V8-Powered Lexus LFR Needs Men With Laptops To Keep It in Check

Our man with the cam managed to get a few exclusive shots of the supercar’s cabin, which is far from being production-ready. However, it gives us an important glimpse into the future. We can see an automatic gear shifter on the provisional center console, an electronic parking brake button, climate control switches, and a rear-facing cam hooked up to the screens positioned at the bottom of the dashboard.

Lots of cables and ducts are scattered around the vehicle's interior. The Japanese exotic model was equipped with Recaro racing seats and a roll cage for improved safety in case of an accident. Our spies snapped two prototypes of the upcoming Lexus LFR doing their thing on the Nurburgring and stated that they're posting sub-8-minute lap times. Keep in mind that these are still early testers and that Toyota's premium car brand is not ready to chase records just yet.

We can proudly reveal another aspect of the Lexus LFR, and that's the V8 firepower. You see, our spy photographers said the supercar drove off in complete silence, and the roaring kicked in after a few meters. The latter sounded like a V8, and that confirms that the LFR does indeed follow in the footsteps of its GT3 racing sibling. It's yet unknown how much power the hybridized V8 produces, but it should be more than the LFA's naturally aspirated V10, which was rated at 553 hp (560 ps/412 kW) and 354 pound-feet (480 Nm) of torque.

Lexus' upcoming LFR has sexy proportions with a long hood that reminds us of the Dodge Viper, a pointy nose, slim LED headlights, and three large air intakes in the front bumper. It also features broad shoulders, a ducktail spoiler, a fixed rear wing, and four round tailpipes poking out of the motorsport-inspired rear diffuser. The supercar also features motorsport-like side windows, small side mirrors, flush-mounted door handles, and cross-drilled brake discs behind the Y-spoke alloys.

It's clear that the development phase is far from over, so we expect to see more prototypes of the Lexus LFR doing their thing in the open. No one outside the company knows when it will be fully uncovered. However, the successor to the iconic LFA is believed to be a couple of years away. Rumors speak of the LFR breaking cover in 2026, perhaps arriving in limited numbers in the United States for the 2026 or 2027 model year. Would you pick it up over a McLaren, Lamborghini, or Ferrari?