Advertising executive James Ballard and his wife Catherine lead complex, if hollow, sexual lives. Following a near fatal crash with Dr. Helen Remington, Ballard is drawn into an underground exploration of the connections among danger, sex, death and automobiles. As their involvement with the nether world of cars and sex deepens through the sex-and-techno masterminds, medical researcher Vaughan and accident victim Gabrielle, Ballard and Catherine discover new and disturbing ways of expressing love.