EKanoo Racing’s twin-turbocharged Lexus IS F launches properly, and starts speeding down the track. Then all hell breaks loose.

Someone took the mild-mannered Lexus IS300 sedan from the early 2000s and shoehorned a 5.3-liter LS V8 into its empty engine bay, which originally housed a 3.0-liter I6. Two turbos provide even more oomph.

When I was originally introduced to Lexus’ now signature spindle grille, I wondered who on the executive design team came up with the idea and (honestly) what possessed them to do so. Autocar has finally found an answer.

Scrounged this one up off Reddit earlier today and it got me thinking: How weird would it be to drive around in a golden Lexus all day? Someone, somewhere, is having fun in this car.

It’s unsurprising the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is America’s highest motorsport competition, but at the ripe old age of 97, it is also America’s second-oldest auto race.

Going overboard with a show car is easy to do–and it’s easy to find examples at SEMA. But even though Seibon seemingly threw every carbon bit in its toy box at this 2014 IS350 F Sport, the effect is solid–I love the way the carbon hood looks against the spindle grill.  

Lexus has been getting big time kudos lately for how engaging its latest models are to drive on the street and the track, so it’s clear that the beauty is more than skin deep. That said, it doesn’t hurt to check out some beautiful skin. Hit the jump the see how a pair of visual […] More »