Lexus unveiled its newest crossover concept vehicle at the Detroit auto show this week. This is the time of year for the movers and shakers in the automobile manufacturing sector to show what’s on their respective horizons, and where their respective sensibilities rest, and why they should be chosen by the sound and knowledgeable for airtight investment portfolios.

Lexus calls their newest crossover concept the LF-1 Limitless, and the various meanings of the word—and their value contexts—are conjured as frequently as possible, from the gold finish to the lines that suggest endless continuation and progress in the strongest possible terms.

From the front end…well, you’ll either love or hate the LF-1 from that perspective. It’s assertive, certainly. But the expansion of the Lexus grille has perhaps surpassed its effective zenith in this latest expression of the Lexus design lexicon. As opposed to the 2018 NX, which presents a sense of control from the front, this grille continues into the hood, flares away high and low toward the margins of the car, and swallows the flanking intakes in the bargain. The limitless is suggested as an absolute, yes, but there’s a toughness in the execution that abrades somewhat.

Within, the LF-1 looks beautifully uncluttered, thoroughly next-gen, and entirely willing to charm. Perhaps taking a cue from the Rolls Starlight headliner and its rarified dreaminess, Lexus evokes the heavens in the cabin, placing LED starfields on door panels and divider. The interiors are built for personal instant grat, with individual infotainment screens, and separate controls for rear lighting and rear heated seats. The glass roof is electrochromic; we’re seeing a lot more of that these days, which is a very good thing.

No word as of now on drivetrain options for the version of the LF-1 which may eventually enter production. For now, Lexus is just dazzling Detroit, and stimulating conversation in the industry.

As always.