Available exclusively from grey importers, this Toyota Mark X shares its platform with the Lexus IS250. It, too, features a 2.5-litre V6 and the same silky smooth 6-speed automatic.
Bernard Chan, the owner of the black Mark X you see on these pages, liked the IS250 but preferred to set aside his dosh on personalising his ride. So he not only got himself a Mark X and saved a bundle, he also managed to get himself a high-spec one with a factory S-Package option, which comprises larger brake disc rotors, traction control, vehicle stability control, advanced variable suspension and HID headlights.
Also included were a set of electric front seats, keyless entry feature, push-button to start-stop the engine and a full Modelista body kit.
After Chan added a set of 19-inch SSW alloy wheels and correspondingly sized Goodyear LS200 tyres, the car looked better than any IS250. But he didn’t stop there. He had the engine ported and polished for even more power and torque. A Simota carbon air intake was added, along with a set of Ultra Racing strut bars to the front and rear, to improve the car’s already decent handling. But the one mod that Chan is most proud of is the audio system.
And justifiably so. One look at it and you can tell that it was put together with much effort and thought. This can be attributed to Chan’s 15-year love affair with car audio.
To replicate the IS250’s quiet interior, he had the entire cabin and boot cleaned out. Everything was removed – including seats, door panels and carpeting – for extensive soundproofing to be done.
Tasked with the mission of making the Mark X quieter than the Lexus, Hong Guan Auto Sound laid everything – the floor (both cabin and boot), doors and even wheel arches – with soundproofing materials. The result was commendable.
You would be hard-pressed to hear the engine idling even if the surroundings were absolutely quiet.
Next up were the car’s audio components, which Chan painstakingly compiled. And it’s a list that would make any aficionado drool with envy. Headlined by a strong Alpine combo – IVA-W200 head unit with touchscreen and DVD capability, and PXA-H701 multi-channel sound processor – any type of source output can be tweaked and tuned to perfection, and to your preference and taste.
Three Orion amps take care of amplification: one for the Morel Supremo tweeters custom-mounted on the A-pillars, one for the Seas Lotus Reference Series mids sitting snugly in the front doors, and the third is a power-packed monoblock for the thumping Image Dynamics IDMax subwoofer in the boot.
Speaking of the boot, the amps are neatly angled, lined up in a customised enclosure and covered with clear Perspex. The subwoofer is positioned behind the rear seats and protected by custom-cut stainless steel rails.
The set-up seems to be an all-rounder. Choose a blues track and it croons with soul. Play a song by the iconic Eagles and it will rock with the best of them.
Talk about having your cake and eating it, this system really can do it all – and do it well.
+ HEAD UNIT
Alpine IVA-W200
+ PROCESSOR
Alpine PXA-H701
+ SPEAKERS
2 x Morel Supremo tweeters
2 x Seas Lotus Reference Series mids
+ SUBWOOFER
Image Dynamics IDMax 12D2
+ AMPLIFIERS
Orion 4004 4-channel amplifier
Orion 8002 2-channel amplifier
Orion 1200D monoblock amplifier
+ ACCESSORIES
Alpine HCE-C200R rear-view camera
Unify 9006 digital TV tuner
Alpine CHA-S634 6-disc CD changer
Scosche power cables
Belden RCA cables
Monster Cable interconnects
Directed Audio distribution block
Rockford Fosgate 1-Farad capacitor
