Lexus Hikari Concept is Unapologetically Badass
Inspired by a famous piece of Japanese architecture, this futuristic concept is dynamic and awe-inspiring.
When you look at the history of Big Three Japanese luxury brands — Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti — you begin to notice a trend. All three manufacturers, which were, admittedly, created to sell luxury cars to Americans, have gradually become more Americanized.
It makes sense, as the brands were originally created as a way to sell upmarket cars in the days when Japanese cars were still seen as inexpensive. However, the gradual loss of each brand’s unique Japanese vision of what a luxury car should be is a bit sad.
It appears that Lexus is taking a small step back — and a giant leap forward. Their newest concept car, the Hikari, looks like something out a futuristic anime. According to Yanko Design, the Hikari is the brainchild of designer Hanzhengyi Pan.
Pan took inspiration from the White U house, an iconic piece of 20th century Japanese architecture by Toyo Ito. Ito, a famous conceptual architect, is something akin to Japan’s Frank Lloyd Wright.
Trip the Light Fantastic
The theme of both the house and the car is light. In fact, “Hikari” translates directly from Japanese as “light.” One of the ways the design plays with light is movable planes. This is accomplished with Toyoda Gosei’s “e-rubber,” which allows for changes in form without visible creases.
The Lexus Hikari is designed to be seen in two different shapes. One shape embraces light, while the other restricts it. In this way, it’s almost like two designs in one. It’s also a rather futuristic replacement for window tint.
The Hikari is designed as an autonomous, hydrogen-powered vehicle. This allows for a swoopy exterior and a roomy interior. That’s another way in which it mirrors the White U house.
While we prefer to drive our own vehicles, we do appreciate this design. It represents the cutting edge of design and technology at this moment. Still, we’ll be driving our LS400s, IS300s and IS Fs as long as we’re allowed to. As much as we appreciate the future of Lexus, we have a lot of love for its past, too.
Photos: Yanko Design
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