New Lexus LFA: crazy prototype will reach production, but there’s no V10 in sight

It looks like the Lexus LFA Concept could indeed reach production as the third member of Toyota’s new supercar family. After the V8-powered Toyota GR GT road car and GT GT3 racer debuted last year, Lexus’s battery-powered variant also now looks to be on the cards, with a fully-functioning prototype making a surprise visit to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

Despite lots of camouflage typical of this sort of prototype, its similarities to the concept are obvious. It shares an extremely long nose with upright headlights, here fared-in behind clear lenses, as opposed to being open as in the original. The fundamental proportions and aggressive stance are definitely still present, although this prototype has a set of polycarbonate windows – expect these to be swapped out for glass. 

While the newcomer will become a spiritual successor to the iconic LFA, the pair have very different powertrains, with the scintillating V10 swapped out for a battery electric powertrain. This should yield a big uplift in performance, but it remains to be seen how Lexus channels in the soul and drama we’ve come to expect of dream cars like this – especially one that has the LFA as its direct predecessor.

Thanks to the Toyota GR GT – with which this car will share most of its core structure – we now know more about what else is hiding under the skin. In another stark contrast to the previous LFA’s expensive carbon fibre tub, the new electric model will feature an aluminium structure. This won’t do much for the car’s weight figure, given the V8-powered Toyota already tips the scales at around 1,750kg.

This kerbweight is only destined to increase for the Lexus, too, as the battery-electric powertrain will be substantially heavier than that of the ICE-powered Toyota, suggesting the featherweight reputation of the original LFA won’t likely be shared this time around. 

However, we can confidently say that this will likely be the test-bed for Toyota’s advancement in solid-state battery technology, which the company says is getting extremely close to viable mass production. In fact, Toyota reckons the tech will be used as soon as 2028, and there’s a good chance it will be found under the skin of a future Lexus supercar that’s based on this concept.  

Solid-state batteries promise to be a big leap forward in electric car technology, with higher energy density, more consistent performance across a wider range of temperatures and more stability if involved in an accident. The new batteries will also reduce weight and increase range in future electric cars.

11

We also know that Lexus is working on augmented engine noise and gearshifts, two elements that will bring more driver involvement in electric vehicles. Therefore, perhaps the notion of a V10 soundtrack might not be off the cards for this future supercar, only this time it will be produced out of Yamaha speakers, rather than a Yamaha-tuned combustion engine. 

These new details augment our first look at the car’s physical interior at the Japan Mobility Show in 2025, which revealed a new design language and touchscreen system that will be rolled out across all Lexus models moving forward. Key to this is the digital interface, which features a three-surface display that both depicts and controls key driving functions. 

Lexus has also been exploring separating the driver and passenger experiences, changing the colour of the driver’s environment and curving the dashboard towards the driver. This is a technique Lexus has already used on the LC Coupe that went off-sale in the UK in 2024. 

While the company has not announced a specific timeframe for this future all-electric supercar, its prototype form suggests it could be revealed in full as early as next year, although production will be limited by capacity – especially if the V8-powered GR GT is oversubscribed.

If you fancy a Lexus of your very own, our dealer network has 1,000s of great value new cars in stock and available now right across the UK. Find your new car…