TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The popular Lexus IS 350 sport
sedan has entered the world of video games as part of Atari Inc.'s all-new
Test Drive Unlimited video game for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and
entertainment system from Microsoft. The ultimate automotive and lifestyle
gaming experience, Test Drive Unlimited provides gamers with M.O.O.R.(TM):
Massively Open Online Racing and the pure freedom to drive their Lexus IS
350 wherever they choose, whenever they choose and race whomever they
choose all in a spectacular wide-open Hawaiian setting.

The IS 350's participation in Test Drive Unlimited marks the debut of a
Lexus branding initiative in the world of video games. The IS 350 is the
first of five Lexus vehicles that will be available for Test Drive
Unlimited. Additional Lexus vehicles coming soon to Test Drive Unlimited
include the LS 460 premium luxury sedan, the GS 450h hybrid-powered luxury
sport sedan, the SC 430 hard-top convertible, and the LS 600h L, which will
go on sale in the Spring of 2007 as the world's first full-hybrid V8 luxury
sedan.

With its remarkable vehicle details, Test Drive Unlimited enables
players to experience the intelligence of technical design and design
quality that went into the IS 350 and all Lexus vehicles.

Thus far, the IS 350 has proven very popular since it became available
on Test Drive Unlimited on November 21, 2006. In its first five days
online, the IS 350 received over 30,000 downloads!

"The Lexus IS 350 is a perfect fit with video games, particularly with
the array of exciting features offered to gamers in Test Drive Unlimited,"
said Deborah Wahl Meyer, Lexus vice president of marketing. "Our foray into
online gaming will help Lexus reach the IS model's younger target audience,
educate gamers to the many styling and performance aspects of the IS, and
also further expose Lexus as a brand with high-performance attributes."

Test Drive Unlimited allows gamers to visit the most sophisticated car
and motorcycle dealers (with more than 90 vehicles to choose from) to
purchase new vehicles or simply take them for a test drive. Players choose
from real-world manufacturer interior and exterior options to make their
vehicles one-of-a-kind.

Test Drive Unlimited challenges players online and offline to
experience the most exotic and fastest vehicles on more than 1,000 miles of
diverse and challenging Hawaiian roads and terrains on the island of Oahu.
Every foot of road, buildings and landmarks are mapped out using authentic
GPS data.

Gamers can choose from an astounding 350+ multi-player and solo
challenges, including a combined online and offline total of 125 race
challenges, 44 time challenges, 51 speed challenges, 40 club challenges and
many more. Players also have the option of designing their own challenge.
Gamers around the world compete against each other in up to eight-player
races and can also meet with thousands of others in a 24/7 online community
to chat, trade, and race.

Each competitor can purchase their IS 350 in an online Lexus dealership
that is completely furnished to precisely replicate a real-life Lexus
showroom, from the walls, to the carpet and floor plan. The IS 350 is
rendered with incredible fidelity and boasts unrivalled interior details
including full vehicle functions such as radio, electric windows, horn, and
more.

Gamers can personalize their Lexus IS with options from an actual Lexus
catalogue, allowing one to boost vehicle power with performance upgrades.
Each player can form and customize the driver of their IS 350 with a
choice of popular branded clothes and create their own unique look with a
vast range of hair styles, colorings and the ability to fine tune all
facial features.

Competitors stack up cash by winning races and completing challenges,
missions and tournaments to earn credits and purchase new cars, bikes,
apparel, homes, and garages.

The Lexus IS models, which debuted in 2006, combine striking styling
with one of the most compelling packages of performance, luxury, and safety
in the highly competitive luxury sport sedan segment.

The 2007 IS is offered in three models, each powered by a
new-generation, high-output V6 engine. The rear-wheel-drive IS 350 leads
its segment with a 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and can accelerate from
zero-to-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The IS 250 is powered by a 204
horsepower, 2.5-liter version of the new V6 and is available as a
rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive model.

About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games
for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of
interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles
include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as The Matrix(TM) (Enter
The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive(R); and mass-market
and children's franchises such as Dora the Explorer(TM), and Dragon Ball
Z(R). Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames
Entertainment SA (Euronext - ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive
games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit http://www.atari.com.

About Lexus
Lexus has become synonymous with luxury since its introduction in 1989.
By offering some of the finest quality luxury vehicles and providing
benchmark customer service, Lexus has remained the top-selling luxury
nameplate in the United States for six years in a row. Lexus and its 222
dealers have repeatedly achieved high honors for both the products they
sell and the customer service they provide.

SOURCE Lexus

 

That sounds cool!

 

booo
not for PC, Xbox360 only
booooo

 

Lexus IS 350 Earns a Ticket to Paradise in Atari Inc.'s Online Video Game: Test Drive Unlimited

December 5, 2006 – Torrance, CA - The popular Lexus IS 350 sport sedan has entered the world of video games as part of Atari Inc.'s all-new Test Drive Unlimited video game for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The ultimate automotive and lifestyle gaming experience, Test Drive Unlimited provides gamers with M.O.O.R.™: Massively Open Online Racing and the pure freedom to drive their Lexus IS 350 wherever they choose, whenever they choose and race whomever they choose all in a spectacular wide-open Hawaiian setting.

