January 3, 2002 - Los Angeles, CA - For Lexus, it's every Hollywood hopeful's dream come true: a featured role alongside Tom Cruise in Steven Spielberg's upcoming summer blockbuster.

The filmmaker has cast the luxury auto brand as the car of the future in his highly anticipated film, "Minority Report", due to be released by Twentieth Century Fox this summer. But anxious moviegoers and car buffs will get an advance preview of the sports car when it makes its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show Jan. 5 to 13.

The film, which opens nationwide June 28, 2002, stars Tom Cruise, Samantha Morton and Colin Farrell. Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, "Minority Report" is set in a futuristic judicial system in which killers are arrested and convicted before they commit murder.

When it came time to conceptualize the fantasy car of the future, Steven Spielberg didn't have to look any further than his own driveway for inspiration.

"I've been driving a Lexus SUV," said Spielberg. "And I thought Lexus might be interested in holding hands with us and going into a speculative future to see what the transportation systems and cars would look like on our highways in fifty years. The result of that exploration is something that elevates and transforms driving into an environmental experience."

Designed as a high-performance two-seat personal sports car for the year 2054, the futuristic Lexus flexes a muscular design with the ultimate in cab-forward seating, a low, enclosed wheelbase for sportiness, aggressive lines, and proportions so unexpected that, at first glance, it's not entirely evident which end is the front and which is the rear.

The custom car was created by conceptual artist Harald Belker, whose film design credits also include "Batman & Robin", "Inspector Gadget", and "Armageddon." Spielberg, Belker, Calty (Toyota/Lexus design studio) and a team of futurists met early in the development process to speculate on what the future of automotive travel might hold, with Lexus ultimately providing styling, luxury and performance cues for the car's design. The car was constructed by CTEK, a Santa Ana, Calif.-based technology design and development firm.

"We're thrilled to be a part of this," said Denny Clements, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "We had the opportunity to dream about what cars and transportation might be like in the future, and then see that dream played out in the vision of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time -- it doesn't get much better than that."

Also featured at the Los Angeles Auto Show will be the 2002 SC 430, LS 430 and ES 300. Lexus.com will host the event live, with a 24-hour Webcast beginning Jan. 3 to 13. In addition to continuous four-camera, live streaming video, Lexus.com will include model line presentations, press conference highlights and dealer locators.

A promotional campaign for Lexus and "Minority Report" is also in the works and will include national television advertising, screening programs, in-theatre displays, online presence, additional auto show exhibits and dealership extensions.

Lexus markets and sells luxury cars and sport utility vehicles through 196 dealers. Lexus prides itself on providing the best in vehicle quality, service and customer satisfaction. The company's dealers have achieved the highest honors in customer satisfaction from the independent research firm J.D. Power and Associates. Additionally, with record-setting sales in 2001, Lexus is the top luxury nameplate in the industry for the second year in a row.

Although at first glance it is difficault to see which is the front and which is the back of the car.

The bottom line is the vehicle is in full running order and supposedly handles very well. It will be interesting to see the fottage in the movie of this car actuallt running!