Reborn Lexus LFA to offer twin-turbo hybrid racing V8 – report
Initially rumoured to be fully-electric only, the Lexus LFA successor might be powered by a 700kW hybrid petrol engine.
A new report has added weight to rumours of a revival of the legendary Lexus LFA V10 supercar – inspired by last year’s Lexus Electrified Sport concept – as what would likely be the company’s final petrol-powered supercar, due in 2025.
First reported by Japan’s Magazine X – and spotted by Autoblog – the second-generation LFA will reportedly launch in Japan, and – at launch, at least – will be powered by a plug-in hybrid system with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.
The new LFA is said to be inspired by the all-electric Lexus Electrified Sport concept, unveiled as a part of parent company Toyota’s massive electric car line-up announcement in December last year.
While the Electrified Sport concept is electric – and was hinted at its reveal to preview an all-electric LFA replacement – Magazine X reports a 4.0-litre V8 from a racing variant of the LC500 coupe will be used, fitted with two turbos and hybrid assistance.
Previous reports have suggested the electrified petrol engine may develop as much as 700kW, trumping the 412kW produced by the 4.8-litre V10 in the LFA.
Power will be sent to the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission – mounted at the rear of the car – with an electric motor positioned between the petrol engine and gearbox.
This allows the car to be started and driven in fully-electric mode before the petrol engine kicks in, which would deliver the largest share of the combined power output.
Production could begin as early as 2025 – aligning with another Japanese report claiming an LFA revival late last year. It’s rumoured the new model will have a seven-year life cycle, going off sale around 2032 – three years before Lexus is due to go fully electric.
Magazine X claims the reborn, Electrified Sport concept-inspired LFA will look “almost the same” as Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) GT3 concept shown in January – despite the GT3 show car wearing a Toyota badge.
“The car exhibited at the Tokyo Auto Salon pretended to be unrelated to Lexus. However, Lexus-related departments within the company are said to be in charge of development,” the magazine said.
With a rumoured ¥23 million ($AU250,000) price tag, the production car would cost a third of the price of the original LFA – a car which was last on sale in Australia in 2012 from $700,000 plus on-road costs.
Magazine X also reports the car could wear Toyota’s Gazoo Racing branding affixed to its performance vehicles, becoming the first Lexus product to do so – but not the first non-Toyota GR product ever built, that honour going to the Copen GR Sport roadster from Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu.
The publication reports the road car is being developed alongside a version for GT3 endurance racing – succeeding the RC F coupe as Lexus’ entry into the global motorsport category.
The post Reborn Lexus LFA to offer twin-turbo hybrid racing V8 – report appeared first on Drive.