For many centuries, the word “blue” didn’t exist. There was no word to describe the color of the oceans or of the sky, or the unusual hue in a rare set of eyes. Blue was rarely found in fruit or flowers, so there was no need to put words to the phenomenon. It wasn’t until the Egyptians discovered a passion for the rarity of the vibrant lapis rock that blue became “blue.” Kings and queens adorned themselves in these blue stones. And only after centuries of innovation were humans able to invent methods to reproduce this rare and unique color. Throughout history, blue has captivated us—from the royal to the religious, from the art world to the scientific world—with great minds studying it, obsessing over it, coveting it.
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But only rarely has blue appeared in new shades.
The opportunity and challenge of creating the next new blue appealed to the very core of Lexus culture of innovation. So it’s no surprise that they took on this task and found a way to make a breakthrough in the world of this rarely-modified color, introducing a new milestone in the reinvention of blue: a new shade called Structural Blue, featured on the Lexus LC.
It began with unusual inspiration: the keen observation of the morpho butterfly. Like the oceans and the sky, its wings appear blue, but closer inspection reveals that they actually have no color of their own. The effect is the result of microscopic details that scatter light and show only the color wavelengths of the iridescent blue we perceive in their vibrant wings.
For Lexus, this science inspired the creation of Structural Blue.
By carefully re-creating the layers of nanostructures that produce this effect, the miniscule flakes and patterns could be crafted to produce a first-of-its-kind paint that controls brightness and color purity to emit a new shade of blue. Most paints reflect 50% of incoming light, but this daring approach enabled Structural Blue to reflect nearly 100%, making it more vibrant and dynamic than any other blue in the world. The advanced technology that creates this effect is the culmination of over 15 years of research and development work by a close collaboration of scientists, engineers, designers and paint experts.
And it’s no coincidence that the new Lexus LC is the perfect complement to Structural Blue.
Structural Blue pigment reflects light much like a tiny mirror. It creates a striking vibrant color when viewed directly, but when viewed off-angle it appears dark. When applied to Lexus LC, Structural Blue highlights the car’s dynamic design and features, giving its unique shape the appearance of motion.
Curiosity, imagination and a pioneering mindset are just some of the characteristics that have helped push Lexus to the forefront of innovation. Creating exclusive, curated experiences that stir the senses has always been the goal for Lexus, realized through thoughtful craftsmanship and precise engineering. The latest reward of this passionate approach is the development of Structural Blue on the new Lexus LC. A new way to Experience Amazing—through color—is coming soon.
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