15 years after the discontinuation of the Lexus LFA, Toyota is hyping the introduction of a new production supercar. The Lexus LFR will be the Japanese luxury brand’s halo performance car, based on the Toyota GT Concept, which debuted in camouflaged form at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s being teased as a production model alongside a racecar called the Toyota GT Racing Concept.
View this post on Instagram
We don’t know much about the Lexus LFR other than the photos and videos you see here from its Goodwood debut. It’s being speculated that rather than a V10 like the one that howled in the Lexus LFA, the LFR will probably use a turbocharged hybrid V8 powertrain. Prototypes that look like the cars at Goodwood have been spotted testing at the Nürburgring and on public roads, so it’s moving along in the prototype phase with a public debut likely in the next year or two.
Depending on its powertrain, the Lexus LFR will compete with one of the C8 Corvette’s variants. We don’t know enough about it to determine which one, but if it has a twin-turbo hybrid V8 setup with AWD, then the new ZR1X seems like a natural rival. Some in the automotive press are estimating pricing to be north of $500k for the LFR.
However, we can’t help but wonder why Cadillac isn’t developing anything in the same league as the Lexus LFR. It looked like there was some hope when recently retired GM design boss Michael Simcoe hinted at the possibility of a road-going Cadillac hypercar last year. However, those hopes were hampered in May when GM President Mark Reuss said GM “would never” develop a mid-engined Cadillac sports car based on the Corvette’s Y2XX platform.
The Cadillac Celestiq is an admirable halo car with stratospheric levels of luxury and exclusivity. But Cadillac is getting more involved in racing, finding success in WEC and IMSA, and now getting into Formula 1. Despite its success on the track and expansion of its racing program in recent years, GM’s luxury brand doesn’t have a sports car or supercar that Cadillac Racing fans and admirers can buy. The V-Series models are tremendous, but they’re ultimately souped-up versions of normal luxury vehicles, which just aren’t the same as a car designed from the ground up with performance as the top priority.
Comments
…and Lincoln basically forgotten about.
Pssst. Hey Cadillac. ZR1X guts in an LMDh body. Start cashing checks – starting with mine.
I’m not concerned with Cadillac having something to compete with this. It doesn’t need it as much as Lexus does considering the group that made the Lexus brand so popular in the 90s/2000s (baby boomers) are still the primary customers of the brand and are approaching their late 70s.
Cadillac is getting younger with more EV options available.
Few buyers in sight also! Who cares, this is not how an auto manufacturer makes money.
There is no need. The Last LFR failed and GM already has a great sports car no reason to make a second version at high added costs.
Cadillac needs a good two seat convertible. Base it on the Alpha. Diluting the Corvette is no answer.
I don’t think there is room for a Cadillac variant off the Y2XX platform but I would like to see an EV Blackwing as a halo car that is a four seater with two doors as an ultra high performance halo opposite of the CELESTIQ. I love the Opulent Velocity Cadillac had out recently as a concept close to a year ago.
“Halo” cars have all but lost their effectiveness in elevating / resuscitating a brand.
Ask Jagauar.
Given Toyota’s reliability, the Lexus LFR will sell well at any price. Cadillac had a difficult time trying to sell the $100,000 XLR-V and even more problems trying to sell the ugly $340,000+ Hearse Mobile.