This IS It!: Jason Lau’s Lexus IS300

A hidden gem is often an overlooked object, that once found, surprises many people. For Jason Lau and his 2005 Lexus IS300, “hidden gem” is only the beginning to their story. From blending in to the popular crowd, and then quietly emerging with a slew of JDM parts from a Toyota Altezza, Jason has transformed a somewhat ordinary Lexus into something special.

When Jason first bought his IS300, he felt that the forums and blogs were his best source of modification information. As these cars have aged, their aftermarket support has grown significantly, making part-sourcing easy, yet most of the parts found were replica versions of the legitimate pieces. After purchasing some of these cheaper pieces, Jason quickly realized that this wasn’t the way to go. Having to constantly fix his front bumper and side skirts from daily duty damage hastily took its toll and Jason knew it was time to pony up the money and do things the right way.

On the outside, you’ll notice that Jason’s IS300 has been handsomely decorated with a significant list of JDM parts off if the Lexus’ Japanese twin, the Toyota Altezza. Taking things almost to an extreme, Jason said that even some of the die-hard IS fans wouldn’t notice that everything from the front bumpers, headlights, grill, and fenders have all been switched out from their former USDM version, to a true JDM piece, setting the car apart from the average crowd in an aesthetically pleasing way.

One thing Jason stressed in our interview was his passionate obsession with wheels. Here, Jason is running a set of staggered Work VS’s adorning a custom step lip measuring 18″x9.5″ in the front, and 10.5″ in the back. With the addition of a Figs VIP rear suspension kit, Jason’s rear camber sits at -9.5* while the fronts are -4.5*. Apparently, rumor has already been spread that Jason is already on the hunt for something different. Didn’t we tell you he’s obsessed?

What’s next on the horizon for Jason and his IS300 is still unclear, but we will be sure to keep tabs on him! Jason wanted to give a big thanks to his girlfriend Melissa, his close car friends Francis, John, Chris, Michael, and Jordan for their continuous support. Also Kevin Chow, Chris “DB8”, David and everyone else at J&M, Figs Engineering, and Limitless Motorsports!

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