One of the most revered names in modern motoring is back. Lexus has revived the LFA, and this time it is electric. The LFA Concept points to a battery-powered successor to the V10 legend.
A Legend Reborn
The original LFA, built from 2010 to 2012, is remembered for one of the greatest engine notes ever made, a screaming 4.8-litre V10. Reusing that badge is a bold move.
Few cars are as loved by enthusiasts as the original LFA, which means Lexus is taking a real risk reusing the name on an EV.
Lexus first showed this car as the Sport Concept at Monterey and Tokyo, then gave it the LFA name at its December reveal in Japan.
All-Electric, All-New
The new LFA is a two-seat electric sports car concept. It measures 4,690 mm long, a touch bigger in length and width than the original but lower to the ground.
Swapping a wailing V10 for silent motors is exactly the kind of move that divides die-hard fans.
Lexus is chasing a low centre of gravity, low weight and serious aerodynamics, with a light, stiff all-aluminium frame to tie it all together.
Shared DNA
The LFA Concept was developed alongside Toyota's new GR GT supercar and its GR GT3 race version. The two programmes are clearly feeding each other.
Expect the production version, if it gets the green light, to borrow heavily from the GR GT's hardware.
For now it is a concept, so there is no price or firm on-sale date. But the message is clear: Lexus wants an electric halo car, and it is reaching for its most famous name to sell it.
If Lexus pulls it off, the LFA could become the electric sports car the brand has been missing.
