A well-known compact executive car, the Lexus IS has been around since the happy days when everyone was worried about the Millenium bug (a.k.a. Y2K) only to find out it was not that big of an issue. Generations have passed, and the car born in the Gen Y/Z cusp (1999) has remained anchored in modern reality with help from interesting custom projects.
We’ve recently experienced the resurgence of a V8-powered Lexus IS (a.k.a. the IS 500 F Sport Performance), but this time around, the custom sedan isn’t about power, although the Japanese automaker does claim the IS Wax Edition “hits all the right notes.”
Instead, Lexus USA again delivers a unique take on the IS, after last month’s “Ultimate Gaming Space” unit designed with help from the Twitch community into a luxurious gaming station cocoon.
Now it’s time for the 2021 IS sports sedan to get in tune with the world of music, as the concept vehicle has “a fully functional turntable built into the dashboard capable of playing vinyl records while the car is in motion without missing a beat – even on a bumpy road.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time we see an automaker go for a music connection, and the IS itself was featured some years ago in a Dua Lipa music video while covered in thousands and thousands of glitzy LEDs. On this occasion, Lexus has turned to another artist, enlisting “legendary DJ and producer MC Madlib and chart-topping artist and producer Kaytranada” in the process of creating a special double-single on vinyl.
Because we’ve just passed World Poetry Day, Lexus is adept at playing with words, so it’s keen on pointing out how it gave a whole new meaning to the idea of “taking it for a spin,” as the two artists debuted their first joint record in the Lexus IS Wax Edition.
By the way, the car record player has been 3D-printed and modified with carbon fiber and machined aluminum, and although it’s compact enough to be hidden in the glovebox compartment, it’s still capable of handling a full-size 12-inch record.
Naturally, the “impressive fusion of music and cars” has been captured on camera as well, as the company delivers a two-part chronicle entitled “Driven by Sound,” which is available on Pitchfork. The first episode centers on Madlib and Kaytranada, delivering a behind-the-scenes look into their collaboration, while the second part focuses on the creation of the special turntable and the IS Wax Edition.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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