Bippu Style 101 at Spocom Hawaii 2014
A -"LOW"- HA!! Mixing a little business with pleasure in the paradise of the Pacific, the island of Oahu is where JusTravels has taken us, specifically to the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii where the Spocom tour has made its next stop. The island of Oahu is known as the "Gathering Place" because of the high volume of people who visit - so it was no surprise to see just how packed the venue was! You had to watch where you walked, if you weren't paying attention you would walk right into another spectator...or worse, one of the show cars. Every inch was packed with rows and rows of gorgeous cars with seemingly every car enthusiast on the island checking them out. It was an overwhelmingly awesome sight!
Of all the sights and sounds of Spocom Hawaii, it was clear that there was a strong influence of "Bippu Style" — or more commonly known as simply, VIP Style. The style first started to form when Japanese gangsters known as the Yakuza took JDM sedans and tricked them to look stylish-yet-concealed. Nowadays, the style is front and center for everyone to ooh and awe over. Bippu, or VIP, has become a strong niche for local Hawaiian car enthusiasts. While some of us mainlanders have taken on this style as well, there are many that don't know what this lifestyle is all about. I'm no pro, but Spocom Hawaii presented plenty of fine builds to demonstrate Bippu Style's common traits.
Luxury Sedan
The first thing about this style is the type of car, while most associate tuners with small two-door sports compact cars zipping the streets, VIP cars are trademarked by big luxury sedans. Lexus, such as this IS200, is a common choice for most going with a VIP route.
The purpose of a nice big sedan is to achieve the regal feeling of being a "boss" and riding in luxury and comfort. Bigger is better, wider is winning, and lower is key, especially for this Lexus LS.
Wide & Low
In some cases, people chose to go with body kits to get the effect of widening the body, but going with negative camber on the wheels can gives the same effect as well. Wheel fitment is another key Bippu trait, the more aggressive and crazy you can go the more "props" you earn.
Going along with wheel fitment, styling legit and expensive wheels is a must. Bryan's Lexus GS doesn't play any games with the fitment and tuck of his matte bronze Work Meisters. In order to achieve such a stance and fitment, VIP cars have adjustable suspension, like the Air Runner Air Suspension Bryan is running to allow his baby to sit on the ground.
Added Details
VIP style is also about the little details that make the car pop. Rebadging the Lexus with blinged out Swarovski emblems of the popular lifestyle brand Illest and also going with wood grain rear trim are all part of making this luxury car even more exquisite. Also this angle shows immensely how much the rear wheels are tucked! Bryan's company, EQVIPPED, is a Hawaii-based shop that specializes in Bippu Style apparel, stickers, and car accessories, definitely a good source to see more about this lifestyle.
Nissan/Infiniti sedans are another common car used for Bippu Style builds - this Infiniti M45, also known as the Nissan Gloria in Japan, is a classic representation of the origins of the VIP style.
As the VIP Style has become more mainstream, other newer sedans have been given the treatment. Like this 7th generation Nissan Maxima with a clean lip kit, tucked Vossen wheels, and lowered on AirRex Air Suspension. Those are some of the main characteristics of a VIP Style car, so let's get to some of the cars who put their own twist on this popular style. The platforms might be new and different, but the traditions are still evident.
Growing with Class
Aside from sedans, there have also been a lot of really nice VIP minivans to hit the scenes recently. As enthusiasts get older and their family grows, they still apply what they know to their family cars, like this Honda Odyssey dropped on Air Runner Air Suspension. Why roll in style alone when you can cruise in luxury with the wife and kids!?
Kei cars like the Toyota Bb, or Scion xB as it's known in the US, have also been hit by the Bippu bug. Col actually took home 1st place Scion at the show with his Toyota bB on white Work Eurolines.
Interior Comforts
The interior was essential for Col's win and is another feature needed for a true VIP build. It's all about riding in luxury, the white interior with subtle red LEDs to highlight the features add that extra level of prestige. Sleek chrome cup holders and tray tables to help hold your coffee or other JDM goodies. And there are also little things like the diamond HVCA controls, reupholstered glove box and seats. The amounts of modifications that can be done to one's interior are countless and each time just jaw dropping the types of things people come up with.
Expanding the Style
While the original flavor of VIP Style cars have been neutral colors such as whites, blacks, or silvers - either to remain inconspicuous or just associating those colors with clean and elegance - more and more have been going with vibrant colors that pop and make them even more eye catching. This Lexus IS250C with the top down, chrome Work Wheels, and wrapped in a vibrant blue was absolutely stunning.
Another bright build, this GS is almost like a tuner in disguise with it's offset stripe going through the body of the car. While Bippu Style builds focus more on aesthetics, there isn't anything wrong with adding some performance as well - such as the intercooler that's tucked in this one, teasing onlookers on what else it might be capable of.
Now here is a color you don't see every day. This IS sitting on AirRex Air Suspension with a carbon fiber hood to break up the purple and green pearlescent paint job. No big crazy modifications, just a simple look that is still something that can't be missed.
Continuing to step out of the ordinary, Civics are commonly a tuner staple car, but just as they're easily adapted for that they can also be fit for Bippu Style. Slammed to the ground on big chrome wheels, with a wood grain steering wheel to boast.
Now we are getting to where hellaflush meets VIP Style. A little Civic Si coupe is far from being considered a luxury car, but when you can blend styles together and make it work, that's what it's all about. It's just the evolution of styles and car modification as a whole.
This Infiniti G35 coupe has taken all the proper cues of the Bippu Style and put it together seamlessly. The wheels are slammed and tucked, helping make this big body coupe look even bigger than it is. It even has a Fusa Knot hanging in the rear view mirror. The Fusa Knot is a symbol dating back to ancient Japanese festivals and has been adapted strongly as a common accessory amongst Bippu Style builds.
Like I said, Oahu is the "Gathering Place" and Spocom did a great job of attracting all the local car enthusiasts and even some of us mainlanders! Fellow DrivingLine contributor Jonathan Wong couldn't pass up the opportunity to soak in some sun and give this clean NSX a well deserved shaka as JDMWongInvades! Check out the video below to get a feel how packed the show was and all the good vibes it was giving out.
Time to go back home, mahalo! (@justdayuum)
