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Lexus LF-1 Limitless luxury crossover concept is an intergalactic flagship

A dressed-up Land Cruiser it is not. As most every manufacturer making cars in 2020 will be offering crossovers in varying sizes, Lexus has unveiled its new LF-1 Limitless concept, which has been penned at Toyota's Calty Design Research in Southern California. The vehicle is billed as a "flagship crossover," meaning it slots above the RX and offers more flair than the more truck-like GX and LX models. If the design of the concept seems sharp, it's at least in part due to the design approach Lexus calls "molten katana" — with the appearance of a Japanese sword in automotive form. The spindle grille that's been the centerpiece of recent Lexus front ends is now a three-dimensional design, which appears to mimic a "Star Wars" ship's shift into hyperspace, eschewing surrounding chrome in favor of LED lighting. The concept detailing includes slightly Tesla–like door handles, which reveal a Lexus logo in the negative space, and a roof spoiler split in the middle. Door mirrors have been shaved off, with the rear view delivered into screens around the instrument cluster, where they resemble motorcycle mirrors. The feel of hyperspace continues inside, with the perforated door trim allowing lighting through like a starry sky. There are four matching, individual white leather seats under the moonroof, and there's a dedicated light show on offer at the press of the start button, depending of the function mode selected. Most analog switches have been replaced by haptic controls grouped around the driver, or fitted in the steering wheel; all powertrain controls are either in the wheel or in the steering column. By "Limitless," Lexus appears to refer to the choice of propulsion. Reading between the lines, there doesn't seem to be a set powerplant for the vehicle, as by 2025 all Lexus model lines will be electrified in some fashion, and the production version could be a fuel-cell vehicle, a PHEV, all-electric, or gasoline-powered. There's also a hands-free driver assist level Lexus calls "Chauffeur mode." In addition, there's a fourth dimension to the concept's navigation system — time. The setup reads traffic information, anticipating possible stops on the way. The idea, according to Lexus, is that the navigation system should feel like a concierge, a virtual assistant instead of just a map screen.

Recharge Wrap-up: Grimsel electric car breaks acceleration world record, electric Ford Raptor ATV debuts

An all-electric version of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is now available... as an ATV. Made by Caddyshack Golf Cars, it features officially licensed Ford badging borrowed from the super-macho pickup. It has a lifted chassis with leaf springs in the front and rear, hydraulic shocks and off-road tires. Powered by a 48-volt motor, it can do 0-25 mph in 2.9 seconds. Range is an estimated 30 miles - plenty to get you through 18 of the most rugged holes of golf you've ever played. Caddyshack also offers other miniature electric Fords, including a Shelby GT500, Shelby Cobra and 50th Anniversary Mustang. Read more at Green Car Reports. Lexus takes a crack at the BMW i3 in a new video from Funny or Die. In the decidedly anti-EV film, a group of guys drives to Las Vegas for a "dad-chelor party" in a Lexus CT 200h and a BMW i3. The Lexus hybrid makes it to Sin City without any problems, while the BMW's occupants need to make several lengthy stops to charge along the way, missing much of the fun. The video lampoons the inherent range limitations of the EV (the BMW group ends up driving slowly through the desert with no AC or radio to save energy), all in a well produced, if somewhat misguided, short comedy film. Perhaps they should have considered the i3 with a range extender? See the video below, or read more at Green Car Reports. Students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University have set a new EV acceleration world record. Their "Grimsel" racing car was able to zoom from 0-100 kph (0-62.137 mph) in just 1.785 seconds in less than 30 meters (98.425 feet), crushing the previous record of 2.134 seconds. Even more impressive is that the Grimsel was built by the students themselves, as part of the Formula Student team at the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich. The car weighs just 370 pounds and provides 200 horsepower and 1,202 pound feet of torque from the four hub motors. The Grimsel uses traction control to manage torque for maximum acceleration. See the record acceleration run in the videos below or read more at Gizmag, at Electric Autosport or in the press release from ETH Zurich below. 'grimsel' breaks world record The 'grimsel' electric racing car today broke the previous world record for acceleration in electric cars. The vehicle accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.785 seconds in under 30 metres. The new record was set by students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, who also designed and built the vehicle.

Lexus' Detroit reveal is RC F, will have 460-hp V8

Yesterday, we brought you the image above, sent out by Lexus, teasing its Detroit Auto Show reveal. At the time, all we knew about the car was that it's a coupe, and falls into the automaker's F performance line. But now, some more details have leaked.
An anonymous tipster passed us a link to this website, which Lexus is using to invite folks to an event at the Detroit show where the new RC F coupe will be revealed. But that same tipster also sent us a scan of the mailed-out invitation, shown at right (click the image to enlarge), which clearly states that the RC F will be powered by a 460-horsepower V8. The invite also says Lexus will show its 2015 RC 350 coupe in Detroit, following its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.
We cannot totally verify the authenticity of the scanned invitation, but with a corresponding website live on the web, it all looks pretty legit to us. Stay tuned for more details closer to the RC F's debut in January.