If you've been wondering what the replacement for the legendary Lexus LFA might sound like, you can stop wondering. Because a video has emerged of the upcoming Lexus GR GT3 prototype tearing down the infamous Corkscrew at Laguna Seca, and it sounds like Thor's own chariot. We've been watching this car's development since it first appeared as a concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2022. Back then, it was just a pretty shape with plenty of promise but no substance. Now, though, it's a fully functioning prototype with an engine that sounds like it could wake the dead. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alec G. (@alec.gamino) And what an engine it is. While the LFA had a high-revving V10 that sounded like a Formula 1 car having an argument with a banshee, this new GR GT3 appears to have gone in a different direction. The noise captured in this brief but glorious 8-second clip suggests Lexus has fitted it with a twin-turbocharged V8 that sounds like it's gargling with molten lava. If rumors are to be believed, this is likely a modified version of the 5.2-liter V8 from the RC F GT3 race car. That engine already makes 500 horsepower in racing trim, but who knows what ungodly power figure they've extracted from it for this new halo car. What's certain is that it sounds magnificent – less operatic than the LFA perhaps, but with a brutish, thunderous character all its own. The prototype has been spotted testing at various tracks around the world, including the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps, but this is the first time we've heard it stretching its legs on American soil. It suggests that development is progressing nicely toward the car's expected 2026 production date. Word on the street is that we'll see the racing version debut later this year, with the road car following in 2026. And it won't be cheap – as Lexus's new flagship, expect it to cost well north of $100,000. But based on this sound alone, it might just be worth remortgaging your house for. If you want to hear the full glory of this thing, head over to photographer Alec Gamino's Instagram page where you can find the original clip. Just make sure you've got the volume turned up to eleven.
