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The spiritual successor to the iconic Lexus LFA is inching closer to reality with the firm readying a road-going version of the upcoming GR GT3 race car. While many details about the new car remain a mystery, a heavily-disguised prototype has been snapped at the Motegi circuit in Japan.

There’s a lot to look forward to with the new Lexus sports car. The model, which is rumored to adopt the LF-R moniker, is tipped to have a thumping V8 mounted up front. Lexus already produces an intoxicating V8 in the form of the 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated driving the IS 500 and LC 500. However, it probably won’t be this engine that drives the LF-R.

Read: GR GT3 Concept Likely To Be Branded As A Lexus, Compete In WEC As Of 2026

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Current reports suggest that Lexus will equip both the race car and the road car with a new twin-turbocharged V8. This wouldn’t just enable it to produce significantly more power but could also make it more fuel efficient, a win-win for an automaker looking to reduce its carbon footprint.

Lexus GT3-Based LF-R Spotted Testing In Japan With Twin-Turbo V8

The throaty roar of this prototype immediately stands out and it does sound like a turbocharged mill, rather than a naturally aspirated V8.

Of course, the LF-R will be made special by much more than its engine. Thanks to its racing routes, it will come adorned with aerodynamic bodywork and can be seen sporting a massive rear wing to stick the rear wheels to the pavement, or the racetrack. We can also see that it will feature a very long hood and that occupants will sit just in front of the rear axle.

There’s little information about the upcoming Lexus halo car so far, but this spot definitely fills us with joy as it confirms that combustion-powered flagship sports cars still have some life left before the inevitable EV domination.

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