Lexus LFA nameplate revived for upcoming electric supercar

The famed Lexus LFA nameplate has been revived for an upcoming supercar, but not for one powered by a combustion engine. Instead, Lexus will use the name for an electric supercar, which will be based on the recently revealed V8-powered Toyota GR GT. Lexus had already previewed its vision of the future BEV super-GT with the Sport Concept in August this year. 

1. New Lexus LFA shares underpinnings with Toyota GR GT supercar
2. Production model could employ a solid-state battery pack  
3. No specific launch timeline announced yet 

The LFA nameplate originally belonged to a screaming V10-powered supercar, widely regarded as one of the greatest-sounding engines ever. However, the company says, “The model name LFA is not bound to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.”

The electric LFA – still described as a concept for now – is being developed alongside the Toyota GR GT, which, incidentally, is powered by a 650hp V8 engine. 

New Lexus LFA exterior and interior 

The electric LFA will share the aluminium-intensive chassis with the Toyota supercar while also benefiting from the packaging freedom afforded by an EV powertrain. It will be marked out by a totally bespoke exterior design and a futuristic, minimalistic cockpit that majors on digital functionality. The race car-style steering ‘yoke’ suggests the LFA will use the same steer-by-wire technology that Lexus recently introduced to the RZ.

Lexus has revealed that the electric LFA will be 4,690mm long, 2,040mm wide and 1,195mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,725mm. For context, that’s a footprint similar to the likes of the Aston Martin DB12 and Bentley Continental GT. However, at just under 1.2 metres tall, it is considerably shorter, suggesting that Lexus has opted not to place the batteries under the floor, as is conventional in EVs. The low, flowing nose-to-rear silhouette is also quite reminiscent of the original LFA. 

New Lexus LFA could use solid-state batteries  

No further specifications have been revealed for this two-seater. But Toyota has suggested it plans to deploy its first solid-state battery in a “high-power” EV in around two years, and the Lexus LFA is a likely candidate. 

According to Toyota, solid-state batteries can produce twice the power of current-generation EV batteries and triple the range, while taking up far less space, making them particularly well-suited for tightly packaged high-performance models. Launching them in an expensive, low-volume range-topper like the LFA would also help Toyota offset some of the development costs before it rolls the technology out to more mainstream models in the line-up.

Unlike the V8-powered car, a targeted launch timeline for the new Lexus LFA has not been provided.