Monday 24th April 2017

Limited edition Lexus for centenarian


Loyal Lexus owner earns his telegram from the queen AND a custom-made special edition LS600h!

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Turning 100 years old is something worth celebrating; a car company building a unique, custom-specced special edition to mark the occasion as a birthday surprise would make it even more amazing. And this is exactly what's happened to avid Lexus owner Barry High, who's apparently bought 25 cars from Lexus Cheltenham over the years.

In celebration of his centenary, Barry ordered an LS600h L in metallic silver with cream leather interior. When Lexus UK got word of this, the team wanted to show their appreciation for his loyalty and create a 'Centenary Celebration Edition' featuring bespoke pinstriping, chrome badges and special '100' scripts on the wings.

There have been no upgrades to the powertrain, but 445hp from a hybrid V8 is enough for Barry's chauffeur to waft around in. According to Dean Cordell, senior sales executive at Lexus Cheltenham, "The day went very well indeed. The car was all under wraps and undercover when he arrived. There was a formal celebration and a toast of champagne - he was extremely pleased." Here's to Barry enjoying his Lexus for many years to come.

[Sources: Motor1, Gloucestershire live]

[E65Ross]

Wow, 100 years old and he has a car with over 400bhp......awesome!!

[TooMany2cvs]

E65Ross said:

Wow, 100 years old and he has a car with over 400bhp......awesome!!

...and a chauffeur.

25 new Lexuses? Must be one a year. No wonder Toyota GB are happy to use him for some publicity!

Looks like he made his money in the building trade, and got an OBE for services to charity a couple of years back.

[great_kahn]

Nice to see Lexus treating their youngest customer. Fair play.

[Cold]

I heard that he likes it all apart from the pinstripes and badges.

[Hairymonster]

great_kahn said:

Nice to see Lexus treating their youngest customer. Fair play.

This made me spit coffee over the keyboard!!!

[Hairymonster]

Big bloody deal - a few pinstripes and badges. Their generosity knows no bounds!

[C7 JFW]

great_kahn said:

Nice to see Lexus treating their youngest customer. Fair play.

Hehe. Good comeback.

[Itsallicanafford]

...he should have waited for the facelift model, then again maybe not..

as a Lexus owner in my forties, this really does the brand no favours at all...

[sc0tt]

Hairymonster said:

Big bloody deal - a few pinstripes and badges. Their generosity knows no bounds!

I thought the car was free .. agreed in light of the above.

[filski666]

couple of cheap stickers gets them free national publicity....Lexus UK have an excellent advertising department...

[alock]

Makes Lexus seem a bit cheap to cash in on this when the guy bought a lifeboat for the RNLI
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.ph...

Edited by alock on Monday 24th April 14:09

[Dave Hedgehog]

Itsallicanafford said:

...he should have waited for the facelift model, then again maybe not..

as a Lexus owner in my forties, this really does the brand no favours at all...

it lets everybody else know who the target audience is

[Dave Hedgehog]

filski666 said:

couple of cheap stickers gets them free national publicity....Lexus UK have an excellent advertising department...

if he was that bothered about quality, craftsmanship and infinite customisation he would have bought a roller

[NJ72]

I like the guy who had the photoshoot with the buyer:



He couldn't look more 'Car Salesman-ey' if he tried. He also has a sinister smile as though to say "The stickers and badges cost us £11.47, but the marketing potential is limitless!"

[TooMany2cvs]

NJ72 said:

I like the guy who had the photoshoot with the buyer:

So that's why Jools Holland does by day...

[Toyoda]

Cold said:

I heard that he likes it all apart from the pinstripes and badges.

Haha my thoughts exactly! The old boy doesn't look too happy with his tacky go faster stripes. Looks like the smarmy salesman took inspiration from his baggy pinstripe suit.

Edited by Toyoda on Monday 24th April 13:47

[lestiq]

Hairymonster said:

great_kahn said:

Nice to see Lexus treating their youngest customer. Fair play.

This made me spit coffee over the keyboard!!!

This also made several people look round to see why I just snorted so loudly!

[MrBarry123]

great_kahn said:

Nice to see Lexus treating their youngest customer. Fair play.

Very good.

[Hairymonster]

Having looked at it again, if it were me, I'd have those silly badges and coach-lines removed.

Similar in concept to the early Lexus cars with gold badges - it's all a bit 'The only way is Essex' - owners with tans, whitened teeth, white trousers, Hawaiian shirts open to the navel with chest hair and medallions and chunky gold bracelets. And that's just the women.

[Uncle John]

He doesn't look too happy in the photo, in fact, looks like he's swallowed his dentures.

Almost like, "WTF have they done to my car!?!?".