Dear Lexus, Please Don’t Ruin The Next LFA

Here's the 2025 Lexus LC 500 Performance! While it currently sits at the top of the Lexus lineup, there have been both concepts and rumors pointing towards their next halo car, one that needs to fill the shoes of the legendary LFA. The LC 500 is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 with 471 HP and 398 lb-ft of torque going to the rear wheels, while the LFA's V10 is still echoing its superiority throughout the analog zeitgeist. 

In 2022 Gazoo Racing (Toyota's racing and performance arm) announced the "GR GT3" concept at Tokyo Auto Salon, demonstrating their push to create more homologation street-legal adaptations of a race cars for sale to the public. 

Since then, the GR GT3 has been spotted in camouflage at various European and Japanese circuits wearing a variety of wings and aero. The chatter online we've had our pulse on is largely concerned with what's going to power this new front-engined answer to the Mustang GTD, and understandably so. A buckled down, razor sharp performer the LC 500 is not, however the core fundamentals of what a Lexus needs to be are front and center. It has four seats, adaptive suspension that soaks up anything the road will throw at it, and an interior fit for a cross-country haul. The only feeling of motorsport it serves up is that glorious V8 sound.

Racing tech naturally brings on board its own set of challenges, especially if this next halo car will wear the Lexus badge. How much of the LC500's luxury and GT feel are they willing to sacrifice for the additional performance that'll be tricking down from the track?

Regardless of how this plays out, I have no doubt Toyota and GR will deliver to consumers the ultimate Japanese road car experience. If you need to row your own gears, there are other vehicles in the GR roster that do that just fine. For raw lap times and road presence, it might just fill the gaps the GT-R, NSX, and LFA left behind.