Team One and Lexus Serves up the Sriracha IS: Making a Hot Car Spicy

Lexus asked itself, how do you make a hot car spicy? Put Sriracha in it. With the help of Team One, they turned to founder and CEO of Huy Fong Foods, David Tran, and asked if he wanted to collaborate. He said yes, and so the spicy car was born.

“The new Lexus IS is so hot, we decided to make it Sriracha hot, with all the custom details every Sriracha fan will appreciate,” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing.

“I feel so humbled to see my Lexus and Sriracha friends’ love for my hot sauce,” said David Tran, CEO and founder of Huy Fong Foods. “The Lexus Sriracha IS is really the perfect mix for a ‘hot’ and ‘spicy car’ – just the way I like it.”

To bring the concept to life, Lexus commissioned the elite crew at West Coast Customs. Lexus also created a light-hearted video for fans to enjoy. “Sriracha In Everything” highlights the vehicle’s custom details and how Sriracha makes everything hotter.

The special features of Sriracha IS:

• Official Sriracha IS Paint Job

Lexus experimented with a range of mixtures and methods—including adding Sriracha sauce to the paint itself—to create the Sriracha Red color, complete with flecks of chili-like flakes. The custom paint job was designed to mimic Sriracha sauce inside the bottle and topped with a clear coating.  

• Sriracha-Injected Steering Wheel

A Sriracha-like liquid was cast in resin, then formed into a Lexus steering wheel, complete with a warning for “Hot Handling.”

• Sriracha Temperature Settings

The settings for the seat warmers and AC/heating system have been upgraded to go from cool to Sriracha hot.

• Sriracha Driving Mode

Sriracha mode tunes the powertrain for faster gear changes and more dynamic throttle mapping.

• Handcrafted Seats

Plush leather seats are hand-embroidered with the Huy Fong rooster logo, the Sriracha IS logo and green accents.

• Sriracha IS Badging

Custom badging on the side, rear and door wells identify this model, while illuminated callouts under the passenger and driver’s doors add a level of exclusivity.

• Sriracha Green Accents

Touches of green are a signature element of official Huy Fong Foods products. Bottle-cap green details throughout the car include:

­        Spindle grille outline

­        Hand-painted calipers

­        Interior cabin mood lighting

­        Chrome side view mirror accents

­        Hand-stitching on the seats

•  Fully Stocked Trunk

The trunk is stocked with 43 bottles of Sriracha for emergency condiment situations.

• Key Fob with Remote Emergency Sriracha Activation

The key fob includes an emergency chili button that dispenses the sauce from a nozzle on the fob, so drivers are always prepared.

Sriracha IS Driving Accessories:

• Driving Jacket

A hot car deserves a hot driving jacket. For this collaboration, Lexus created two one-of-a-kind jackets that feature hand-embroidered images of the Sriracha IS and custom Sriracha IS patches to commemorate this sizzling venture. 

• Driving Mitts

Some cars require driving gloves. The handling on the Sriracha IS is so hot, custom oven mitts are necessary.

Chief Creative Officer: Chris Graves

Executive Creative Director: Alastair Green

Associate Creative Director: Amanda Abrams

Associate Creative Director: Ryan DiDonato             

Digital Art Director: Adam Bright

Copywriter: Eric Jorgensen

Photographer: Matt Hartz

Producer: Kerry Ko

Art Producer: Katie Buntsma

Group Account Director: Joel Dons

Management Supervisor: Trina Sethi

Assistant Account Executive: Mike Mattoon

Associate Media Director: Scott Thornton

Associate Media Director: Elaine Evangelista

Media Supervisor: Melissa Lam

Media Planner: Sherie Hodges

Media Planner: Rachel Bensimon

Program Manager: Jamie Lau

Project Manager: Laura Schluckebier

Associate Project Manager: Chadwick Daniel

Post Production: Team One Multimedia (TOM)

Car Customization: West Coast Customs