Is The LF-1 Limitless Coming After All?


The 2018 LF-1 Limitless Concept has become something of an ever present, but just out of reach shadowy figure within the Lexus brand. Is it happening, or is it not? Is it coming but delayed? Or has it been cancelled all together?

A fresh round of rumors surfaced this week from Carbuzz and Best Car noting that the LF-1 Limitless is indeed coming to a showroom in the near future wearing the “LF” name.

Many of the latest rumors echo what we’ve heard before: A sporty and svelte rear-wheel-drive flagship crossover vehicle that sits between the LX SUV and LS sedan. Engine options could include a 3.5L V6 hybrid producing 354 horsepower or a 660-horsepower turbocharged V8.

Another interesting note: The LF could come wearing a price tag over $100k USD, which would make it the most expensive vehicle in the current lineup.

FutureLexus LF-1: Concept VehicleRumors

Levi

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Finally an alternative to the X6, X4, GLE Coupe, GLC Coupe and Macan, which I potentially consider the best and most purposeful crossovers.

SUVs (unibody) remain the most useless vehicles. And FWD crossovers are just as useless. Lifted RWD based AWD cars make alot of sense.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

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Lightening up and zooming in on that teaser photo was..um...illuminating.

The tallish, chunky proportions of the original dark picture led me to believe I was looking at a teaser for an "RX coupe" on the GA-K (ES/RX large FWD) architecture. One look at the rear monitor side view picture promptly changed my mind. The short front overhang and generous gap between the front fender's rear edge and the forward most edges of the windshield and front door shout out GA-L quasi-front-mid-engined architecture.

It seems that interior screens prematurely or unexpectedly revealing unwanted styling clues are a thing now. Lamborghini's Urus SUV was prematurely revealed via such an interior monitor screen grab almost a week before its official reveal.

Another random question: if LF-1 Limitless is a smash hit and Lexus decides to add it to its product line, what badge would it wear? Would the current 3-row body-on-frame two-model lineup (GX and LX) give way to a single BOF entry, thus giving the GX or LX badge to this newcomer? Highly unlikely. The coupe styling implies a "C", while crossover calls for an "X". But CX or XC prefixes are out, given their being trademarked by Mazda and Volvo, respectively. SX? That might work, but a number of carmakers (Kia comes to mind) use that as a trim level. TX? Toyota/Lexus do own that one, but I'm not sure if it's live or dead at this point.
 

mikeavelli

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Finally an alternative to the X6, X4, GLE Coupe, GLC Coupe and Macan, which I potentially consider the best and most purposeful crossovers.

SUVs (unibody) remain the most useless vehicles. And FWD crossovers are just as useless. Lifted RWD based AWD cars make alot of sense.

They said Flagship and its LF-1 so I'm thinking based off the LC/LS and to fight the upcoming Q8....
 

Gecko

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They said Flagship and its LF-1 so I'm thinking based off the LC/LS and to fight the upcoming Q8....

Great catch. At first glance I was thinking something like GLC Coupe or X4, but Lexus does not unintentionally use the word "flagship." With that considered, I have to assume we are going to see something along the lines of a RR Sport, Cayenne, X6, Q8 and GLE Coupe competitor.... finally. If this is a flagship vehicle, I think it's presumable that the first letter of it's name could be "L" once it hits production.

LS
LX
LC

Could "LT" be out of the question? With CT, that stood for "Touring"... Luxury Touring? I don't really like "LT" but just throwing it out there as a thought.

Regardless, I love where this is going.
 

CIF

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So....this is an RX-sized vehicle possibly going on GA-L? Interesting. I think it would have to be properly differentiated enough from the RX (as well as GX and LX) to be a viable production model. Also if we get a production model of this, would that mean the RX will never get a full F version? Hypothetically if this debuts on GA-L as a production model, then chances would be much higher than this would be getting an F version.

We already have a flagship Lexus SUV with the LX. If this is added as a production model, would Lexus further differentiate the LX as an off-road specialist, and this as an on-road performance flagship SUV? I wonder.

All of this assuming of course that Lexus adds this as a production model. If they do, I'll give them credit, as that would indicate them listening more to market demand. In today's hot market for CUVs and SUVs, not everyone wants small, cheap crossovers. A totally other segment of buyers want luxury and/or larger SUVs and crossovers.
 

spwolf

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Great catch. At first glance I was thinking something like GLC Coupe or X4, but Lexus does not unintentionally use the word "flagship." With that considered, I have to assume we are going to see something along the lines of a RR Sport, Cayenne, X6, Q8 and GLE Coupe competitor.... finally. If this is a flagship vehicle, I think it's presumable that the first letter of it's name could be "L" once it hits production.

LS
LX
LC

Could "LT" be out of the question? With CT, that stood for "Touring"... Luxury Touring? I don't really like "LT" but just throwing it out there as a thought.

Regardless, I love where this is going.

LF?

Seems like luxury version of LS/LC? If so, I think it would not compete with LX at all, except for maybe pricing? But in general, where LX sells well is where this LF would likely not sell at all.
 

OlFius

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Finally, I have been waiting and hoping for this for along time.
Lexus will do it anyway, this real concept ! the 'flagship crossover' is the beginning of something new. :yum
Bring it on ! I am "enthusiast" !
 

meth.ix

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I'm thinking a proper X5 competitor, RWD and more emphasis on performance with higher power figures.
 
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Forgot to mention this in my post -- good eye! Maybe the 500h powertrain?
Yes, I think you are right. And I think there are almost production ready vehicle already built and just waiting to be released. Same as with the LS relatively shortly following the LF-FC.
 

Levi

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Profile reminds me Infiniti FX45 crossover (which is not a bad thing, as I like it very much).

infiniti-fx45-photo-200240-s-original.jpg