Street Fighter II’s iconic Lexus LS 400 brought to life as a sweepstakes prize

The General Insurance brings Street Fighter II’s iconic Lexus LS 400 to life, restoring the legendary arcade version for a massive sweepstakes giveaway.

Street Fighter II Lexus LS 400 seats

Image: General Insurance

General Insurance has restored an iconic prop from the Street Fighter II bonus stage. The process transforms a 35-year-old digital punching bag into a fully functional, road-legal model up for grabs via a national sweepstakes. The real-world build models the first-generation (XF10) Lexus LS 400. This Japanese luxury saloon inspired Capcom’s original 1991 arcade graphic. Underneath the custom pixelated exterior sits Toyota’s 1UZ-FE naturally aspirated 4.0-litre DOHC V8, developing 191 kW at 5 400 r/min and 353 N.m of torque at 4 600 r/min. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. The LS 400 and its 1UZ maintains a bulletproof reputation for mechanical reliability.

Hollywood car builder Dennis McCarthy and his team at Vehicle Effects executed the complete restoration to celebrate the Street Fighter feature film, which was released on 16 October 2026. McCarthy, renowned for constructing vehicles for the Fast & Furious franchise, recreated the vehicle’s pixelated 16-bit arcade aesthetics. The cabin features custom pixel-patterned upholstery, new leather seats, and upgraded audio speakers. A functional coin-slot change holder doubles as an integrated seat warmer.

The General Insurance offers US enthusiasts a direct chance to win this restored Japanese saloon. The sweepstakes runs through 18 November 2026. One grand prize winner receives the pixelated Lexus LS 400 alongside a cash award of $25 400.69 (approximately R422 000). This brings the total prize package valuation to $69 716 (around R1 150 000). The competition connects directly with the promotional campaign for the Street Fighter feature film, highlighting the theme of giving worn-out vehicles a second life.

The Lexus LS 400’s iconic cameo in Street Fighter II

A car-smashing sequence appears as the first interactive bonus stage in Street Fighter II, positioned directly between regular tournament fights. Players receive a 40-second time limit to completely wreck the parked sedan using basic physical strikes and special character moves. Success depends on striking both sides systematically, forcing the bodywork to crumple, doors to pop off, and the roof to collapse. Destroying the vehicle completely yields a maximum score bonus of 30 000 points, rewarding players who maximise their damage per second. The game developers modelled the digital target on the XF10 Lexus LS 400. Doing so has made the luxury sedan an iconic visual staple of arcade history.

Browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag!

The post Street Fighter II’s iconic Lexus LS 400 brought to life as a sweepstakes prize appeared first on CAR Magazine.


The Car Guide

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Every Bakkie Confirmed for SA in 2026 [Updated]

Image
From new models to updated lineups, we highlight every bakkie that’s been confirmed to launch in South Africa in 2026. New Toyota Hilux Image: Toyota In February 2026, the ninth-generation Hilux was spotted in SA . However, despite being spotted on our shores, at the time, an official launch date for the new Hilux, which we detail in our Come the Hour: New Toyota Hilux feature, had yet to be announced. Well, fast forward to April 2026, and the local launch date for the ninth iteration of SA’s best-selling bakkie has been confirmed – June 2026. Based on an updated version of the Japanese automaker’s IMV (Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle) platform – the latter also underpinning the SA-bound new Land Cruiser FJ , which will cost less than the top-of-the-range Hilux – the box-fresh Hilux retains the outgoing, eighth-generation model’s trusted GD-6 powertrain, available in “standard” and 48 V mild-hybrid format. The 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine will be a...
Read more

Top 10 most dependable car brands according to J.D. Power 2026 study

Image
We have rounded up the top ten most dependable car brands based on a recent study by J.D. Power, ranking vehicle reliability based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles. Image: Lexus Global market research and consumer insights company J.D. Power has recently released its 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, which identifies the most dependable vehicles based on overall problems per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership over nine problem categories. The 2026 results show a two-point increase in problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), resulting in an industry average of 204 PP100. In other words, A score of 204 PP100 means that, on average, owners reported 2.04 issues per car. A lower score indicates better vehicle quality, and vice versa. The 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study covers 184 specific problem areas throughout nine vehicle categories: climate, driving assistance, driving experience, exterior, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertr...
Read more

5 Slowest-Accelerating Vehicles CAR Magazine Tested in 2025

Image
We have rounded up the five slowest-accelerating vehicles, based on their 0-100 km/h sprint times, tested by CAR magazine in 2025. See the list below. 5. Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT: 12.05 seconds Image: Peet Mocke Starting the off the list is CAR magazine’s budget car of choice in our Top 12 Best Buys for 2025 awards, the Suzuki Swift. The variant we tested in March was equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. We recorded a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 12.05 seconds. Although not the last word in straight-line performance, the Swift was one of the highest-scoring and most fuel-efficient vehicles we tested in 2025. 4. Honda Amaze 1.2 Trend MT: 12.22 seconds Image: Peet Mocke The Honda Amaze, which we tested in the July 2025 issue of CAR magazine, employs a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol motor producing 66 kW and 110 N.m – the latter transferred to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. With a (tested) 32 kg weight penalty over the Swift...
Read more