lexus – Adam's Auto Advice

Lexus joins Forces with Artists to create SEMA Lexus IS designs

Lexus decided to join forces with artists to create a line of Lexus IS designs that would really stand out from the crowd for this year's SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show. The opened up a design challenge to deviantART, the largest online social community for artists, to come up with a slick interpretation of the the Lexus IS sedan. There were hundreds of crazy, wacky, and fun ideas that were submitted but the best ones are being displayed at SEMA in Las Vegas which starts today.

One cool example includes Philip Chase with a Lexus IS 340. He took the powerful and brutal six-cylinder turbo engine, a unit that produces more than 700bhp, from the 1990s Supra and dropped it into the Lexus IS 340. The engine’s sound can be heard through a custom four-inch exhaust system, and its power is expressed in the car’s styling, with a front lip kit by Modellista and carbon fiber hood vents.

Lexus’s limited edition carbon fiber bicycle takes price of place on the roof of Gordon Ting’s Lexus IS AWD, that comes with customer exhaust and air intakes by TEIN USA, Street Flex dampers and Brembo high-performance brakes.

Paul Tolson and Gabriel Escobedo may have created the widest, lowest Lexus IS 250 F Sport. The F Sport is close to the ground with an Air Runner Systems air ride, something usually only seen on Lowriders. The paintwork is equally fun since it comes in shades named Orange Mercury and Root Beer.

Seibon Carbon has worked its magic on the Lexus IS 350 F Sport. It built a series of specialty body panels and aerodynamic parts made of carbon fiber, including the hood, hoodlid, spoilers and skirts. A set of Volk Racing 20-inch wheels, A’PEXi SPL suspension and exhaust and a custom intake further ramp up the sports performance. There will be no missing Vossen Wheels’ Lexus IS 350 F Sport, finished in LFA Pearl Yellow paint, rolling on 20-inch CVT Directional rims and sitting ultra-low thanks to RS-R Black-I Series coilover shocks.

It’s not just the current Lexus IS that’s in the spotlight at SEMA though. Lexus is also turning back the clock to show two new interpretations of the first and second generation models. Maricar Cortez has produced a cool version of the 2004 Lexus IS 300, adorned with three-piece HRE 19-inch wheels and Rod Millen Motorsport side skirts. Under the hood the six-cylinder engine gains a ProLex supercharger. Enthusiast Andrew Atigehchi contributes his work on a 2007 Lexus IS 250, fettled with 20-inch rims and performance exhaust, suspension and brakes.

Top Gear UK vs. Top Gear USA: Which Top Gear is Better?

If you love cars as much as I do, you inevitably love Top Gear. If you don't know what Top Gear is, I can sum up the the TV show for you like this, “The greatest thing EVER!”

Top Gear shows you what happens when you let loose three crazed automotive journalists and give them an unlimited budget to do what they want with cars. The three hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond get into wacky situations during each episode. They engage in antics such as driving to the North Pole, crossing the English Channel in homemade amphibious vehicles, and trying to prove British Leyland built good cars, just a few situations the three hosts get into during an episode. Top Gear goes boldly where no other TV show goes. It also answers the question of what every man would do if he could remain a kid forever.

Top Gear UK is an immensely popular TV show. I am not the only one who thinks so, as the original British Top Gear has an estimated global audience of 350 million people in 170 different countries every week. (According to Wikipedia!)

Americans like to copy good British TV shows. The Office, American Idol, Survivor, Big Brother, etc. were all British TV shows first. Now you can add Top Gear to that list. The History channel now broadcasts an American version of Top Gear with Rutledge Wood, Adam Ferrara, and Tanner Foust. Top Gear USA follows the same format as the original Top Gear, with the three hosts reviewing cars, getting into crazy situations, having celebrities on the show, etc.

The fact that Top Gear USA is still on TV probably makes diehard fans of the original British version groan with pain. The first time I watched an episode of Top Gear USA I didn't like it. This might be because the hosts are not nearly as witty and entertaining and majority of the segments seem to be carbon copies of the original.

Brits, it seems, are just better at making good TV than “Stupid Americans” as Europeans might call us. It makes we wonder if there will be an Americanized version of Downton Abbey. (At least we make great action movies with lots of explosions!)

I may have my own opinions about Top Gear USA. However, I'd like to hear from my readers on which you prefer.

I have compiled these videos for a heads-up challenge, Top Gear UK vs Top Gear USA. Which do you think is better? Watch the videos and decide for yourself. Leave a comment below and share your opinions.

TRAILER

SKIERS VS. CAR

Top Gear USA – Mitsubishi Evo X by cjrobe0

VIDEO GAME VS. REAL TRACK

CELEBRITY APPEARANCES

CAR REVIEW

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Baltimore Auto Show Coverage with Pictures!

I am a bit late in posting these pictures of the Baltimore Auto Show, but better late than never. The 2012 Baltimore Auto Show was not too much to brag about though. There were considerably less cars this year and no luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Porsche. Baltimore being poor, I guess it isn't surprising they didn't show this year. Also there were no exotic cars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc. Worst part of all, no tuner alley! It was a big letdown compared to the Washington Auto Show.

