Is The New Lexus LFR Supercar Real?

The Lexus LFA remains an often overlooked and underrated car, albeit a strange one given the company's history — a long-delayed, hand-built Japanese supercar with a $375,000 price tag that lost Lexus money, but which is now nearly impossible to find for under $700,000. Between 2010 and 2012, only 500 Lexus LFAs were made, and they all had a 4.8-liter V-10 engine that created 553 hp and 355 lb-ft of torque. 

If you doubted the LFA over a decade ago, there may be a chance to purchase its successor, the Lexus LFR, in the near future. There's been no official announcement regarding even the existence of this mysterious project, but Toyota Chairman and former CEO Akio Toyoda, who worked closely with the original LFA team, has hinted that it could return. In a 2019 piece in Lexus UK Magazine, he compared the LFA to Japan's Ise Shrine, which is rebuilt every 20 years. Since then, there have been rumors of an electric LFA equivalent, and car spotters have even witnessed a possible prototype on the road.

Here's what we know about the existence of the Lexus LFR. 

In 2022, Lexus unveiled the Lexus Electrified Sport, a concept supercar that many saw as a successor to the LFA. On October 25, 2024, Car and Driver reported that the LFA successor will possibly be called the LFR, although nothing has been confirmed quite yet. The article included new spy images of an alleged Lexus LFR prototype testing on the Nürburgring track in Germany. Video of the heavily camouflaged car has gotten enthusiasts increasingly excited, with many pointing out its aggressive design and incredible handling on corners. Car and Driver reported that it's likely powered by a V8 hybrid.

This camo prototype has been spotted on video multiple times racing around tracks, including at Belgium's Spa Francorchamps circuit and Japan's Fuji Speedway. Earlier this month, the supposed LFR was also spotted on the road in Germany. With these videos and photos all making the LFR more than just a matter of speculation, drivers are wondering when the new supercar might be released.

It's now been well over a decade since the Lexus LFA was released, and we're not far off from Akio Toyoda's 20-year rebuild theory, especially if he's counting the years it took the team to develop and release the LFA. It seems that may be the case, as it's now rumored that the Lexus LFR could be arriving in 2026. 

Toyota's WEC Team Principal, Rob Leaupen, said in 2023 that Toyota's GR GT3 concept car – which may now be one and the same with the LFR — would compete at the World Endurance Championship in Europe. Since the LFR, or whatever it ultimately ends up being called, is the road-going version of that race car, it may also arrive in 2026 when the GR GT3 is rumored to debut. 

The Lexus LFR will probably be much more obtainable than the LFA was over a decade ago. Forbes recently reported that Lexus is hoping to keep the price below $150,000 with no production limits. While it seems like the LFR will be much more accessible than the LFA, there are plans to make it even more powerful, with a maximum output of 900 hp, according to Forbes