Lexus Sport Concept Might Be The LFA Replacement

Just yesterday during the Monterey Car Week, Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus took the wraps off its new Sport Concept. This is a preview of what we’ve been calling the LFR, and it looks like a blend of LFA and LC500.

No details of its powertrain and the interior was not shown to the public which means it is months away from public launch.

In case you didn’t know this. The Lexus LC500 debuted at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and this Lexus LF-LC was a true concept, not a thinly disguised pre-production prototype. The LF-LC won the EyesOn Design award for Concept Car and stirred many to question whether Lexus would build it.

Even at standstill, the Lexus LC 500 seduces the eye and delivers a distinctive presence that few are able to ignore. Its sexily-sculptured lines, broad shoulders and aerodynamic sillhouette assures the observer that this is no ordinary vehicle.

The LC 500 was sold with a high-performance V8 or with the other variant, the LC 500h it was equipped with a new-generation Multi Stage Hybrid powertrain.

In both variants, the focus was driving excitement, with the LC 500h offering higher fuel efficiency associated with the world’s luxury hybrid leader.

Upon startup, exhaling through the variable Active Exhaust, the 5-liter naturally aspirated V8 issues a clarion call to driving enthusiasts. Based on the engine in the Lexus GS F an RC F high-performance models, the LC 500 version raised the output to 471 hp and 398 lb.-ft. of peak torque.

The Lexus LC 500 could sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds. It was a well-proven performance engine, with a low-mass reciprocating assembly using lightweight forged connecting rods, along with titanium intake and exhaust valves to allow a 7,300-rpm redline.

Under acceleration, the LC 500 V8 reveals its character in a continuously rising power curve, with the 471 hp developed at 7,100 rpm and the torque peak sustained from 4,800-5,600 rpm. The fast-revving V8 issues a stunning soundtrack amplified by a special resonance tube connecting the intake to the firewall, plus a standard Active Exhaust that rumbles and roars like a high-performance GT should.