VIP Lexus LS400 Lives the Low, Loud Life
Some people love ’em, some people hate ’em. But you won’t find anything that attracts attention like a VIP Lexus.
In the automotive realm, few styles are more controversial than VIP. And yet, this type of modification remains highly popular among Lexus enthusiasts. If you’re not familiar with the look of a VIP Lexus, it’s pretty simple to explain, really. It’s all about making your car as low and wide as possible. Throw on some aggressive, super-wide wheels, a body kit, and lower the suspension, and you’re in business.
Since the VIP phenomenon originated in Japan, it makes total sense that Lexus is one of the brands that dominates the scene. But with extreme negative camber, ground scraping stances, and wheels that are typically wider than the tires mounted to them, what’s it like to actually drive a Lexus VIP? Surely, the experience has to be incredibly unpleasant, right?
Well, that’s exactly what Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire was wondering. So when he came across this VIP’d LS400 at the recent #GRIDLIFE Motorsports and Music Festival South in Atlanta, Georgia, he asked if he could take it for a spin around the premises. With the Ksport air struts set to “drive,” the first thing you’ll notice is how insanely loud the 1UZ is with nothing more than straight pipes to muffle it.
But turning corners is, as Farah describes it, “hysterical” with such a ridiculous camber. And even though you’re going to grab attention everywhere you go in a VIP Lexus, be prepared for some interesting reactions. The owner of this particular car describes it mostly as “confusion.” But Farah sums it up best, calling it “a car that I kinda hate, but also kinda love.”
And that’s really what VIP is all about. Looking cool and attracting the attention of everyone who sees it, whether they like it or not. The controversy is just part of the appeal, after all. But you’d be hard pressed to find any car that turns more heads than this!
