Lexus Stars as Vehicle of the Future in Spielberg's "Minority Report"
For Immediate Release
(06/18/2002) TORRANCE, CA
Lexus Cast as Vehicle of the Future in Spielberg's "Minority Report"
Backgrounder: The Making of the Vehicles
Lexus "Minority Report" Sports Car Specs
Lexus "Minority Report" MAG-LEV Specs
For Lexus, it's every Hollywood hopeful's dream come true:
a featured role alongside Tom Cruise in a Steven Spielberg summer blockbuster.
The filmmaker cast the luxury auto brand as the car of the future in his critically
acclaimed film, "Minority Report," which opened on June 21 as the
weekend's top box-office draw . The film stars Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha
Morton and Max Von Sydow.
Based on a short story by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, the film is
an action-detective thriller set in Washington, D.C. in 2054, where police utilize
a psychic technology to arrest and convict murderers before they commit their
crime. Cruise plays the head of this precrime unit and is himself accused of
the future murder of a man he hasn't even met.
When it came time to conceptualize automotive travel for the futuristic setting,
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."
Ultimately, two featured Lexus vehicles were developed for the film÷a
radical red sports car and a private pod that rides on a vast urban magnetic
levitation (MAG-LEV) system.
The sports car was designed for scenes calling for Cruise's character to drive
outside the city limits and was tailor-built to fit the star. The futuristic
high-performance two-seat coupe 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 second vehicle÷a private "pod"÷rides on the film's
urban MAG-LEV system and features a full-glass roof and doors that, similar
to sliding glass doors, open from the center to allow the occupant to step out.
The MAG-LEV system itself operates on electrical/magnetic energy¾much
like that which sends a bullet train speeding along¾with buildings and
horizontal surfaces covered with "roadways" made of magnetic discs
that support and propel various vehicles. In this accident-free, computer-controlled
system, pods move at speeds of 80 to 100 miles per hour. In the future city's
transportation layout, private pods, taxis and multi-passenger cars all negotiate
the MAG-LEV system÷making seamless transitions between vertical and horizontal
surfaces.
Conceptual artist Harald Belker÷whose film design credits also include
"Batman & Robin," "Inspector Gadget" and "Armageddon"÷created
the custom Lexus vehicles. 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 vehicles' designs. The vehicles
were 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."
A promotional campaign for Lexus and "Minority Report" was also developed
and includes an online futuristic game that transports visitors to the year
2054 (Lexus.com), national television advertising, screening programs, in-theatre
displays, and dealership extensions. Die-cast models of the Lexus "Minority
Report" sports car will also be available through The Sharper Image.
Lexus has become synonymous with luxury since its introduction in 1989. By
offering some of the finest quality luxury vehicles and providing benchmark
customer service, Lexus has become the top-selling luxury nameplate in the United
States for two years in a row. Lexus and its 197 dealers have repeatedly achieved
the highest honors for both the products they sell and the customer service
they provide as rated by the independent research firm of J.D. Power and Associates.
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Contact:
Lexus Public Relations
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A Far-Out Future Isn't So Far Off - The Making of Lexus Vehicles for "Minority Report"
For Immediate Release
(06/18/2002)
BACKGROUNDER
In the year 2054, some cars will be self-cleaning, some will drive in an accident
free system, and some will change colors on command.
At least that's the vision of the future in Steven Spielberg's upcoming film
"Minority Report," starring Tom Cruise. The film, based on a short
story by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, is an action-detective thriller
set in Washington, D.C. in 2054, where police utilize a psychic technology to
arrest and convict murderers before they commit their crime. Tom Cruise plays
the head of this precrime unit and is himself accused of the future murder of
a man he hasn't even met.
When it came time to conceptualize automotive transportation for the futuristic
setting, Spielberg turned to Lexus as a potential partner. "I've been driving
a Lexus SUV," Spielberg said. "And I thought Lexus might be interested
in going into a speculative future to see what the transportation systems and
cars would look like on our highways in 50 years. The result of that exploration
is something that elevates and transforms driving into an environmental experience."
Imagining the Future
Conceptualizing and creating the film's 2054 setting - including its transportation
systems - began nearly three years ago. From the outset, Spielberg wasn't interested
in creating a fantastical science fiction film but, rather, a future reality
film. The first step was to call together a diverse team of designers and futurists
to speculate on what the year 2054 might actually look like. Among the participants
were conceptual artist Harald Belker and representatives from Calty, the Toyota/Lexus
design studio in Southern California.
