We don’t usually cover regional TV commercials from other countries, but this one caught our eye. You may remember Lexus’ first ever advertisement in the United States, Balance, which featured a Lexus LS 400 driving at a simulated 145 mph (233 km/h) with a tower of champagne glasses stacked on top of the bonnet – without breaking a single one of them.
Thirty years on, a dealer in New Jersey, Lexus of Route 10, recreated that landmark ad with the help of an unlikely but rather fitting assistant. That assistant was none other than Toyota president Akio Toyoda, who balanced the glasses on the bonnet of a brand new LS 500, though – being slightly, ahem, vertically challenged himself – not without a blunder along the way.
With the car sitting on a rolling road on a slight incline (to compensate for the slope of the bonnet), Toyoda then fired up the car and drove it to the same speed as in the original commercial, before climbing out and celebrating with a sip of the bubbly. It should be noted that not once was the car shown at speed with the champagne tower, but you know what they say – never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Of course, it’s very difficult to keep the car anchored and still while it accelerates on a rolling road, especially on an incline, which perhaps was the reason why we never see the full shot. Lexus, however, did once recreate the original ad by revving the engine of both the then-new 2011 LS 460L and a 1990 LS 400, and both times the champagne tower stayed intact.
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Nice CGI commercial. Almost as believable as Spiderman selling Audi cars.
This car is so cheap overseas. So affordable. But in Malaysia it is like close to RM1.5 million. Crazy.
It is just a Toyota la…..people must be blind!
Oh yeah, you’re the same guy that told us your Myvi is far better than a Lexus, so why Lexus customers wouldn’t want to buy Myvis instead eh? You need professional help.
Then you are extremely lucky that you cannot afford this car since it’s just a Toyota
The cheapest LS500 is priced at RM800k in Malaysia. And that is a made in Japan CBU.
You missed out the part that all test cars have traveled over 100k in its mileage as they claim.
The amazing things that superglue can do.
Luckily they didn’t try it on the upcoming proton x50, because the 3 cylinder engine vibrates too much that even the glass will break due to the vibration before even dropping to the ground. Lol
A car is meant to transport people inside, not to place glass on the bonnet. Do you plan to sit on your lexus bonnet while on the go?
He calls himself ‘Mr Visionary’ but he really is just Mr Ignorant.
This is not the right way to test it. Have you heard about wind factor and the road surfaced? Im pretty sure if you drive your car on and in that place, it wont get you to other places.
LOL at the people who do not get this ad….
An ad supposed to speak to the people, if it fails to do just that its not a good ad.