So then, Supra at 60k, M4 at 80k, Chevy Corvette at 100k, LFR at 200k. What a year to be a petrolhead. Ever since Lexus killed off the LFA - arguably the greatest Japanese car ever made - we've been waiting for them to come up with a proper replacement. Something with a spine-tingling engine, looks that could stop traffic, and enough power to worry the established supercar elite. And now, finally, it looks like they're about to deliver. The upcoming Lexus LFR, which has been caught testing at Fuji Speedway in Japan, appears to be exactly that car. And my sources have revealed some juicy details about what we can expect from Toyota's luxury brand when it comes to giving the Europeans a bloody nose. TWO FLAVORS OF FURY First off, it seems Lexus is planning not one but two versions of the LFR. They've been described as "hardcore" and "docile," which in Lexus-speak probably means "will terrify you" and "will only slightly terrify you." The hardcore version will clearly be aimed at those who want to take their very expensive Japanese supercar to the track and show Porsche owners what real engineering looks like. The docile version, meanwhile, will presumably be for those who want to actually use their LFR occasionally without needing to visit a chiropractor afterward. Think of it as the difference between being punched by Mike Tyson at full force or just at 80% power - either way, you're going to feel it, but one might leave you with fewer broken bones. THE POWERPLANT Under that long, sculpted bonnet will sit an all-new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Now, normally when car manufacturers say "all-new," they mean "we've changed a couple of gaskets and put a new cover on it." But in this case, it appears to be genuinely fresh metal. This V8 will reportedly produce around 720 horsepower on its own, which would be impressive enough. But because it's 2025 and apparently no car can exist without some form of electrification, Lexus has decided to bolt on a hybrid system good for another 180 horsepower. That's a total of 900 horsepower - enough to rearrange your face under hard acceleration. The most interesting part of this is that Lexus appears to be deliberately positioning this as a rival to the Mercedes-AMG GT and Aston Martin Vantage, which means they're not messing about. This isn't going to be some watered-down, apologetic attempt at a sports car - it's going to be a proper, fire-breathing monster designed to make the Germans and British very, very nervous. THE SPYING GAME The spy footage showing the LFR testing at Fuji reveals a car with striking proportions - long bonnet, cab-back design, and what appears to be a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Unlike previous test mules that sported massive rear wings, this one appears to be the road car, with a cleaner silhouette. What's particularly interesting is how the design seems to channel some of the spirit of the original LFA but with a thoroughly modern twist. The proportions look properly exotic, and there's none of that "designed by committee" blandness that affects so many modern cars. PRODUCTION AND PRICING According to my sources, the LFR will enter production in the third or fourth quarter of 2025, which means we should see the finished article unveiled sometime this summer. And unlike the LFA, which was limited to just 500 units, the LFR won't have a specific production cap. Instead, Toyota will restrict annual production, creating artificial scarcity while still allowing more people to actually own one. As for price, we're looking at around €200,000 (about £170,000) before you start ticking option boxes. That's serious money, but actually quite reasonable when you consider what you're getting - 900 horsepower, cutting-edge Japanese engineering, and exclusivity that will make your neighbor's BMW M8 look about as special as a pair of beige socks. THE BIGGER PICTURE What makes the LFR particularly interesting is what it says about Toyota and Lexus. Here's a company that built its reputation on making incredibly reliable but soul-destroyingly dull vehicles, now preparing to unleash a 900-horsepower supercar. It's like finding out your quiet, accountant neighbor secretly competes in cage fighting on weekends. The LFR appears to be part of a broader strategy at Toyota to inject some excitement into their lineup. Between this, the Supra, and the GR Corolla, there seems to be a renewed focus on building cars that people actually want to drive, rather than just appliances that move people from A to B without breaking down. And let's not forget that this is also the company that's developing an astonishing twin-turbo V8 in an age when most manufacturers are running away from internal combustion engines like they're on fire. While everyone else is going full electric, Lexus is giving us one last, glorious celebration of what makes cars exciting. So, the Lexus LFR is coming, and based on what we know so far, it's going to be something very special indeed. A 900-horsepower, front-engined supercar from the people who gave us the LFA's screaming V10 - what's not to like? The Europeans might want to start practicing their excuses now, because it looks like Japan is about to give them a very serious bloody nose.
