Lexus’ second supercar has been making the rounds this year, but now the Japanese luxury brand has confirmed some key details… and its name.
The Lexus LFA conceptas it is now called even though it looks production-ready, was unveiled in Japan today alongside the accompanying Toyota GR GT supercar and GR GT3 race car.
But in contrast to these models or the first LFA, there is no powerful combustion engine under the hood.
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Instead, the two-seater LFA Concept is electric, although Lexus isn’t disclosing detailed details about its powertrain. No launch date for a production version has been announced either.
Its all-aluminum body frame – Toyota’s first – is based on that of the Toyota GR GT, although the LFA houses a battery and electric motors instead of its cousin’s twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine.
Lexus says the LFA Concept has the “same ideal driving position” as its Toyota cousin, despite the battery underneath.
According to Lexus, the LFA Concept embodies Toyota’s “Shikinen Sengu” concept with a low center of gravity, low weight, high rigidity and a focus on aerodynamics.
“It shares the techniques and capabilities used in the development of the GR GT and GR GT3, while exploring the potential that makes BEVs unique,” explains Lexus.
This is how the LFA concept compares:
| Lexus LFA concept | |
|---|---|
| length | 4690mm |
| Width | 2040mm |
| Height | 1195mm |
| wheelbase | 2725mm |
The exterior is unchanged from its previous appearances this year at Monterey Car Week and the Japan Mobility Show, where it wore the Lexus Sport Concept nameplate.
There’s a classic silhouette with a long hood and short rear deck that Lexus says is timeless and “will prevail into the next generation.”
Inside, there’s a minimalist interior with a steering stalk, digital instruments that appear to revolve around the driver’s field of vision, and a prominent divider between the driver and passenger sides of the cabin.
Lexus says the interior has been designed to be as intuitive as possible, including a switch layout that “enables blind touch operation.”
The brand says the supercar concept not only follows in the footsteps of the old V10-powered LFA, but also in the footsteps of Toyota’s iconic 1960s flagship sports car 2000GT.
According to Toyota, it forms a “sports car pinnacle” with its platform mates Toyota GR GT and GR GT3.
Interestingly, Toyota says the LFA Concept was the result of what it describes as humiliation.
“Fourteen years ago at Pebble Beach in America (Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda) was told during his visit there: ‘Lexus is boring’. That feeling of humiliation was a turning point and became a source of determination,” said Toyota design chief Simon Humphries.
“Akio stood up and made a promise: ‘No more boring cars.'”
Since then, various enthusiast models have come from Toyota and Lexus, culminating in this “Apex” trio.
MORE: Explore the Lexus showroom
