Lexus LF-1 Limitless Concept: Maximum Lexus

From the moment the Lexus brand made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit 29 years ago, the LS sedan has been the division’s flagship. But the luxury segment, just like the rest of the automobile market, increasingly is turning away from sedans and toward crossovers. So Lexus is testing the waters for what it dubs “a new flagship luxury crossover” with the debut of the LF-1 Limitless concept at this year’s Detroit auto show.

What does a range-topping Lexus crossover look like? A lot like an Infiniti QX70, as it turns out. The proportions certainly mirror those of the crossover originally known as the FX—probably because, like the Infiniti, the Lexus uses a rear-drive architecture. That allows for a long hood, a generous dash-to-axle ratio, and short front overhang. While the company mentions the concept’s rear-drive roots, as for the engine, evidently that’s where the word Limitless comes in. Lexus shrugs and says it could have “fuel cell, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, gasoline, or even all-electric” power.

Sizewise, the LF-1 is considerably larger than the now discontinued mid-size Infiniti: 3.5 inches longer in wheelbase, 6.1 inches longer overall, more than two inches wider, and nearly two inches lower. The concept’s flanks are smooth, with surfacing that is less busy than we’ve seen on production Lexus models lately. Up front, however, the spindle grille is taken to an even greater extreme. The centrally mounted Lexus logo appears to be exerting gravitational pull on all the fascia elements surrounding it, creating a cartoonish, painful-looking grimace. One can only hope it will be toned down for production. The other exterior oddity is the rear spoiler, which has a large gap in the center; in between, the liftgate glass appears to wrap up onto the roof. More conventionally—for a concept at least—the LF-1 also features flush door handles (which reveal a Lexus logo when they pop out) and rides on 22-inch wheels.

The LF-1 is just a hair longer than the new three-row Lexus RX350L, but it has only four seats inside. All four chairs are the same high-backed, white-leather-upholstered buckets. In front of the driver there’s a central instrument screen flanked by two side-view-camera displays. Physical buttons and knobs are largely banished (naturally), with the vehicle instead responding to gesture controls and a touch-sensitive haptic panel on the center console. Rear-seat riders have screens built into the front seatbacks and their own haptic panel. Dark-brown leather, metal accents, and real wood dress up the interior (the wood door trim has tiny holes illuminated by LEDs in different colors). Autonomous-driving capability, here called Chauffeur mode, is of course included; human pilots can control vehicle speed with paddles alongside the steering wheel, and shifting is via buttons on the wheel hub.

For now, Lexus isn’t saying whether a production version of the LF-1 would replace the LS, be sold alongside it, or sit above it in the lineup. Should the LF-1 reach showrooms, we’d say the arrival of a crossover flagship would mark the third-biggest event in the brand’s history, after the debuts of the RX (the longtime top seller) and the original LS400—all three of which were first seen at the Detroit auto show.