The electric successor to the Lexus LFA has appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, this time as a heavily camouflaged — but fully working — prototype. And over the weekend, reports have shown that Lexus believes it can work magic to make it more than just a speedy EV and genuinely capture the V10 spirit that made the original LFA a legend.
Lexus and Toyota still haven’t revealed much hard detail about the LFA EV itself, and what appeared on the Hill looked much like the concept unveiled last year. What they have confirmed is that the upcoming LFA EV will share the same race-bred, all-aluminium spaceframe as the GR GT and GT3 race car, which likely explains why all three models share such a familiar silhouette.
Speaking to Autocar, general manager of the LFA programme, Yukihiro Yukita, acknowledges that demand for high-priced performance EVs remains limited. Many EVs try to win over enthusiasts by piping in synthetic engine noise, but Yukita argues that approach only draws attention to what’s missing rather than replacing it. Instead, Lexus wants LFA owners to feel like they’re genuinely driving with an engine, not listening to an impression of one.
But getting there is going to be a tough balancing act, as Yukita points out several factors that act against performance EVs: the extra weight of a large battery pack, and the loss of the sound and vibration that traditionally connect a driver to what’s happening under the bonnet. However, there are definitely other aspects where EVs excel — sharper throttle response and more linear power delivery than any combustion engine can offer. That gives engineers room to strip away unwanted noise while building in new kinds of feedback designed to make the car feel more alive.
Goodwood reports that Lexus’ goal was to blend advanced EV performance with the raw emotion and heritage of the original V10-powered LFA, in line with Yukita’s words. The aim, according to Lexus, is to recreate the goosebump-inducing sensation that the LFA’s screaming V10 was famous for. How will they do that? Lexus hasn’t said anything about it yet, so we’ll have to wait until people get their hands on them to truly understand.
RELATED: Toyota’s first EV with solid-state batteries could arrive as soon as 2027
Speaking of powertrains, the report from Goodwood also revealed some details on what to expect in the power department. Lexus says the LFA EV will aim for a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of just over 2.0 seconds — matching the pace of the track-only GR GT3 — alongside a cruising range of over 400 miles (644 km). It’s also expected to be the first Toyota Group vehicle to debut solid-state battery technology.
As for how the car will look with the camouflage off, lead designer of the Lexus LFA Concept, Shogo Kasamatsu, also speaking to Autocar, explained that his goal was to capture the spirit of the original LFA rather than tie the new car to Lexus’s current design language. That meant the EV didn’t need to resemble any existing production Lexus models. Kasamatsu described, “The LFA itself was a very humble design. Very artistic and based on its true function.” He added that the concept is “almost” a preview of the final production car, which he says is nearly finished and due to launch sometime next year.
ALSO READ: The next-generation Lexus LFA will be fully electric
