- The next Lexus LFA will be the electric counterpart of the Toyota GR GT.
- Lexus wants the new supercar to look like it has an engine.
- The company is worried about weak demand for luxury electric performance cars.
Lexus struggled to sell the original LFA, but the V10-powered supercar eventually earned a loyal following and is now highly regarded among enthusiasts. The name is about to be repurposed for an entirely different flagship performance model, which will abandon the combustion engine altogether. Previewed by the Electrified Sport Concept and later by an eponymous concept, the next LFA will be fully electric when it arrives next year.
Ahead of its launch, a camouflaged prototype made a public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend. It was in good company with the Toyota GR GT and track-only GR GT3. There’s a good reason for that, as the new LFA will be largely based on those two cars. Well, except for the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. It is expected to use the same aluminum-intensive platform that also accommodates the electric motors and battery pack for the all-electric Lexus.
While Lexus has remained tight-lipped about technical specifications, it has revealed the dimensions of the electric supercar in concept form. At 184.6 inches (4,690 mm) long and 80.3 inches (2,040 mm) wide, it will be much larger than the original LFA. Plus, it will sit very low to the ground, at just 47 inches (1,195 millimeters). Despite its generous 107.2-inch (2,725-millimeter) wheelbase, it will only seat two people, as any respectable supercar should; That’s not to say there isn’t a three-seat McLaren F1.
Lexus LFA’s design ‘will convey a message’
British magazine autocar Met up with Lexus at Goodwood and got some interesting details about the return of the LFA. The concept’s designer, Shogo Kasamatsu, said that the styling was created “to convey a message rather than our overall design language”. In other words, it will not completely follow Lexus’ current design language, something that is already clear even on this camouflaged prototype. The production version also won’t differ much from the concept, with Kasamatsu saying it will look “almost” the same.
Lexus is aware of the risk that the new LFA may be hard to sell, given that wealthy buyers are not particularly interested in electric supercars or hypercars. We heard a similar sentiment a few years ago when Rimac boss Mate Rimac said that the one-percenters would have ICE powertrains and a more analog driving experience. LFA’s product general manager, Yukihiro Yukita, acknowledged that weak demand in the region represents the “biggest challenge” the company is currently facing. Despite these obstacles, the production model remains on track for launch in 2027.
Photo by: Lexus
Lexus wants to give thrills like ICE
While high-end performance EVs simulate the feeling of a combustion-engine car, Lexus wants to take things a step further and make drivers feel like “they’re driving with an engine.” The plan is not to fake the V10 soundtrack and write it off, but to “redesign the sound itself”. It’s unclear what this includes, but the statement suggests that the new LFA won’t be completely silent.
Perhaps Lexus will amplify the sounds generated by the electric motors and blend them with notes inspired by the naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V10 it co-developed with Yamaha for the original LFA. Either way, Lexus makes it clear that it won’t just mimic the combustion engine’s soundtrack to give the electric supercar an artificially gas-powered feel.
Photos: Lexus
As far as the name goes, it’s worth remembering that when the concept debuted late last year, Lexus said: “The LFA is not bound to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.” Toyota’s luxury division is comfortable repurposing the badge for an EV, which could also feature a solid-state battery. Given that the long-awaited battery technology is expected to provide significantly higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries, supercars may not need particularly large battery packs.
As a result, LFA is unlikely to be excessively heavy. However, it is unrealistic to expect a curb weight close to the original model’s 3,262 pounds (1,480 kg). Logic suggests that it would weigh much more than its combustion-engine predecessor. As a refresher, Toyota is aiming for a curb weight of less than 3,858 pounds (1,750 kg) for the GR GT.
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Source: Lexus
Motor1’s Opinion: It may seem sacrilegious to slap an LFA badge on an electric supercar that replaces a high-revving V10, but we’re curious to see what Lexus is cooking up. Solid-state batteries could be a game-changer by significantly reducing the weight penalty associated with EVs.
Pricing would be a delicate matter, especially since the first-generation LFA was widely considered too expensive, even for a low-volume crossover. Its successor faces an uphill battle after eliminating its defining selling point: the V10. If its price exceeds that of the GR GT, it’s hard to imagine that many buyers will choose the Lexus over the gas-powered Toyota. That said, it’s good to have options.
