d+a | Issue 115 • Apr/May 2020

/ LIFE / 96 • Incisive Simplicity: Clean lines and the paring back on the extraneous ensures the attention is purely on the model’s architecture and surfaces. • Intriguing Elegance: Depth is revealed through juxtaposing contrasting elements such as movement and stillness. It also manifests through the visual journeys created by the car’s styling, where expansive areas of bodywork flow into interesting details. • Seamless Anticipation: Inspired by the Japanese hospitality concept of omotenashi , this is about crafting a highly personal driving experience, such as how in the IS, the driver’s controls are angled so that its operation follow a single line of movement. BEHIND EVERY LINE AND CURVE IN A LEXUS IS AN EVOCATIVE STORY OF JAPANESE CRAFTSMANSHIP, CREATIVITY AND HOSPITALITY. DRIVEN BY DESIGN I f you believe that what you drive says a lot about who you are, then as designers, it is important to be seen with a marque that places an importance on design. Lexus is a prime example. It is original, bold and provocative on this front – just look at the spindle-shaped front grille that now graces every new model. The brand’s design philosophy is encapsulated in what it calls “L-finesse”, introduced in 2003 and expressed through a language amalgamated by leading- edge automotive technologies and refined Japanese aesthetics. L-finesse encapsulates the fundamental elements of Lexus’ design, which are all about: WORDS LOW SHI PING