Lexus and Adidas celebrate 'Wakanda Forever' with unique RX design

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" just smashed the box office for its opening weekend, and to help celebrate the release, Lexus worked with a team at Adidas on a movie-inspired RX 500h F Sport SUV.

Lexus handed a brand-new RX to Adidas S.E.E.D. school for a Wakanda-worthy makeover. The S.E.E.D. (School for Experiential Education in Design) program helps Adidas identify and promote design talent in groups that may not otherwise have a chance, including female creators, who constituted its entire inaugural class in 2020. Working with the Adidas design shop, they approached the SUV with the question, “What if Wakanda had a national athletic team?”

The result is a unique F Sport design with diamond patterns and gold accents. Though dramatic, the look helps hide the RX’s massive grille. Lexus’ F Sport trims have traditionally focused mostly on appearance upgrades, but the move to build a dedicated 500h F Sport with upgraded hybrid tech should bring a meaningful boost in sportiness.

The team also massaged the RX’s interior, changing upholstery and materials throughout. The unique diamond pattern from the SUV’s exterior translates into wild patterns on the seats, steering wheel, and door panels, while gold accents replace the center console and door trim pieces. Wakandan letters adorn the RX’s door sill plate and steering wheel, where the team stitched “Wakanda Forever” in the fictional alphabet.

While some may find the wild creation cool enough to buy, it’s not for sale. The vehicle will likely make the rounds at movie-related events before being placed in a company storeroom somewhere. Interestingly, the S.E.E.D. team also created a shirt, but like the RX, it’s not for sale. Only a select group of influencers will get the shirt, which features the phrase “Educate a Woman, Educate a Nation” in Wakandan text.