2018 Detroit motor show: Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept teased

TOYOTA’S luxury division has teased the Lexus LF-1 Limitless, a concept car that’s believed to be its luxury-laden spin on a range-topping SUV.

The single teaser image was released ahead of a reveal at the 2018 Detroit Motor Show, which kicks off in January.

“The Lexus LF-1 Limitless, created by the Calty design studio in southern California, is a flagship crossover that redefines the boundaries of luxury,” Lexus said in a statement.

So, what are we looking at? Speculation hints at a possible replacement for the boxy, bulky LX – effectively a Toyota LandCruiser in drag – or the next-generation RX midsize SUV. Adding weight to the argument that it’s an RX is the fact that the midsize SUV, last overhauled in 2015, is the best-selling luxury car in the US.

Details are limited, with Lexus revealing only that the coupe-profiled LF-1 Limitless – heavily influenced by the Toyota C-HR’s envelope-pushing design, we reckon – was penned inside its Calty design studio based in the US. The image, though, hints that the soft-roader will feature a pair of LCD screens – one in front of the driver and another for the front-seat passenger – as well as a panoramic sunroof.

LED tail-lights integrated into the steeply raked tailgate also appear to wrap around the entire rear of the SUV, flanking the sides heavily.

Also of note is a Peugeot Quartz-like split rear spoiler on the trailing edge of the roof that incorporates high-mounted LED-style brake lights.

We’re not given any information about the drivetrain that the LF-1 Limitless will use, although the blue-lit Lexus badge gives us a hint – it will be a hybrid model. We can rest assured it’s unlikely to be a plug-in hybrid, though, with the Japanese luxury brand constantly talking down the benefits of a bigger electric fuel tank and a smaller petrol one.

The Detroit Motor Show starts on January 15, 2018.