Who Is NOVEL Racing Japan? The Shop Behind Lexus V8 Builds

If you've been around the Lexus IS F, RC F, GS F, IS 500 or LC 500 for any amount of time, you've seen the NOVEL Racing Japan name. On forums, at meets, on time attack cars. And we get asked pretty often who they actually are and why we work with them so closely.

So let's talk about it. This is less of a product post and more of the background on one of the brands we've built a lot of Mod in Japan around.

What happened: how NOVEL and Mod in Japan connect

NOVEL Racing Japan is a Japanese tuning company focused on Lexus. That focus is the whole point. Most aftermarket brands try to cover dozens of platforms. NOVEL's catalog is built around the Lexus performance cars, which means a lot of their development time goes into a small number of cars.

Mod in Japan imports directly from NOVEL in Japan. We've supported them for years, including at the Nürburgring, and a lot of what we know about these cars came from working alongside them. That relationship is a big part of why we stock their parts here in Ontario, California instead of making you order from overseas.

Why it matters for owners

The biggest takeaway for an owner is this: when a brand only makes parts for a handful of cars, the parts tend to be designed around those cars instead of adapted to them. You see it in how the aero lines up with the factory bodywork and in how the exhaust parts are designed around the 2UR V8.

It also means that when you have a question about a NOVEL part, there's a good chance someone has already asked it, and we can usually get you an answer.

What NOVEL Racing Japan makes

Here's a rundown of the NOVEL parts we carry, by category.

Exhaust

The NOVEL GEN III Exhaust Manifold is probably the part they're best known for in North America. It's listed for the IS F, RC F, GS F and IS 500.

Suspension

NOVEL teamed up with Endless on Zeal racing coilovers for the RC F and the GS F. The spring rates are listed right in the product names, so you know what you're getting before you call.

Brakes

Same partnership, different job. The NOVEL × Endless Zeal 2PC front rotors and 3PC rear rotors fit the RC F and GS F. We covered them in our rotor post.

Carbon aero

This is the stuff that turns heads. For the RC F there's the carbon rear diffuser, the rear under spoiler and the front lip. For the GS F, check out our NOVEL GS F aero install guide.

Why the Endless partnership is a big deal

Endless is a respected Japanese brake and suspension company in its own right. Seeing two specialists put their names on the same part tells you something. NOVEL brings the Lexus-specific knowledge and Endless brings the chassis and brake expertise. We like that kind of collaboration and I'm hoping we see more of it.

NOVEL on track and on stage

A lot of what people know about NOVEL comes from seeing the cars in person. David Yansens' NOVEL RC F has been a big one for us, from SEMA to Global Time Attack.

NOVEL isn't just F cars either. We recently put together an LC 500 build with NOVEL aero and exhaust at Wheelers Motorsport:

Some honest concerns

NOVEL parts are made in Japan and they're premium parts. That comes with tradeoffs you should know about up front:

• Lead times. Some items are in stock here, some come from Japan. Ask us before you plan around a date.
• Price. You're paying for Japanese-made, Lexus-specific development. It isn't the cheapest option and it's not trying to be.
• Fitment by model and year. Always confirm on the product page or with us.

Where to start if you're new to NOVEL

It depends what you want out of the car. For sound and feel, the manifold. For handling and track use, coilovers and brakes. For looks, carbon aero. If you want help putting a plan together, our RC F build guide walks through the order we'd do it in.

What "made in Japan" actually means to us

People throw "JDM" and "made in Japan" around a lot. For us it's pretty practical. When a part is designed and made by a company that lives with these cars in Japan, you tend to see it in the details. How the carbon is finished. How pieces line up with factory panel gaps. How the instructions assume you know the car.

It doesn't mean every Japanese part is perfect or that nothing made elsewhere is good. It means we know who's behind the part and we can get answers when something comes up. That matters a lot more to us than a label.

How customers usually find NOVEL

From what we see, most people find NOVEL one of three ways. They hear the manifold on a video and go looking for it. They see an RC F or GS F with the carbon aero at a meet and ask the owner. Or they're already deep into their build, and NOVEL is the name that keeps coming up for the parts nobody else makes.

The common thread is that people usually come to NOVEL for one specific part and then end up planning more around it. That's part of why we wrote the RC F build guide. Once you have the manifold, the next question is always "okay, what's next?"

How we handle NOVEL orders

Because some parts are in stock in California and some come from Japan, we'd rather talk timing up front than surprise you later. When you send a quote request, we'll let you know which parts are ready to ship and which ones need to come over. If you're planning around an event or a show, tell us the date and we'll be honest about whether it's realistic.

We'd rather lose a sale than promise a date we can't hit.

Looking ahead

We've been working with NOVEL for a long time and we're planning to keep it that way. As they release new parts, we'll keep covering them here and on our YouTube channel. If there's a NOVEL part you want us to dig into, let us know. That feedback actually shapes what we write about next.

Fitment gotchas across the Lexus V8 cars

NOVEL supports a lot of the same cars, but that doesn't mean every part fits every car. The GEN III exhaust manifold is listed for the IS F, RC F, GS F and IS 500, because they share the 2UR V8 family. Coilovers, rotors and aero are a different story. Those are specific to the chassis, so the RC F coilovers are a separate part from the GS F coilovers.

The easiest way to avoid a mistake is to read the model and year on each listing. If anything looks unclear, send your VIN to Tania or Kenia before ordering.

Install difficulty by part

• Exhaust manifold: shop work. Budget for a shop that has done 2UR headers.
• Coilovers: suspension shop, plus an alignment after.
• Rotors: a normal brake job for an experienced shop. Bed in new pads and rotors properly.
• Carbon aero: test fit first, then mount. Our GS F aero install guide shows what that looks like.

Tradeoffs worth knowing

NOVEL makes parts with track use in mind. That's a strength, and it's also something to think about. A racing coilover with stiff spring rates is great at the track. On a rough street commute, it depends on your application and what you're willing to live with. We'd rather have that honest conversation before you order than after.

If you want to see how we'd sequence NOVEL parts on one car, our RC F build guide walks through it.

FAQ

Is NOVEL a Japanese company?

Yes. NOVEL Racing Japan is based in Japan and focuses on Lexus performance cars.

Does Mod in Japan buy NOVEL direct?

Yes, we import directly from NOVEL in Japan.

Which Lexus models does NOVEL support?

The parts we carry cover the IS F, RC F, GS F, IS 500 and LC 500 depending on the part. Check each product page.

Are NOVEL parts in stock in the US?

Some are stocked at our Ontario, California warehouse and some ship from Japan. Ask us for current availability.

Can I mix NOVEL parts with other brands?

Plenty of customers do. If you're unsure about compatibility with a specific part, ask and we'll check.

Do NOVEL parts fit the IS 500?

The GEN III exhaust manifold is listed for the IS 500. Other parts are chassis specific, so check each listing.

How do I know which NOVEL part to start with?

Tell us how you use the car. For most owners it's the exhaust manifold or the front lip, then suspension when the chassis needs to catch up.

Next step

If you're putting a plan together, the easiest thing is to add the parts you're looking at to your cart and hit Add to Quote. We'll look it over, confirm fitment and availability, and get back to you. If you'd rather talk it through first, reach out and Tania or Kenia can help with fitment and stock questions. No pressure at all. We'd rather you buy the right part once than the wrong part twice.