While I love seeing the new models automakers are offering and what is in store for new year in the car world, I felt the recent Baltimore Auto Show showed how depressed the economy was. Through the grapevine I heard the convention center tripled there rates, which explained most of it. Even considering that the displays weren't anything to brag about and people were generally not having much fun it seemed. It sort of felt like 2008 was happening in the all over again, but hey this is 2012.

I hope next year will reflect a more robust car market and economy. Also hopefully the Convention Center will lower their rates!

baltimore auto show — Baltimore Auto Show

Tori Praver Creates the Greatest Racetrack in History

I hope everyone is enjoying Valentine's Day. I am sure most people are enjoying roses, chocolates, cards, e-cards, and… well doing you know what!

If you didn't know the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition went on sale today. The stunning Kate Upton made the cover.

Another stunning model, among many, in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is Tori Praver. Her curvaceous body will make men go crazy. Lexus has smartly capitalized on this in a very interesting way for the ad campaign for the all-new 2013 GS sedan.

In a new Youtube video Lexus features the TORI 500, showcasing a real racetrack that was inspired by the design of Tori Praver's body. Supermodels curves are finally being put to good use.

The video shows the process of taking the pictures and making the racetrack. Two professional race-car drivers are tasked with going around the track, in a Lexus GS of course. They compete for a special prize, a victory lap with Tori Praver. Winning feels great, but driving on the racetrack inspired by a supermodel with the supermodel riding shotgun, priceless!

The luxury car company also has four-page spread in the latest issue of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine. As we all know guys from 13-113 go bonkers for this magazine. Since it features some of the world's most beautiful women.

Lexus, this is genius! Actually I would say that the Tori Praver inspired racetrack is the greatest racetrack designed in history. Please give us more supermodel racetracks!

If you want to drive the track, you can with a Tori 500 game for the iPhone.

Washington Auto Show Presents Cool Cars, Concepts, Green Cars, and Policy

Yesterday the 2012 Washington Auto Show opened to the public. Definitely a great event to go to if you are a car lover.

I attended the Public Policy day, the day before the Washing Auto Show opened (January 26th), and got to see all the offerings on hand before the massive crowds. I bet you are wondering what some of the highlights of the show were.

My personal favorites would have to be the Lotus Evora and the Lamborghini Aventador. Lamborghini's are just so amazing, sexy, powerful, over-the-top, etc. Basically everything you want in a supercar. I imagine this car is on the wall of many young children's rooms across the country. I talked with the salesman from Euro MotorCars, Jamie Gershowitz, about the Evora for awhile. I commented on how the body from from a distance looked like a Tesla. This is because Lotus makes the body shells and chassis for the Tesla Roadster. He told me how fun there were to drive. If I was a dog… I would have been drooling. (Alright, maybe I was drooling just a little bit.)

Definitely the most interesting car there would have to go Freedom Behind The Wheel and the converted Nissan 240SX race car they had on display. All the controls are done with the hands. It is specifically built for soldiers who have lost their legs, but still want to participate in racing. Ryan Downey, who built the car, seems to have refined the controls and cars to be ideal for racing. Best part about their display was they had a race simulator setup to try out the controls. I that that was pretty awesome. I was told I did fairly well. Unfortunately you can only see this car at auto shows for now.

There were a few concepts on hand as well. “Hybrid” is the keyword and along with “electric” or anything green at auto shows now, and the Washington Auto Show is no different. Toyota NS4 Hybrid and Volvo's XC60 Hybrid were on display. I hope Toyota builds the NS4 Hybrid, because I think it looks super slick. Another concept on display was the Audi E-Tron electric car. Audi is testing a fleet of them in Germany currently, but it no word on when Audi will be testing their electric cars in the US.

Fiat had a little area for doing test drives with the new Fiat 500. It seemed a lot of press people and government officials were happy to not just look at cars, but actually drive one. Especially inside the Washington Auto Show. I thought this was a good idea, but is not necessarily going to make me buy a Fiat 500. I love the original Fiat 500, but the new one just seems too much of chick car.

The day I attended Senator Jeff Merkley (Oregon)gave a speech and talked about what the Senate was doing to try to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Honestly his speech was pretty boring, but I listened intently anyway. As well Mark Reuss, President of General Motors North American operations (GM), gave a speech at the show. I guess he came to make sure all the politicians were happy with the job he was doing and what GM is doing. As well pat himself on the back about making GM number 1 again. (Just so you know you have natural disasters to thank for that!)

Ray LaHood, the secretary of transportation, was in attendance as well. Unlike Senator Merkley and surprisingly Mark Reuss, he is a good public speaker. He spoke in the Advanced Super Highway section of the hall, which featured electric cars, hybrids, and other green cars from many different automakers. “This great auto show features some of the best cars in the world” said LaHood about the Washington Auto Show adding “In this hall, you can see what is possible.” In his speech he stressed the importance of the auto bailouts. He claimed the government's actions saved our whole economy and over 1 million jobs. I didn't agree with most of his statements, since I am against bailouts, but whatever.

If you love cars, and are in the DC metro area, I would definitely go checkout the Washington Auto Show. It runs from January 27th – February 5th, 2012.