Lexus LFA
When Lexus showed the world the definitive version of the Lexus FLA in 2009 at the Tokyo Motor Show, few would have expected such success: the $ 375,000 list price at the time seemed incredibly high, but today a Lexus LFA can cost more than $ 1 million, despite the fact that production has been stopped for 10 years.The future of the LFA Lexus has already spoken: the Toyota-owned company is already working on the new generation of the LFA, where the 'A' stands for 'Apex', apex, as if to underline that this model reaches the pinnacle of technique and performance. The new Lexus LFA will indeed be an electric car, but not only: on the one hand a model with 0 local emissions as the market wants with conviction in that direction, on the other, however, also a version powered by a 4.0-liter engine. V8 twin turbo with integrated hybrid system, to satisfy even customers who are unable to resign themselves to the departure of the internal combustion engine.
The engine developed by Lexus for these races has never really shown what it is capable of: after the announcement in 2020, the engine upgrade project of the Lexus LC stopped abruptly, also due to of the pandemic. At this point it is very likely that the engine that Lexus had developed specifically for the new generation of Lexus LC is actually being used for the Lexus LFA.
At the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, California , Lexus will unveil its Lexus Electrified Sport Concept, considered by many to be the new generation of the LFA in a 100% electric version; it is no coincidence that Lexus chose the United States for the launch of the new LFA, considering that of the 500 units produced of the original LFA, 190 were sold to US customers.
LFA Successor Could Miss Entire Point, Get Twin-Turbo V-8 From the LC500 Racer
Photo credit: Toyota
Rumors originating in Japan and uncovered by Autoblog suggest we are just three years away from seeing a Lexus LFA successor arrive in showrooms.
Fans of the original car's high-revving naturally aspirated V-10—thought by many to be the greatest-sounding production engine of all time—will be disappointed to hear that these rumors also suggest the car will get the twin-turbo V-8 found in the LC500 endurance racer.
The twin-turbo V-8 was rumored for years before finally being confirmed by Lexus in 2019, where it planned to use the Nürburgring 24-hour as a testbed for its development under the hood of an LC500 race car.
We originally thought this engine would end up in a road car via a 660-hp LC F in early 2021, but those rumors were squashed just over a year later. During that same interview, motorsports manager Jeffrey Bal suggested something else representing a halo car for the brand was in the works, but wouldn't confirm any details.
Even if an LFA successor arrives, we worry it won't receive the same amount of love the original does. The whole reason the LFA has a following now is thanks to its unique, stunning powertrain. To give its successor a twin-turbo V-8 would be to remove what makes the LFA, the LFA.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the original LFA wasn't exactly loved when it was new. It took years for Toyota to sell all 500 examples. But with the supercar market as hot as it is right now, we suspect the company will have an easier go this time around—should the car ever hit the market, that is.
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