Skip to main content

Take a peek at the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept, a new kind of luxury crossover

Lexus LF-1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
With the Detroit Auto Show right around the corner, Lexus has released a dark, puzzling teaser video to preview a brand-new concept car called the LF-1 Limitless.

The design study “reflects the next genre in luxury crossover vehicles,” according to a brief statement published by the Japanese brand. Developed by its Calty design studio in southern California, it wears wide LED taillights that stretch well into the quarter panels and a two-piece spoiler right above the rear window. The Lexus LF-1’s sculpted body suggests it will take the brand’s design language in a new direction, though it likely won’t ditch the contentious spindle grille worn by every current member of the Lexus portfolio.

What’s certain is the front end adopts a bold lightning signature. The LED that make up the headlights sit on top of L-shaped turn signals to give the concept an expressive face, even when it’s pitch black outside.

Lexus LF-1 Limitless teaser

The blue light embedded in the Lexus emblem on the hatch suggests the concept’s drivetrain incorporates some form of electrification. It could be a pure electric vehicle, but it could also use a hydrogen-electric drivetrain. Parent company Toyota is making significant investments in fuel cell technology, and Lexus will reap the rewards in the coming years.

Looking through the concept’s windows sheds a little bit more light into what we can expect. There is a digital instrument cluster on the left side of the dashboard, presumably right in front of the driver. It shows navigation directions in Lexus’ teaser shot, but odds are the driver can configure it to show other menus, including information about the car and its surroundings. On the right, a second screen shows the concept’s outline.

Zooming in, we see the silhouette of a relatively large crossover with a long hood and a rakish roof line. It’s not as coupe-like as the BMW X6 or the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, but it’s more daring than any Lexus on sale today. We’re assuming the outline shows the LF-1 Limitless concept, though we won’t be sure until it makes its global debut in the Motor City.

That’s also when we’ll learn more about what the future holds for Lexus’ mysterious concept. If it’s approved for production, and we think it will be, it will slot above the RX to give buyers a sportier and more city-friendly alternative to the GX and the LX, which are both built on truck-derived underpinnings.

Update: Added Lexus’ latest teaser video.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
The 6 best car phone holders in 2024
Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Read more
Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD rear end side profile from driver's side with trees and a metal fence in the back.

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Read more
Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?
Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.

Read more