besides being a recording artiste as a solo act and a quarter of Black Eye Peas, will.i.am is also a record producer, voice actor, DJ and an entrepreneur who dabbles in the tech arena. now, he can add car designer (well, kind of) to his resume with his collaboration with Lexus to create an one-off Lexus NX. not sure why will.i.am was the chosen one. pop icon, perhaps? anyhow, it is done and the vehicle was unveiled at an exclusive event in Paris recently. as you might have guessed, changes are mainly cosmetic with a little bit of interesting tech packed in. in will.i.am own words, “i am honored to be launching my bespoke Lexus NX F Sport in Paris, this car is super fresh and incorporates my personal style.” so what did will.i.am injects into the NX that makes the it “super fresh”?
for starter it has a striking ultra-wide body kit with brushed aluminum and carbon vinyl details, matte pearl white paintwork and a contrasting black-tint panoramic glass roof. there is also the obvious flared front and a subtle rear wings fused to the angular body that now sits lower and riding on a set of massive 22-inch luminous black machined finished alloy wheels with orange brake calipers peeking out. the will.i.am touched NX also has its fair share of tech packed into it, most notably is an array of four 180-degree cameras that lets you capture panoramic photographs and video while driving. the cameras are built into the custom bodywork and the capture media can be displayed on the drivers and passengers’s smartphone via Bluetooth.
and then there is the patented wireless charging tray located in the center console box for charging compatible smartphones. in-car entertainment comes in the form of a “premium audio system with a 10-speaker Pioneer surround sound system. the interior has a mix of brushed aluminum and contrasting soft materials for the luxurious feel, while the modified seats are upholstered in soft Nappa leather as chosen by will.i.am and are hand-embroidered with willpower logo. under the bonnet, it is the same 2.0-liter VVT-IW turbocharged petrol unit as found in the rest of the NX 200t F Sport producing a good 235 horses and has a peak torque of 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) available from 1,650 rpm through to 4,000 rpm. the turbocharged unit is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox, enabling this luxe SUV to rocket from zero to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds.
so will you be able to buy one will.i.am NX? unfortunately, no. this is an one-off thing which is used to promote the NX series rides. we are not sure if will.i.am get to drive it home, though.
