A fashionable luxury coupe with full-on supercar performance, the LF-A was said to lead a new design direction for Lexus. If produced, the project would “run a parallel course to our company’s efforts in Formula One racing,” according to Jim Press, Toyota’s chief in North America. It’s not entirely clear what type of powertrain such a production model would have, but 500 hp could be expected from an engine of less than 5.0 liters, which could yield performance on par with the world’s top supercars. The rumor on the floor was that it might be a V10. In creating the LF-A, designers and engineers started from scratch and worked to optimize the shape and proportions of the car for the best weight balance and peak performance. Competitors would be the Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari F430, or Aston Martin DB9. For now, the LF-A is strictly a concept car, but it could hint that Lexus is considering expanding its reach to exotic-car enthusiasts and performance junkies in the near future, without leaving its luxury base.
