Lexus must be feeling artistic as the company has introduced two separate one-off vehicles in the past week. One embraces style, while the other is focused on music.

Without further ado, the automaker teamed up with Alex Alpert to unveil a unique IS 350 at EXPO Chicago. It embraces the artist’s “signature line-art style” and features black lines that largely accent the shapes of Lexus’ entry-level sedan, giving it the look of something sketched before it was built.

More: The Next Lexus IS May Go In A Very Different Direction

The F Sport variant has black wheels, matching mirror caps, and dark window trim. It should also have a familiar 3.5-liter V6 developing 311 hp (232 kW / 315 PS) and 280 lb-ft (379 Nm) of torque. This enables the sedan to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 5.9 seconds before hitting a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h).

Besides the art car, Alpert will paint custom IS 350 hoods at NYCxDesign and Art Basel. They’ll feature a “series of symbolic illustrations that connect to Lexus brand values and Japanese heritage, including motifs representing Lexus’ elite and precise craftsmanship, hospitality, engineering precision, performance, and smooth driving.”

RZ Blue In Green

The second model is an RZ that celebrates what would have been the 100th birthday of musician Miles Davis. It was created in collaboration with Laufey and was inspired by her “reimagined interpretation of Davis’ iconic composition Blue In Green.”

As part of the makeover, the electric crossover features a unique paint job that “shifts from deep blue to green as light moves across its surface.” The model also sports a custom illuminated “L” badge as well as brass-colored brake calipers that are a nod to Davis’ trumpet.

The brass theme continues inside, where it’s joined by red and black upholstery. Other highlights include written lyrics in the cargo area as well as a unique startup sequence that plays the first notes of Davis’ Blue In Green.

Ship captains of the time surely avoided the famed pirate “Roaring” Dan Seavey. At nightfall, Seavey and his small team of men would loot ports and sail the stolen goods to Chicago. Today, Seavey’s complex character and storied life are the subject of a one-man show titled “Dan Seavey: Confessions of a Great Lakes Pirate.” The show will be at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison on Saturday, March 28. 

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Smart may be best known for its pint-sized two-door hatchbacks, but its lineup has been steadily expanding to include SUVs and coupe-style crossovers. Now it is pushing further upmarket with something entirely different. The Geely and Mercedes-backed brand has unveiled its first fastback, pairing an aerodynamic silhouette with what it describes as, “shark-inspired” styling cues.

More: You’re Not Wrong, The New Mercedes GLB Looks Suspiciously Like A Smart

Following its earlier appearance in regulatory filings, Smart has now released a fresh batch of images of the #6 EHD. Mercedes-Benz was responsible for the exterior, and Smart says the whole thing takes its cues from marine predators.

At the front, the hood integrates functional air channels that Smart has branded “Bionic Shark-Gills.” Around the rear, a four-stage adjustable spoiler is said to echo the movement of a shark’s tail Or so the company claims, so take that with a pinch of seal salt.

Other details include tightly drawn body surfacing along the profile, aggressive LED headlights linked by a central grille element, and full-width LED taillights set within a sculpted rear panel.

At 4,906 mm (193.1 in) long, the #6 sits in executive sedan territory, being closer to a Mercedes E-Class or BMW 5-Series than anything Smart used to build. The 2,926 mm (115.2 in) wheelbase is the longest the brand has put into production, which should pay dividends for cabin space.

The interior has yet to be revealed, but spy shots suggest it will feature a tall center tunnel and a large infotainment display with the latest tech, similar to the Smart #5 SUV.

Electrified Powertrains

The Smart #6 sits on Geely’s PMA2+ architecture, a further development of the widely used SEA platform that also underpins models like the Zeekr 007 and its GT counterpart. It will debut as a plug-in hybrid, with fully electric versions set to follow, including a range-topping Brabus variant.

More: Smart’s About To Drop A #2 On The City Car Segment

The EHD, short for Extended Hybrid Drive, uses Geely’s NordThor 2.0 system. It pairs a turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engine with a front-mounted electric motor, delivering a combined 429 hp (320 kW / 435 PS). The headline figure is range, with a claimed 1,810 km (1,125 miles) on the CLTC cycle, including up to 285 km (177 miles) in electric-only driving.

The Smart #6 EHD is scheduled to launch in China in the coming months, ahead of a global rollout. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

Smart

Elizabeth Rees is a third-generation printer from Milwaukee and the founder of Chasing Paper, a wallpaper and home decor company. She’s out with a new book she calls “a love letter to wallpaper.”

The post Milwaukee printer is making wallpaper cool again appeared first on WPR.

Just days after Acura and Honda killed three upcoming EVs, Sony Honda Mobility quietly announced a new art car based on the Afeela 1. It was created in collaboration with Japanese illustrator Hajime Sorayama, who is best known for creating sexy robots.

That’s an unlikely combination, but it spawned the dull sounding “Afeela prototype tuned up by Hajime Sorayama.” The model was unveiled over the weekend at a museum in Tokyo celebrating the artist’s work.

More: Honda Cancels 0 Sedan, 0 SUV, And Acura RSX EVs

SHM didn’t say much about the art car, but noted it “embodies the concepts of light, transparency, and reflection.” That’s not a lot to go on, but it appears the model has been given a chrome wrap as well as special Sorayama badging. We can also see deep tinted windows as well as gray tires and blue lights.

In a brief statement, Sorayama said: “I’ve always been fascinated by machines, so it was a real pleasure to take part in designing a car. I aimed to give it an analog sensibility that hints at a near-future vision. I’m especially proud of the moiré effect on the wheels.”

Besides the art car, SHM used the event to launch Afeela’s first-ever apparel item. It’s a black silkscreen t-shirt that features layers of ink showing the car. The shirt costs ¥11,000 ($69.15) and will be offered in limited quantities at the museum.

A Second Art Car

Closer to home, SHM teamed up with artist and director Matt Copson to introduce a separate art car at Frieze Los Angeles. It’s been covered in a “reflective material… commonly found on emergency vehicles and signage.” As a result, it looks like it’s been coated in glow-in the dark silly string.

The car was accompanied by limited-edition tote bags and will eventually be shown at Frieze New York in May.