Have you heard of “VIP-style” cars? They’re a true 1990s style of big luxury sedans, with the occasional station wagon thrown into the mix. Essentially, they feature large brushed alloy wheels, cambered tires, and an extreme lowering. The trend started in Japan, but we see them all over the Los Angeles area. So the fashion has definitely caught on. You’ll know one when you see one, but here’s the basics and background of what makes a VIP-style sedan.
As we said, this started in Japan. Mobsters in and around Tokyo would modify their big sedans this way. Then street racers picked up the style and it expanded from there. It is imposing, and its extreme captures the attention of the people.
What kind of cars get VIP styling?
Almost any sedan can qualify, but most modders like S-Class Mercedes sedans, Lexus LS and GS or Infinity Q45. The range can be from a subtle tire and three-piece wheel change, lower and cambered, to extremes. That means premium upholstery, LED lighting, extreme body kits and more.
The trend is called “bippu” in romanized Japanese, according to The Drive. Lesser models like Nissan Cedrics, Glorias and Laurels, along with Toyota Crowns and Aristos are also common. In Japan, these cars could be more luxurious than what was available in the US.
What is the most important modification?
The lowering is extreme, achieved either by air bags or adjustable coil springs. And then there are the wheels. Supposedly, this is an excruciating process. This shouldn’t be a thing, but it really is.
Your options, among the thousands of wheel styles available in Japan, are rigid. Weds Wheels, Work Wheels and SSR are the best options. Specifically, Works VS-KF and Weds Cerberus drift away. But there are other wheels that will work. But they have to be three-piece wheels.
What else makes a sedan a VIP style?
This is considered the most important aspect of a VIP-style car. Although we suggest that without the reduction, it would not have nearly the same impact. From there, you can gain even more credibility with the front corner antennas, roof spoilers, and aero parts. They say headlight lashes are also part of the mix, but really? Projector headlights retrofitted to older sedans are also one thing.
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Except for a few details, this is the same basic approach as the Zoot Suiters and early customizers of the 1940s and 1950s. Large, lowered sedans with special hubcaps or spoked wheels and custom touches are sometimes based on examples within a particular city. In California, there were “Bellflowers,” a particular escape in the 1950s, originating in the town of Bellflower.
Is Vip Style just sedans?
But the good news is that, although it’s not the most practical thing, car modification has been going on since the 1920s, when Hollywood elites sent their cars to shops to make them special. In the US, this is mostly done by lowriders, and in some ways even lifted 4x4s are a form of this same kind of customization. Car customization is a multi-billion dollar industry, according to SEMA.