Slowly and methodically, Toyota’s upscale brand has been pursuing a course to make themselves relevant in the eyes of the young and restless. When the LFA came out of nowhere, it signaled the beginning of this strategy. Here was a no-compromise poster car done in a way only the Japanese could have conceived. Then came an expanded F line, as well as a trio of sleek concept cars that the public begged to buy. Begged to buy? A Lexus?!?! This then, was a turn of events.

Now we enter today with their affinity for Testarossa fins and angular bodies, their cutting edge electronics and lighting, and their increasingly modern interiors. Lexus is becoming cool, and I suspect will be the next “it” brand sometime in the next decade. BMW is increasingly pursuing SUV’s and leaving behind their “ultimate driving machine” persona. Mercedes lost the plot years ago and seem content to sell to golfers and retired dentists. Sure there’s a GT or Black Series here and there, but all that lipstick does nothing for this pig. Audi might be the cool car of the moment, but their recent designs have shown that they have no idea where to go forward and with the billions lost on the VW diesel scandal, Audi will likely see their development budgets slashed dramatically. The space is open for Lexus to occupy it – the crown of “It” car is ready for the taking. I think they are going to do it.

Whether the new Lexus will make it into the annals of boy racer legend remains to be seen. It seems unlikely that it will sit in the pantheon of greats like the original Golf GTI or even GM’s Nova – a classic back in the day. The car certainly has that type of appeal and looks like the sort of vehicle that young drivers would use to get into trouble with the law. But these things are inherently unpredictable. It is usually only after the fact that you find out that a vehicle was something special and had a cult following. Hindsight is a wonderful thing in the automotive world.

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Sounding like the love child between Stevie Wonder and Elton John, All This Wandering Around by Ivan & Alyosha is the kind of happy tune to get you out of bed in the morning and forget all about your crippling debt and deadbeat family. So in a way, this song is a hero…

There is more than a bit of controversy about this next song, but that shouldn’t detract for its overall sonic goodness. This video of Young and Unafraid by The Moth & the Flame was “stolen” from the band and posted by a magazine and subsequently racked up millions of hits. The argument boils down to whether this theft is actually a PR stunt or genuine. The master detectives/dicks at reddit have weighed in and roundly pronounced them guilty, but we’ll let you decide for yourself whether the song redeems any possible marketing stunts.

Let’s pick it up a bit with the new Penguin Prison.  Show Me the Way is now your go-to tune when you pile all your friends into your rusted Honda and hit the road to the beach or mountains. You’re welcome. This kind of pop always has a half-life akin to child stars, so enjoy it while you can.

Kickin’ it old school is pretty much a way of life here at FactoryTwoFour. We like our vintage cars, classic fashions, and 70’s soul music. We’re not sorry. And you can keep your Curtis Mayfield’s and Isaac Hayes, because we’ve got William De Vaughn. This slow jam will bring you home every time and let those on the curb know you dig the scene with the gangsta lean.

Every once in a while, you need to just chill the hell out and let your mind wander. Few musical acts are as good at facilitating the zen state of mind as Zero 7. For their latest drop Last Light, they’ve teamed up with one of our favorites Jose Gonzalez. This song is a slow build but it pays off those who stick with it.

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