The Lexus LFA exploded onto the scene in 2010, and it wasn’t long before it was hailed as one of the best supercars of the decade. Toyota’s luxury division had created something truly special, with a car that had been in development since 2000 under the codename TXS.
Since production concluded, fans of the car have been hankering after a new one for years. A sports car concept shown in December 2025 was revealed, dubbed the Sport Concept but later renamed the LFA Concept. It was all-electric, but it certainly got enthusiasts talking.
Fast forward to 2026, and the prototype next-generation LFA made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Powered by an all-electric powertrain, it got people talking. But many still hankered after a combustion element for the supercar. But now, judging by what’s been reported in Japan, things might be changing.
According to the report, the next Lexus LFA supercar will not be fully electric. Toyota is planning to give the new LFA a hybrid powertrain, adding a layer of combustion power to the car. Don’t expect a return to the V10 that made the previous generation so famous. But it is still something for enthusiasts to rejoice at.
What Do We Know About the New Lexus LFA?
The recent report stated that Toyota’s luxury division no longer has plans to make the next-generation LFA all-electric. This could be thanks to the slowing and sometimes declining demand for EVs, let alone an electric sports car. The Japanese manufacturer may have been forced to act.
Japanese news outlet BestCar reported that the plan was now to have a hybrid powertrain under the hood of the new LFA. Interestingly, while it made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lexus had kept technical details of the powertrain under wraps. For all we know, this change to a hybrid powertrain has been in the plans for quite some time.
The Japanese news publication said there are a few ways that a hybrid could be integrated into the LFA. It will either be a plug-in hybrid, a more sophisticated and performance-focused electrified powertrain, or it might just be a conventional hybrid. The goal, however, is to retain an engine to keep some of the mechanical feel and character that helped ensure the first generation was so successful.
Lexus Is Keeping Its Cards Close to Its Chest
The fact that we have no idea what will power the new car at the time of writing certainly opens up some interesting questions. How will it be laid out? How much power will the car use? Will it be a naturally aspirated engine, or will it have turbocharging or supercharging? One rumor from Goodwood that is still gaining traction is that the car will debut Toyota’s new solid-state battery technology, even if it is a hybrid vehicle.
Whatever is under the hood, the new LFA has a lot to live up to. And it is unlikely it will capture the imagination in quite the same way that the original model did. The first-generation Lexus LFA had a 4.8-liter 1LR-GUE V10 under the hood. That engine, built by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha, was good enough to produce 553hp and 350lb-ft of torque. The LFA had a 0- 60 mph time of just 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of 202mph.