The IS 350's participation in Test Drive Unlimited marks the debut of a Lexus branding initiative in the world of video games. The IS 350 is the first of five Lexus vehicles that will be available for Test Drive Unlimited. Additional Lexus vehicles coming soon to Test Drive Unlimited include the LS 460 premium luxury sedan, the GS 450h hybrid-powered luxury sport sedan, the SC 430 hard-top convertible, and the LS 600h L, which will go on sale in the Spring of 2007 as the worlds first full-hybrid V8 luxury sedan.

With its remarkable vehicle details, Test Drive Unlimited enables players to experience the intelligence of technical design and design quality that went into the
IS 350 and all Lexus vehicles.

Thus far, the IS 350 has proven very popular since it became available on Test Drive Unlimited on November 21, 2006. In its first five days online, the IS 350 received over 30,000 downloads!

"The Lexus IS 350 is a perfect fit with video games, particularly with the array of exciting features offered to gamers in Test Drive Unlimited", said Deborah Wahl Meyer, Lexus vice president of marketing. "Our foray into online gaming will help Lexus reach the IS model's younger target audience, educate gamers to the many styling and performance aspects of the IS, and also further expose Lexus as a brand with high-performance attributes."

Test Drive Unlimited allows gamers to visit the most sophisticated car and motorcycle dealers (with more than 90 vehicles to choose from) to purchase new vehicles or simply take them for a test drive. Players choose from real-world manufacturer interior and exterior options to make their vehicles one-of-a-kind.

Test Drive Unlimited challenges players online and offline to experience the most exotic and fastest vehicles on more than 1,000 miles of diverse and challenging Hawaiian roads and terrains on the island of Oahu. Every foot of road, buildings and landmarks are mapped out using authentic GPS data.

Gamers can choose from an astounding 350+ multi-player and solo challenges, including a combined online and offline total of 125 race challenges, 44 time challenges, 51 speed challenges, 40 club challenges and many more. Players also have the option of designing their own challenge. Gamers around the world compete against each other in up to eight-player races and can also meet with thousands of others in a 24/7 online community to chat, trade, and race.

Each competitor can purchase their IS 350 in an online Lexus dealership that is completely furnished to precisely replicate a real-life Lexus showroom, from the walls, to the carpet and floor plan. The IS 350 is rendered with incredible fidelity and boasts unrivalled interior details including full vehicle functions such as radio, electric windows, horn, and more.

Gamers can personalize their Lexus IS with options from an actual Lexus catalogue, allowing one to boost vehicle power with performance upgrades.

Each player can form and customize the driver of their IS 350 with a choice of popular branded clothes and create their own unique look with a vast range of hair styles, colorings and the ability to fine tune all facial features.

Competitors stack up cash by winning races and completing challenges, missions and tournaments to earn credits and purchase new cars, bikes, apparel, homes, and garages.
The Lexus IS models, which debuted in 2006, combine striking styling with one of the most compelling packages of performance, luxury, and safety in the highly competitive luxury sport sedan segment.

The 2007 IS is offered in three models, each powered by a new-generation, high-output V6 engine. The rear-wheel-drive IS 350 leads its segment with a 306-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and can accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. The IS 250 is powered by a 204 horsepower, 2.5-liter version of the new V6 and is available as a rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive model.

About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as The Matrix™ (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Dora the Explorer™, and Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext – ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.

About Lexus
Lexus has become synonymous with luxury since its introduction in 1989. By offering some of the finest quality luxury vehicles and providing benchmark customer service, Lexus has remained the top-selling luxury nameplate in the United States for six years in a row. Lexus and its 222 dealers have repeatedly achieved high honors for both the products they sell and the customer service they provide.

Credit: Lexus USA

 

I will post the video clips in both high and low res tonight. I had to host them on youtube.com instead of hosting it on our servers due to bandwidth.

Also, there will be a special competition with prizes for our Club Lexus XBOX 360 gamers and the IS350 for Test Drive Unlimited. Stay tuned.

 

That's pretty cool...can't wait to see this in stores...

 

Test Drive Unlimited is already available in stores. The IS350 vehicle is available for download now through XBOX.

There will be a few more Lexus vehicles that will be added to this game in the near future. There are a few more new Lexus vehicles that will be added to this game in addition to the IS350.

 

I hear the LS460, SC430, and GS430 will all be added. Would be nice if the IS-F and LF-A were added in the future

 

Here is a video clip of the Lexus IS350 in Test Drive Unlimited...

Low Res:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A1zknzR-cJI

High Res:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yiss5lWZyQ4

Lexus & Atari will be setting up a competition between the Xbox/Lexus TDU gamers out there. It will be a competition hosted on the Atari Forums. More info to come. Here are some of the items that will be given out for the Lexus TDU Challenge:

* CD visor caddy
* Caps
* Golf shirts
* Business card holders
* Tech travel kits
* Model cars
* Back packs

Stay Tuned...

-Ryan

 

Cool, thx for the vids. They got the Lexus dealership right there, nice! The high-res vid doesn't have sound though, but the low-res vid does. Thanks.

 

Hi-Res video WITH Audio now working:

CLICK HERE: IS350 on Test Drive Unlimited - HI-RES

 

Very nice! Oh to be an IS owner who can enjoy his car both for real and virtually...

 

Sadly, I don't think my RX will ever be featured in a video game

Although I do remember some off roading game for the first xbox that had an RX300 jacked up with monster tires.

 

Lexus wants to focus their attention to video games with vehicles that have a regal and performance appeal to them. It's their "sexy" cars that make the cut.

 

The PC version will be released February 13, 2007. I pre-ordered my copy from best buy!