Daily Slideshow: The Godfather of VIP Style Owns This 2008 LS 460 L

1. Stylish Japanese Limo

VIP has been a thing in Japan for quite some time now, but the movement is still relatively young here in the U.S. Mostly because the slammed, stanced, and stylish look applies itself quite nicely to luxury limos like the Lexus LS. So when Takakuni Jo, a man known as the "Godfather" of the VIP look, wanted to build himself a new ride, he went full bore and began with a Lexus LS 460L that wound up becoming a cover model for Pasmag. 

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

2. Big Money, Big Results

The results of his efforts, along with a hefty $100,000 investment in the custom body kit alone, speak for themselves. But that's the kind of effort you have to put forth when your reputation precedes you. Plus, Jo wanted to show the car off at SEMA, an even bigger reason to go all out on the build. 

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

3. Self-Taught Mastery

Right now, you might be asking yourself, who the heck is Takakuni Jo? Well, he's a dude who fell in love with building things while working a job in construction at the tender age of 15. Like many of us, Jo quickly discovered that he loved to work with his hands, and that translated nicely to the custom car world. Amazingly, however, he's completely self-taught. Everything he does he does on his own, without the help of others.

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

4. Decades of Excellence

Jo began his life as a car customizer by wrenching on various Toyota vehicles, including the 147 and 161. It wasn't long before his work began attracting the attention of everyone who lay eyes upon it. In fact, his first magazine feature hit VIP CAR a full 18 years ago. Now, nearly two decades later, he's still cranking out cars like this amazing Lexus LS.

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

5. Kind of a Big Deal (in Japan)

Obviously, that's a lot of time building cars in a style that's only been popular for a few years here in the states. But as far back as 2002, Jo was racking up first place trophies in VIP shows across Japan. To this day, many in the Land of the Rising Sun consider his 2JZ-swapped UCF21 to be the best car ever built in the entire country. Which is obviously kind of a big deal.

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

6. Blood, Sweat, and Aero

Jo's brand, Job Design, was originally known as Jo-Blood. The reason? Blood is a pretty good symbol for all the hard work and dedication he's devoted to his craft. But as his style evolved over the years, Jo decided to change the name to help better signify his aero-line body designs.

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

7. The Definition of VIP

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of his company, Jo created this - the World Premier 10 kit. Together with U.S.-based Platinum VIP, Jo constructed one of the more aggressive body kits we've ever seen on an LS. The chassis sits low thanks to a combination of UAS and T-Demand bits.

Underneath the beautiful bodywork lies a set of Work Equip E05 wheels and Nitto Invo tires. But the most impressive part of this Lexus might be on the inside, where you'll find a full complement of custom suede work and a trunk full of serious sound equipment. It's loud, low, and very much over the top. Which is exactly what a VIP Lexus should be!

>>Join the conversation about this VIP LS 460 L right here in the ClubLexus forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.