Discussions were wide-ranging and included topics such as the future of medical
advancements, social theories, defense issues, advertising, infrastructure,
technology, workplace and household appliances, and of course, cars. There was
talk of new inventions, including iris colorants, anti-boredom gelcaps, additional
alphabet letters, spray meat, and magnetic levitation transportation systems.
These early sessions would inform much of the design of the futuristic world
of "Minority Report." Belker - whose film credits include "Batman
& Robin," "Inspector Gadget" and "Armageddon" ö
was commissioned to design the film's vehicles, including cars for a vast urban
magnetic levitation (MAG-LEV) system, as well as an individual off-system car
for driving outside the city. Lexus provided design and luxury cues for the
cars, and gave Belker the lowdown on advanced interior technology. "That
sophisticated, forward thinking for cars is really a hallmark of Lexus,"
says Belker.
The MAG-LEV System
In the film's design for its Washington, DC setting circa 2054, a mass transportation
system uses electrical/magnetic energy - much like that which sends a bullet
train speeding along - with horizontal and vertical surfaces covered with "roadways"
made of magnetic discs that support and propel various vehicles. In this accident-free,
computer-controlled system, vehicles move at speeds of 80 to 100 miles per hour.
In the city's transportation layout, private pods, taxis and multi-passenger
cars all negotiate the MAG-LEV system. As cars travel, they make seamless transitions
between vertical and horizontal surfaces.
"We discussed how a future goal will be individual transportation within
a mass transport system," says Belker. "The discussion gravitated
from traveling in personal cabins, into the direction of a futuristic car which
works on a MAG-LEV system ö something between a capsule and a car."
The result is a car which travels up an apartment building, for example, to
"dock" at a person's residence. Once there, a door slides open that
doubles as a living room window; at that point, the carâs seats can even
provide additional seating in the living room. While parked, the car performs
maintenance checks, auto-repairs, recharges and self cleans.
When residents enter their car to depart back onto the system, they are essentially
stepping from the living room into another room of the house. In fact, inside
the car, the seats and furnishings bear more relation to a room environment
than a car. Highly-styled, comfortable seats conform to individual bodies; seating
configurations can be changed so passengers can face forward or each other.
The entire environment lends itself to a video screen which allows the "driver"
to perform a multitude of functions. . .none of which has to do with driving.
The Off-System Sports Car
For scenes calling for Cruise's character to drive outside the city limits,
a radical red off-system sports car was designed and tailor-built to fit the
star. While this car isn't likely to be on Lexus showroom floors in 2054, the
red Lexus sports coupe is more similar to present-day vehicles-featuring the
familiar four wheels and designed to be driven on a traditional road system.
In designing the sports car, Belker says, "the goal was to create something
unlike anything seen before, and really give it the 'WOW!' effect. We set out
to have a lot of fun with it for a big bang impact."
In the end, this futuristic Lexus - designed as a high-performance, two-seat
personal sports car - 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.
Conceptually, this sports car features an electric engine, heads-up instrumentation
with night vision and organic recognition capability, color-selectable body
panels (changeable with a simple owner voice command), DNA recognition entry
and ignition system, and auto valet - a feature that allows the car to drop
the owner off at a desired location, park itself for recharging, and arrive
for owner pick-up at the commanded location.
Making the cars. . .from abstract to "action!"
Once the vehicle needs for the film were identified, Belker started sketching,
creating fairly tight illustrations which would first be presented to production
designer Alex McDowell ("Fight Club," "The Crow") and then,
Spielberg. Spielberg would provide his input, make suggestions and modifications,
and Belker would incorporate his notes in a fresh design.
From the approved sketches and renderings, Belker and his staff built 3-D models,
pacing themselves quickly to meet deadlines. Being handed several sketches of
different pieces each morning - such as knobs, seats, wheels, windshields -
Belker's designers would model through the afternoon. By the next day they would
ship out the model and e-mail the blueprint of another piece to CTEK, the Santa
Ana, California-based technology design and development firm chosen to construct
the cars.
Of course, Belker says, part of the process was picking out features like fabric
and colors. "Since Lexus is all about luxury and comfort, we had to meet
those standards as well. . . although sometimes in movie cars, itâs more
about the look than the actual cushiness."
When the designs got to CTEK, the engineering department would sort out demands
for such facets as metal and electrical components. Then, when the 3-D models
were turned in, CTEK would build the vehicles to full-size specifications.
