The Artisan’s Touch

Adam Gordon Vehicle Features

Giuseppe Balthasar’s pink 2023 Lexus IS 500 with an Artisan Spirits widebody kit parked under a concrete overhang at night.

The Artisan’s Touch

Giuseppe Balthasar - 2023 Lexus IS 500

Story by Adam Gordon
Photography by Minh Truong (@itsminhty)

Giuseppe Balthasar didn’t set out to build a Lexus IS 500, but when opportunity knocks—and the right partners are on board—you answer. Sometimes, that answer turns into a debut build at the Toyo Treadpass inside the SEMA Show.

The 2023 IS 500 started as a blank slate, but with help from Toyo Tires, Artisan Spirits, and Advan, Giuseppe turned it into something much louder. Dertywerks Garage handled the hands-on work, including installation of the widebody kit and those not-so-small finishing touches that bring a project together.

What sets this Lexus apart is that it’s the first Artisan Spirits widebody IS 500 in North America. Wrapped in Inozetek’s Ruby Star—a bold shift from typical monochrome automotive trends—the car strikes a balance between contemporary aggression and refined Lexus styling. Advan’s then-new RS-DF wheels in titanium black add depth under the arches, surrounded by Toyo Proxes Sport 2 rubber for a street-ready statement.

Giuseppe didn’t just slap a kit on and call it done. Under the hood sits an APEXi air intake, letting the 5.0-liter V8 breathe with a bit more response, while the Artisan dual exhaust opens up the flow out back. The carbon hood and trunk from Seibon cut some weight and bring a textured contrast to the slick wrap. Inside, the factory luxury is traded in for something more driver-centric: Recaro Sportster GT seats and a Zestek steering wheel.

Giuseppe is no stranger to modified Lexus platforms—it runs in the family. As the son of two familiar names—Cassandra and Dana Balthasar, both of whom drive custom Lexus builds of their own—he’s carrying forward a tradition that values clean presentation, smart choices, and brand loyalty without sacrificing personal taste. The result isn’t loud for the sake of it. It’s purposeful, measured, and surprisingly restrained despite its bold color and widebody posture. For a build that wasn’t expected, it looks at home on the industry’s biggest stage.

Originally featured in PASMAG Issue #180