Lexus has lost its damn mind.

[AZhitman]

Seriously, did they hire Chris Bangle's meth-addict cousin to design their concepts?

[MinisterofDOOM]

Definitely a special kind of horrid.

Yet, somehow, I can clearly see the GX470 genetics in it. It has exactly the same cartoonishly-tall-sides, though the LF-NX does look a lot wider.

It's horrible in every way something can be horrible. The thing that makes my brain want to shrivel and hide from the mere knowledge of this thing's existence, though, is whatever the #@#$ing HELL is going on at the bottom of those doors. In a very distant, but still mindshriveling, second: black faux-flared fenders sticking out way past the tires? What is this? A Jeep or a Lexus?

[TurboSauce]

Makes me want to see one before the NHTSA crash tests it.

[Dattebayo]

It looks like a smug evil robot.

[Looneybomber]

I hate to say it, but I think it'd look good sitting on some 35-37" mud tires. Throw a roof rack on the top with a bunch of lights and it'd be like a moon patrol vehicle.

[asoomal]

Who needs mirrors when you have blind spot cameras

[gwoods]

I can explain, a junior guy here in the states said Audi is out selling us that translates back into Japan into a big grill attached to some extremely formed angular metal.

I hate the new Infiniti and Lexus grills, its like my wifes not so subtle way of saying I need to shave by leaving my razor in the garage or something. Who would want to drive an electric razor with wheels. I'm going to grow my beard until I say I'm done or I get adopted by the duck guys.

[themadscientist]

Paint it flat black and I'd rock it like a boss.

You fellas must have missed the new limited edition crown. I went to the Toyota dealer to check out cars they had one in the showroom. Big pimpin!

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/11/hot- ... own-japan/

Akio Toyoda is doing a pretty decent job at the helm of the Toyota empire. This is the man, after all, that declared that Toyota would get new sports cars, and that they needed to be, not should be, rear-wheel drive. We can respect that. Toyoda is also trying to do away with his company's conservative styling and bring edgier vehicles to market.

Toyota's designers have done just that, although perhaps they went a bit too far. In November, Toyota debuted its fourteenth-generation Crown with a bling-bling fascia that makes Lexus' spindle grille look as conservative as a three-piece suit, and a retina-searing pink paintjob. See, in Japan, the Crown is to Japan's older crowd what the 2002 Buick Park Avenue is to America's senior citizens. As Automotive News reports, the idea with the pink was to draw attention to the grille, but it was originally intended as a debut item, only.

Now, Toyota is actually planning to offer the electric fuchsia Crown for sale to regular buyers. Interested parties will have from September 1st to September 30th to place an order for the big sedan. According to the AN report, Toyoda said to reporters at the debut, "My initial reaction was: 'You're kidding! Please, not pink." We wish they were kidding.

Balls. Toyota is coming with some big hairy ones. Don't hate because you can't stunt!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3VmXLoUB_c[/youtube]

[Bubba1]

Seriously, did they hire Chris Bangle's meth-addict cousin to design their concepts?

Wow, that's putrid. Okay, which is worse? This way-overstyled angular looking mess of a crossover, or the freshly excreted turd look of the Nissan's current Murano Cross Cabriolet?

[WDRacing]

Better looking than the Juke.

[AZhitman]

Mike, that Crown looks like a third-trimester abortion.

On that note, I'll admit I kinda like what Toyota has done with the new Avalon. Paint THAT thing hot pink and slam it on some gold Volks.

[AZhitman]

On a more-related note...

WTF is with the move towards larger and larger grilles, when the reality is, they're less and less a necessity??? Most airflow for a properly-designed modern front fascia comes from the lower bumper opening.

[WDRacing]

Huge grills SUCK to wash.

[gwoods]

Its Audi fault the giant grills and the stupid LED lights under the headlight. These are the spinning rims of 2013 everytime I see them I feel a little bit worse about us as a society in general. DAMN YOU AUDI!!

The other thing that pisses me off is the slow pathetic econobox Ford running around with an Aston Martin front end what a confusing looking car.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

On a more-related note...

WTF is with the move towards larger and larger grilles, when the reality is, they're less and less a necessity??? Most airflow for a properly-designed modern front fascia comes from the lower bumper opening.

I've wondered this myself, quite a bit. In fact, if you look at most new front grills, half (or more) of it isn't even pass-through. The holes are blocked off with black plastic.

On a good note, I guess if you're stuck in Africa with a degrading radiator, you can just punch some holes in that b**** to get you home.

