Lexus shows off the world's first tattooed car
Toyota-owned Lexus has unveiled, what it calls, the "world's first tattooed car." The special four-wheeler is a Lexus UX compact SUV that has been designed and created by London-based tattoo artist Claudia De Sabe to celebrate the "fine craftsmanship and traditional Japanese artistry." It doesn't have a price tag, but the bespoke work is estimated to cost upwards of Rs. 1 crore.
The car features a traditional koi carp design
This special Lexus UX features a koi carp that runs along the entire length of the crossover. The design is inspired from traditional Japanese art, representing good fortune and perseverance. According to Sabe, she had to first remove the entire bodypaint and then ink this special motif. After the tattoo work, the car was covered by a special lacquer to make it drivable.
The project was completed in 6 months
The design work was done entirely by hand by Sabe and her husband Yutaro. According to the couple, it took 5 liters of paint and around 6 months to complete the project when they worked 8 hours daily for at least 5 days every week.
Mechanically, this artistic model is just a regular Lexus UX
The UX crossover comes as the smallest Lexus SUV in Europe, featuring the signature spindle grille, sleek LED headlights, angular air intakes, blacked-out wheel arches, and sloping roof design. Under the hood, it packs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 169hp and 205Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to an automatic transmission system that lets the car accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds.
The special edition doesn't come with a price tag
The tattooed Lexus is a unique not-for-sale commemorative model and hence, it doesn't have a price tag. However, Lexus is ready to pay upwards of £120,000 (around Rs. 1 crore) for the bespoke work.
