There was a time when everyone (unwittingly) copied the luxury European automakers. Including Lexus, which, back during the 1990s, wasn’t shy about modeling its flagship LS after icons such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
7 photosAs shameful as it may sound today for Lexus, the premium Japanese automaker wasn’t too subtle in taking the design and other traits of the German competition as a template. Luckily, that’s a thing of the past, and the fifth-generation LS couldn’t be further away from its S-Class rival than it already is. But there’s one virtual artist that unknowingly reminded us of the 1990s “clones.” Musa Rio Tjahjono, the pixel master behind the musartwork account on social media, has taken a short break from his newfound Honda Civic obsession. So, in between old-school Japanese hatchback virtual or real-world projects, he decided to give us an example of one of his “favorite Lexus VIP style” transformations. Interestingly, he didn’t choose the latest and arguably greatest LS for the JDM treatment. Instead, as far as we can tell, we are dealing with a 1997-2000 Lexus LS 400 that has been dressed up in Metallic Black. It’s only natural for this car modification trend to have the LS also wider and lower in terms of stance. Notice the ultra deep-dish chrome wheels, as well as the slammed attitude that basically has the front skirt ant-height close to the virtual ground. Everything is as simple as possible, including the chrome treatment – a mid-high beltline surround, lateral and rear window surrounds, as well as the traditional grille framing. And that’s all for the exterior. Unfortunately, these quick art projects from this CGI expert are seldom joined by an interior perspective or a little bit of background information on possible powertrain alterations. We don’t mind, though, as VIP style is not necessarily about improved performance so much as it relies on subtle aggressiveness. Just like this one.
Keyword: Late 1990s Lexus LS Still Looks Like an Undercover S-Class Even When VIP-Styled