[AZhitman]

Its Audi fault the giant grills and the stupid LED lights under the headlight. These are the spinning rims of 2013

Yep. I was in the minority, but when they came out, I thought, "that looks cheesy, tacky and cheap. Not classy like a clean projector lamp or even mildly cool like BMW's angel eyes."

Sorry, Audi. You've got your fanbois, but I ain't one of them.

[AZhitman]

In fact, if you look at most new front grills, half (or more) of it isn't even pass-through. The holes are blocked off with black plastic.

Can't be good for aerodynamics.

[gwoods]

Yep. I was in the minority, but when they came out, I thought, "that looks cheesy, tacky and cheap. Not classy like a clean projector lamp or even mildly cool like BMW's angel eyes."

Sorry, Audi. You've got your fanbois, but I ain't one of them.

A XJL Supercharged owner in my Jaguar club took the time and effort to craft a LED bar into the oil cooler scoops on either side of his Jag. SO TACKY! Way to ruin a 100k car

[Bubba1]

Its Audi fault the giant grills and the stupid LED lights under the headlight. These are the spinning rims of 2013

Yep. I was in the minority, but when they came out, I thought, "that looks cheesy, tacky and cheap. Not classy like a clean projector lamp or even mildly cool like BMW's angel eyes."

Sorry, Audi. You've got your fanbois, but I ain't one of them.

I'm not a fan of Audi's "big mouth bass" lookin' front end either, but I don't mind the front end of the S5/RS5/A5, of course there's a license plate bracket that kinda splits it.

It's sad big ugly grills have come back in style, but this is not the first time manufacturers embraced them.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Can't be good for aerodynamics.

Actually, that's why they do it. The less air that flows through your radiator, the more aerodynamic the car is. The wind will form a sort of "buffer" in front of the grill and just pass over it.

[krash]

Wow, that's putrid. Okay, which is worse? This way-overstyled angular looking mess of a crossover, or the freshly excreted turd look of the Nissan's current Murano Cross Cabriolet?

God could you imagine if they made a cabriolet version of this??

[gwoods]

the public demands a viable cross shop for the Murano Cross Cabriolet the answer to a questions NO ONE asked

[AZhitman]

Can't be good for aerodynamics.

Actually, that's why they do it. The less air that flows through your radiator, the more aerodynamic the car is. The wind will form a sort of "buffer" in front of the grill and just pass over it.

Right, but I can't imagine that creating an egg-crate grid with 1" deep blocked openings is better than a smooth fascia.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Right, but I can't imagine that creating an egg-crate grid with 1" deep blocked openings is better than a smooth fascia.

It actually doesn't matter much (see: golfballs). That air isn't "going anywhere", for lack of a better description. It's not being moved, and therefore it's not stealing energy. It requires a LOT more energy to pass air through the engine bay or over undercarriage components than it does to push it around the car. This is why modern pickups have goofy little valances below the bumpers. Push air around the truck rather than pass it over the axles and suspension and drivetrain crap that's hanging below. It's also why Nissan made such a big deal with the 350Z and 6th gen Maxima about the carefully-designed underbody cladding improving drag coefficient. The eggcrate is a non-issue. The pockets more or less fill with air (again, oversimplification) and it effectively becomes a smooth surface for surrounding airflow.

Lots of modern cars have "active dampers" in their grilles, which open when the cooling system needs increased airflow but close otherwise in order to improve drag coefficient and fuel economy. The goofier Darth Vader fascia'd Focuses are this way, for example. Sounds like one more thing to break for the second or third owner to me.

[AZhitman]

I'm familiar with the boundary layer and laminar flow and all that - Just seems that a smooth surface would still be better (especially when it's the "tip of the spear") than a collection of roughly-shaped pockets.

Plus, what a stupid idea - Drive that thing through a swarm of bugs and you'll spend a month cleaning it all out of the crevices.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

you're correct, smoother = better, but then your looks might not be as great.

Kinda like the old Passats. They're a bit funky looking.

[AZhitman]

Honestly, consider the first post. I don't think it can get worse.

[dre1507]

Lexus. Sharper than

[WDRacing]

Plus, what a stupid idea - Drive that thing through a swarm of bugs and you'll spend a month cleaning it all out of the crevices.

Nuff said...

[Bubba1]

I'm familiar with the boundary layer and laminar flow and all that - Just seems that a smooth surface would still be better (especially when it's the "tip of the spear") than a collection of roughly-shaped pockets.

Plus, what a stupid idea - Drive that thing through a swarm of bugs and you'll spend a month cleaning it all out of the crevices.

Well, considering the average new Lexus buyer has an AARP card, odds are those bugs are gonna be cleaned off my their local car wash, not owner themselves. I don't see them griping that much. .