Lexus And Adidas Partner On Custom RX 500h Inspired By Black Panther

A superhero should ride in style, so Lexus and Adidas partner to create a unique RX 500h F Sport with inspiration from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. There's a limited-edition T-shirt to go with it.

Adidas' School for Experiential Education in Design and the Lexus Calty Design Research center collaborated on the unique RX 500h. The work is an offshoot from the Adidas Wakanda Forever Collection that imagines how sportswear for a Wakanda national athletic team might look.

The color motif on this RX consists of purple stripes over a black background. The base of the hood at the windshield has gold diamonds that evoke Black Panther's claw necklace. Metallic gold accents appear on the lower fascia, the door handles, and the trim around the windows. On the tail, a badge shows "Vibe-Branium" in the Wakandan alphabet.

The interior materials receive a complete overhaul. The Wakanda-inspired gold print covers the seat bolsters, door panels, and steering wheel rim. The headrests used the same Carbon 3d printed material in the midsole of Adidas' 4DFWD shoes. The center console consists of laser-cut wood and gold trim. On the infotainment screen, "Lexus" appears in the Wakandan alphabet.

The T-shirt that matches the car is only available to select influencers. The front has the proverb "Educate a Woman, Educate a Nation" in Wakandan. The back has the symbol for Vibranium on the periodic table in a stylized mix of purple, black, and gold.

The Lexus RX 500h uses a hybrid-assisted 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a total system output of 366 horsepower (273 kilowatts) and 406 pound-feet (551 Newton-meters). It reaches 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph (209 kph). For the 2023 model year, prices for this model start at $62,750, including the destination fee.

The 2023 model also gains the RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid. The brand is announcing more details about it later.