I’ve attended a few import car shows recently and noticed a number of odd and confusing trends in the tuner world. Some are strange, some are silly, some are downright offensive. What they all have in common is that they cost a lot of money and are detrimental to the practicality, drive-ability and performance of the car. So we’d like to introduce a new segment called, “Why?”
Today’s focus is the trend called, “VIP style.” Its been popular in Japan for years, and as usual Americans have taken a shining to it. People take Japanese luxury sedans, usually a late-90s Lexus, and modify the body, interior, suspension and -most importantly- wheels to create a Frankken-Lexus luxury car.But like neons and modded minivans, I just don’t get it. The result is what you see here. It’s a car that tries to combine the extreme with the subtle. But like Dolly Parton wearing a turtle-neck, the extreme is far more noticeable than the luxury.
So you buy your Lexus. You drive home thinking, “Man this is comfortable. It’s so quiet and smooth, I feel like I’m in an isolation tank. I’ve never been so relaxed. This is bullshit. Man wasn’t meant to drive in serenity, and it’s up to me to save us.” So what do you do? You buy a set of 22″ rims with an 8 foot lip. Won’t fit you say? Ha, that’s because you were trying to bolt the wheels on vertically so the tire rested flat on the ground. Idiot. All you have to is shove the top of the wheel under the fender and leave the bottom sticking out. As long as there’s 1/2 inch of tire on the ground we’re all good. And don’t worry if it rubs and peels the finish off the rim, that turns girls on.
So I ask the question, why. Why would you take some of Japans most comfortable, quiet and practical cars and give them so much camber that Lance Armstrong’s bike has more rubber-to-road contact? Can you imagine driving this in the rain? Or over a penny? I’m all for individualism and making a car your own. Sure, a 900hp car isn’t reliable, and race suspension isn’t comfortable on a road trip, but at least that has purpose. This is like taking your Honda Accord, putting the engine from a 1968 Alfa in it, and then driving home on only your rims.
How do the people who own these cars actually get them from the garage where they were created to their house?
if you think this is bad look at hellaflush/stance rides, it's the same concept but most of the time they are in fast cars that cannot go as fast as they can because they scrape every pebble on the road.
Don't forget, your tire/wheel combination has to be dangerously mismatched! Why get a tire that's the right width?
Go Look up the History of The VIP car style before u ask WHY. Why are you even a writer? If you are going to address a certain style don't come across as a jack ass. Its a LUXERY based hobby, and yes its VERY expensive. Just because you might not "understand" the meaning behind it means you might want to tap into more resources and acually talk to people and find out more details. I ran across this page when i saw the lexus at the top. Then i read this and obviously realized that you have no idea what you are talking about and it makes you look like a rookie. Hopefully next time you can accually do some research instead of googling pictures.
If you'd like, explain how this is a luxury style for all of us. The cars are lowered on huge rims, so they clearly don't ride like luxury cars. They are generally older, used cars, so they aren't expensive. And they look very silly rolling down the road, so no one (that we know of) is impressed by them. To us, it looks like these cars are designed only to be parked in lots.
Most americans spend more on being a sports fan, then we support our local communities 99/1.
Most americans know more about these sports figures then they know about thier elected leaders (I doubt most could even name thier congressman).
Less then 1/2 of 10 percent of registered voters, vote.
A out of control electorial is gaining power and eroding the fountation of the basis of freedom, the American Constitution.
The Supreme Court, had the Constitution ink jet transfered to floor mats, so they can wipe thier designer leather shoes off, since they had to walk from thier limo to the court house door, thus soiling thier exhaulted feet on "the common ground".
Why would the useless common people, do anything usefull to thier over morgaged 40 acres, or thier over worn and obsolete mules?
I feel the same way. I support innovation completely. Trying new things is how we end up with the great things we have, automotive or otherwise. But this is something that I wish had died in Japan soon after it started. I like cartoons and caricatures, which is what these remind me of, but I would never try to transplant them to real life.