Each vehicle had certain requirements. In the case of the red off-system sports
car, it had to be fully-electric and maintain 70 miles per hour for stretches
of time. Even though, in automotive parlance, that car was deemed a "concept
car," it had to be functional: doors had to open, the steering wheel had
to tilt, seats had to recline. And of course, to reach top velocity and perform
on-screen as well as it does, the coupe - powered by 47 batteries and an all-electric
motor - required an intact four speed standard shift with reverse. Post-production
computer-generated special effects create the coupe's futuristic instrumentation,
including a "heads-up display" (an on-windshield projection providing
a clear view of controls and gauges a driver would typically have to look down
for).
For the MAG-LEV vehicle, rotating pods substitute for wheels. Swiveling seats
were installed to enable driving from either end. The vehicle has a full-glass
roof, which is on prominent display during some chase scenes, and doors that,
similar to sliding glass doors, open from the center to allow the occupant to
step out. In the film, Cruise's MAG-LEV is a jade green with tinted glass on
the sides as well as the roof. As with the coupe, the heads-up display images
are also computer generated in this model.
In the case of both cars, luxurious touches were added inside with wood grain
paneling, leather wrapped interiors, and glistening screens.
In all, these two vehicles - along with a dozen other background vehicles -
were created from sketch to completion in about two months to become the fully-appointed,
fully-functional Lexus road-stars of "Minority Report."
As "Minority Report" premieres, Belker reflects on his work on this
"dream project." "I regard this movie as the 'Blade Runner' for
my generation, so I would have given anything to work on it. And then, on top
of that, having Lexus' involvement ensured everything came together perfectly
during the different phases of exterior and interior design and construction.
They're an ideal partner."
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Contact:
Lexus Public Relations
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Lexus "Minority Report" Off-System Sports Car --
Model Year: 2054
For Immediate Release
(06/18/2002)
Specifications
Engine: Smart recharging electric engine
Kilowatts: 500
Wheelbase: 106 in.
Length: 146 in.
Width: 82 in.
Curb Weight: 2300 lbs.
Chassis: Carbon Fiber & Titanium Composite Monocoque
Suspension: Titanium Composite, Fully-Independent Double-Wishbone with Adaptive
Variable Suspension (AVS), Speed-Sensitive Automatic Height Control (AHC)
Brakes: Computer-Controlled, Servo/Electronic, Ceramic Hybrid Discs, and Regenerative
Electric System to charge all Systems.
Wheels and Tires: 6-Spoke, Titanium Alloy, C-TEK Wheels, 22x9.5-inch with 285/30R22,
High-Speed Run-Flat Tires
Features
Heads-Up instrumentation with Night Vision and Organic Recognition capability
Color-impregnated, carbon composite body panels with dent-resistant memory
Body conforming bucket seats with automatic heating and cooling functions
Laser Guided Cruise Control
Stereolithography formed body panels
Body panels color selectable by owner voice recognition
All systems fully computer-controlled with Voice-Activated and
Gesture-Recognition capability
All rearward vision via cameras rather than mirrors
Sonar Parking Assist
Switchable-tint glass all-around with solar panel glass in roof
Retractable solar body panels for recharging and interior climate control during
parking
Information system display doubles as owner-recognizable personal computer
DNA Recognition Entry and Ignition System: Via sensory intelligence, the system
allows owner to enter and start vehicle.
Accident Avoidance System: Infrared technology senses what's ahead to warn
of impending danger. Sonar parking assist and rearward vision cameras. Dent
resistant memory metal protects exterior from dents and/or scratches.
Self-Diagnosis System: Car automatically detects and alerts any mechanical
or electrical problems. Voice-Activated Concierge Service will schedule necessary
service appointments. A Lexus representative will travel to ownerâs preferred
location to service the car.
Auto Valet: Once the car drops the owner off, it then parks to recharge (its
retractable solar body panels automatically adjust to accommodate recharging).
Upon remote command, the car will arrive at requested location.
Global Digital Entertainment System (with Universal Translator and Personal
Digital Recorder): Comprehensive music library, archived with a global directory;
updates daily via cyber connection. The PDR automatically records shows via
request (similar to TiVo today). The system alerts to breaking news, weather,
stock, and/or sports reports based on personal profile data.
Voice-Activated Concierge Service (with Internet Search): Reserves restaurant,
hotel and entertainment events via voice command.
Weather Sensitive Response System: Solar panel triggers automatic window tint,
adjusting the level of bright light to the driver's sensitivity. Tire traction
adjusts automatically to road conditions.
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Contact:
Lexus Public Relations
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