It’s not a movie I probably would have chosen to see, but when Lexus invited me, I went. Lots of excitement, great effects, flashy car, but….well, you’ve got to be a futuristic science fiction fan, I guess. Tom Cruise, starring in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report, plays the part of a detective responsible for stopping crimes before they take place. Minority Report, a short story by Philip K. Dick, is set in a futuristic judicial system in which killers are arrested and convicted before they commit murder. Sound like the ideal world?

Apparently, Spielberg, who drives a Lexus himself, called on Lexus and asked if they were interested in teaming up with him and Twentieth Century Fox in making Minority Report. Suggesting Lexus do a little speculating about the future of transportation systems and cars, Spielberg was pleased with their acceptance and the results: The transformation of driving into an environmental experience.

Indeed it’s futuristic. In the movie, cars are climbing up/down buildings and landing on top of one another. Seems as though all you have to do as a passenger is just be a passenger, rather than driving these cars. It’s wild.

The vehicle Lexus designed for the movie is a high-performance two-seat personal sports car for the year 2054. This futuristic Lexus sports a muscular design with cab-forward seating, a low, enclosed wheelbase for sportiness, aggressive lines and proportions that make you ask whether it is coming or going.

This custom car was created by artist Harald Belker, who has also designed vehicles for the movie sets of Batman & Robin, Inspector Gadget and Armageddon. Together, Spielberg, Belker and Lexus’ design studio folks speculated on what the future of automotive travel might hold. It was then up to Lexus to provide styling, luxury and performance cues for the car’s design.

First introduced at the 2002 Auto Shows across the country, the Minority Report vehicle was also taken on a promotional tour for Lexus and the movie. Before the movie opened on June 21, the car was featured on television commercials, screening programs, in-theatre displays, online, and at dealership extensions.