Lexus LF-SA wants a piece of Mini

If you're anything like us, the Geneva motor show's surfeit of supercars will have made you very happy indeed. But we imagine they've left Lexus smarting somewhat. It launched this rather bold and slashy little concept car and, well, no one seemed to bat an eyelid.

The LF-SA is the Lexus take on a city car. At 3.4m long and 1.7m wide, it's about the size of a VW Up. It may look suited for a world advancing towards autonomous driving, but Lexus describes it as a driver-focued antithesis to all of that.

"In a future world where technology and virtual experiences are expected to hold more sway, the real driving experience could become the ultimate luxury," we're told.

Despite that, though, this is just a design study, so there's no talk of actual drivetrains. Being Lexus, something hybrid-based would seem a safe bet should it ever make production, but that's not expected for at least four years.

What a design it exhibits, though. Even Lexus describes it as an "audacious interpretation" of its 'L-Finesse' styling philosophy, which is used by the suddenly quite refrained looking NX crossover. We'll leave you to make your own mind up, but the LF-SA's abundant slashes and creases are most politely described as ‘challenging'. It also wears the boldest grille in city car land.

Inside, there's a 2+2 seating layout, with priority given to the driver, an acknowledgement of the fact city cars are most often driven alone, says Lexus. As such, the driver's seat is fixed, the pedals and nattily designed wheel adjusting into position, LaFerrari style.

The front passenger seat is the one that slides back in forth to allow tiny-wee people to access the rear. And while it may be all about the driving, Lexus has ensured the whole gamut of connectivity is shoehorned inside.

A brave new design direction for Lexus? Or one that should be quietly shelved?