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This Lexus LC Super Bowl ad is like a Sia music video with sweet wall dancing

What you see above is the extended, 60-second version of Lexus's "Man & Machine" Super Bowl commercial. The car/machine half is obviously the new 2017 Lexus LC 500 coupe, and the man in question is Lil Buck, a so-called movement artist (we think that's like a dancer). Both are moving to Sia singing "Move Your Body" from her latest album, "This Is Acting." So yeah, it's basically a music video with a car featuring prominently in it, which is fine by us. (In fact, it was directed by Jonas Akerlund, who specializes in the genre.) We see the machine and the man on split screen, and then the voiceover attempts to tie it all together: "Machines don't have emotions, but the rare few can inspire them." And then Lil Buck seems to defy gravity by slithering into the car while the door closes. The coolest part is how he dances on the walls around the Lexus. Revolving sets with fixed cameras are neat, especially with a car stuck in the middle. The spot closes with Lexus's new tagline, Experience Amazing. Like most corporate mottos, it says almost nothing about the brand. But hey, the commercial is fun to watch, and we happen to like the new LC, so they're doing something right. A 30-second version of the spot will air during the big game. Related Video:

BMW-Toyota partnership to spawn hybrid supercar

BMW and Toyota inked a partnership some time ago to develop green technology, and while we were excited by the idea of a reborn Supra with BMW's carbon fiber reinforced plastic slashing the curb weight or an ultra-efficient, hybridized 1 Series, the joint efforts have been rather limited. That's set to change, though, according to a report from Australia.
Motoring reports that the partners have come to terms on a sports car. And not just any sports car, but a lightweight, hybridized model, with a six-figure price tag. Lending a bit of street cred to that idea is the site's claim that Toyota is currently carrying out durability testing on the BMW i8. According to the site, the new model will slot into the spot left by the Lexus LFA, although based on the language used, it's unclear if this is the Tokyo-bound vehicle we mentioned several months ago.
Details on this potential car are limited, although Motoring claims it will use a Toyota hybrid system mated up to a BMW gas engine - likely the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 found in the M5 and M6. That sounds pretty amazing to us, but we'd still advise taking this with a grain of salt. What would you like to see out of a joint-venture supercar from Toyota and BMW? Let us know in Comments, and have your say on the prospects of a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V8.

Lexus builds a one-off IS 350 with a record player in the glove box

The latest Lexus to undergo modification for the company's marketing efforts is called the Lexus IS Wax. That's because it's for vinyl lovers, and contains an actual car-mounted record player that, Lexus claims, does not skip. Earlier this month we saw a sneaker homage to the Lexus IS. It, and now the IS Wax, are part of Lexus's "All In" campaign that lets influencers in creative fields loose on a luxury sedan. The goal is to put the Lexus brand in front of others in that field, even if they are largely unrelated to anything automotive. Just last month, the company presented a gaming-themed IS built with input from the Twitch streaming community.  As such, the press release for the Lexus IS Wax does not once mention that the car was based on a Lexus IS 350 F Sport. We can only deduce that because it wears the more aggressive fascia, 10-spoke wheels and F Sport badge that comes with the higher performance version. On the other hand, the press release does mention the names MC Madlib and KAYTRANADA, which we guess have some meaning to people in the music world. Lexus claims that the record player will not skip, even on a bumpy road. The record player was partially 3D printed and modified with carbon fiber and machined aluminum. It had to be a custom job to fit into the car's glove box. Impressively, it actually plays a 12-inch record and emerges and retracts into the glove box with some sort of motorization. Very little is revealed about how they dealt with the skipping, except to say that a rotating stepper motor helps stabilize the turntable when the car' in motion, and a silicone cushion underneath it helps absorb some of the bumps.  Oh yeah, it was wrapped in matte black as well. Helpfully, Lexus provided a few quotes from its collaborators. Said Madlib, I take [music I've created] to the car, test it out. Every time. That’s the big test. To have the turntable in a Lexus? ThatÂ’s beyond.” Said KAYTRANADA, "When Lexus said they wanted to build this car, I didnÂ’t think it was possible. It was amazing to see and hear vinyl playing while cruising in a car." Presumably, the target audience will be more impressed with the 1,800-watt, 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system than the 311-horsepower V6 and 280 lb-ft of torque. If you're curious about how the Lexus IS Wax was created, you can watch the two-part video. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.