love it

Lexus commissioned the first “tattooed” car ever, and itÂ’s chosen the UX as the tattoo artistÂ’s canvas. Art cars and special projects catch our eye sometimes, but this particular project is one of the most intriguing works of art on a car weÂ’ve seen in a long time. The process that tattoo artist Claudia de Sabe went through to translate her vision onto the UX is what weÂ’re really interested in here. Since the UX is obviously a metal car, de Sabe needed to use a Dremel tool to drill away the blank white surface paint, exposing the bare metal underneath. Those painstakingly drilled lines were used as the pattern for the art taking shape. She had to be unerringly precise in her work. After all, thereÂ’s no magic eraser for drilling into a carÂ’s metal body panels. Spending that much time free-drawing with a Dremel is intensive and demanding work, too. Comfortable positions are hard to come by, and a slip could be disastrous. After the pattern was drilled in, de Sabe switched to car paint and brushes. The koi fish and waves were painted on by hand, and then finally, de Sabe used gold leaf to create highlights in the paint and give it a stronger 3D effect. To protect the artwork, a layer of lacquer was applied, making it possible to drive this UX on the road. From the planning stages to the finished product, Lexus says it took six months. The in-studio work from de Sabe (and her tattoo artist husband who assisted her work) took place over five eight-hour days. “My main inspiration for the design of the car was just all the beautiful artwork that IÂ’ve seen in Japan, in the temples, ukiyo-e prints, all of that artistic background,” de Sabe says. Tattooing a car isnÂ’t cheap either, as Lexus estimates this bespoke work would cost “upwards of GBP120,000” (about $140,000). Lexus made a video featuring de Sabe explaining her work and showing the “tattooing” in progress. ItÂ’s worth a quick watch, so check it out below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Lexus' new V-LCRO advances seat tech by going back in time

Automakers love teaming up with aftermarket suppliers. Stuff like Foxx Racing shocks, BBS wheels, and Brembo brakes are all there to gussy up performance vehicles. But one of the best branded performance options you can get are a meaty set of seats. Not only do they look great, but the two purposes they serve are legitimate – hearty bolsters keep you pinned in place around high-G turns and they allow you to soak up a lot more of the chassis' sensations. Lexus already had a solid set of (unbranded) thrones in the RC F and GS F, but a piece of old tech is about to make them even better. The company is introducing a new Variable Load Coupling Rear Orientation for its seats. Fancy name aside, this is far from a new technology. It's been around for 75 years, and you probably know it as Velcro Technology. Yes, Lexus is going to start selling Velcro lined seats to keep you in place at up to three Gs, whether they be fore, aft, or lateral forces. "The RC F and GS F are exhilarating, racing-inspired vehicles," said Brian Bolain, Lexus' GM for product and consumer marketing. "By partnering with Velcro Companies, our new V-LCRO technology enhances the driver's ability to maximize the cars' track-proven performance." If you're worried this is just a bunch of marketing jargon, though, take it from an actual driver. The V-LCRO system works. "The beauty of this technology is its simplicity," Lexus F Performance Racing driver Scott Pruett said. "With V-LCRO, Lexus has created an unprecedented connection between driver and vehicle, and the impact on the track has been phenomenal." According to Lexus spokesman Moe Lester, V-LCRO will be available on 2020 models, alongside the upcoming hoverboard package. In other news, tomorrow is April Fools' Day. Be prepared. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lexus Introduces Groundbreaking V-LCRO Technology Automaker reveals new interior option for RC F and GS F performance vehicles TORRANCE, Calif. (March 31, 2016)—When it comes to performance cars, few things are more important than the connection between driver and vehicle. For luxury automaker Lexus, the continuous pursuit to enhance this connection even includes venturing outside the automotive world for new solutions.

Lexus Bladescan is another new headlight safety breakthrough U.S. won't get

Lexus is back at it with innovative lighting technology. The BladeScan headlights available in Europe on the 2020 RX utilize a new mechanism for throwing light further down the road, aiming that light more precisely, and doing so without blinding other road users. Lights from other OEMs with the same capabilities have increased the number of LEDs inside the housing for finer control. The BladeScan module inside the Lexus lights holds the number of LEDs down to 10 on each side of the RX, which Lexus says is a more cost-effective solution. In fact, BladeScan uses fewer LEDs than Lexus' most recent adaptive high-beam system, which has 24 LEDs on each side. The LEDs in the new module are arranged in two rows, eight on top, two on bottom. The diodes are fed information about objects ahead, and adjust their intensity to dim light aimed at an oncoming car, or illuminate a pedestrian by the roadside. However, the LEDs don't shine their light down the road, they shine their strobing light onto two blade-shaped mirrors — hence the name BladeScan — that rotate at high speed. The light reflects off the mirrored blades and into a lens, which orients the beam down the road. Not only is the reflected light easier to handle for oncoming drivers, the system has aim accurate to 0.7 degrees. Lexus' current adaptives are accurate to 1.7 degrees, making BladeScan a 143-percent improvement. That means the new feature can throw even more light into areas that are hard to reach with current lights — Lexus says pedestrian recognition at night has increased from 105 feet to 184 feet. Buyers of the 2020 RX will be able to take advantage when the new crossover goes on sale in Europe later this year. Naturally, U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 means we won't get BladeScan — that goes for you, too, Canada. The now-52-year-old U.S. law mandates a single low beam and a single high beam setting, with no intermediate settings and no activation of high and low beams simultaneously. Toyota, Audi and BMW have been trying for six years to get FMVSS 108 changed to permit new and potentially lifesaving headlight technologies. The automaker wrote in a statement to Carscoops, "Last December, Lexus submitted a petition to NHTSA to allow ADB in the United States. Currently, we await the Agency's decision and hope to see an amendment in FMVSS 108."