KCR Winter 2025 2026 Mag V3 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 136
KCR Cars
WORLD PREMIERE: THE LEXUS LFA CONCEPT
Lexus has revealed the LFA Concept — a next-generation BEV supercar
that fuses sculptural beauty, motorsport engineering and centuries-old
Japanese craft philosophy. Developed alongside Toyota Gazoo Racing’s
GR GT and GR GT3, it reimagines the LFA legend for an electri昀椀ed era
while preserving the irreplaceable skills of master car makers.
Aerodynamic performance and sculptural design work together rather
than in con昀氀ict. The cockpit has been honed with extraordinary precision around an ideal driving position — a discipline inherited directly
from the GR GT and GR GT3 race programmes. Every control sits where
intuition expects it to be; every touchpoint is crafted to support connection and con昀椀dence.
A New Chapter in the LFA Story
Few names carry the emotional weight of “LFA.” When Lexus launched
the original V10-powered supercar over a decade ago, it instantly became a modern icon — a car de昀椀ned not merely by performance, but by
its purity of purpose and the obsessive craftsmanship woven into every
component.
The steering wheel is shaped for uninterrupted grip, and its switches
are arranged for blind-touch operation, allowing the driver to keep eyes
on the road and hands fully engaged. The result is a cockpit that feels
mechanical, focused and almost meditative — a space where operation
becomes an extension of the driver’s consciousness.
A Purist’s Cabin for a New Era
Now, the name returns in an entirely new form: an all-electric BEV
sports car concept, created to carry forward the technical, artistic and
philosophical values that made the original so revered. The new Lexus
LFA Concept is not a nostalgic remake, but an evolution — one that
honours tradition while looking decisively to the future.
Akio Toyoda, TMC Chairman and devoted “Master Driver”, has long
championed the belief that certain driving sensations, skills and engineering philosophies must be preserved, regardless of how the automotive world electri昀椀es. The LFA Concept is the physical expression of this
idea: a handover of knowledge from one generation of car makers to the
next.
Born From the Shikinen Sengu Spirit
Inside, the LFA Concept embraces a minimalist, mechanical aesthetic.
Lexus has deliberately stripped away excess, leaving only the essentials
for performance driving. Surfaces are clean, functional and timeless.
The sense of anticipation and purpose begins the moment the driver
steps in.
Unlike many modern BEVs that emphasise screens and digital theatre, the LFA Concept prioritises clarity. It celebrates the physicality of
a sports car interior, where ergonomics and purity matter more than
ornamentation. The restraint heightens the emotional impact — a reminder that the thrill of driving is a constant value, even as technologies
evolve.
Craftsmanship, Heritage and Electri昀椀ed Ambition
Toyota describes the LFA Concept as embodying Shikinen Sengu, a tradition of rebuilding sacred Shinto shrines every two decades. The ritual
exists to preserve ancient techniques through practice, ensuring they are
continually passed on and re昀椀ned.
By invoking this principle, Lexus signals that the LFA Concept is far
more than a futuristic design study. It is a vessel for skills, ideas and engineering values that must not be lost in the transition to electri昀椀cation.
The project has been developed in parallel with Toyota Gazoo Racing’s
GR GT and GR GT3 programmes, forming a triad of high-performance
models that share philosophies of low weight, high rigidity, aerodynamic mastery and driver-centred thinking.
In this sense, the new LFA is both a forward-looking BEV and a spiritual
continuation of Japan’s greatest sports cars.
Timeless Proportions, Electri昀椀ed Potential
Visually, the LFA Concept blends unmistakable Lexus identity with
timeless long-bonnet, low-roof coupe proportions. Its 昀氀owing noseto-tail silhouette is sculpted around the all-aluminium, high-rigidity
frame derived from the GR GT platform. The result is a stance that feels
grounded, taut and classically elegant, yet unmistakably modern.
Because the car is electric, designers enjoyed unprecedented packaging
freedom. This allows for a dramatically low centre of gravity and a body
shape that merges aerodynamic performance with sculptural purity. It
also reconnects the new LFA with the original’s philosophy: that beauty
and engineering must be inseparable.
The exterior form is intended to transcend time, geography and cultural
boundaries — a pure expression of sports car emotion that stirs the
heart regardless of era.
The LFA Concept represents a profound statement from Lexus: electri昀椀cation does not mean abandoning the brand’s performance soul. Instead, it becomes a new medium through which heritage and innovation
can fuse.
Lexus has been a leader in electri昀椀cation for decades, pioneering hybrid
technology and re昀椀ning electric-drive systems across its line-up. With
the LFA Concept, the brand shows how these technologies can be
pushed to deliver emotion as well as e昀케ciency — and how BEVs can
preserve, rather than replace, the tactile joy of sports cars.
The concept’s proportions, driving position and lightweight engineering
are all inherited from race-bred programmes. Its immaculately balanced
styling ensures it will remain visually relevant for generations. And its
name — no longer reserved for internal-combustion legends — now
becomes a symbol for technologies and techniques that deserve to be
carried forward.
A Testament to the Future of Lexus Performance
The new LFA Concept is not a production car, and yet its signi昀椀cance is
unmistakable. It stands as a bridge from the analogue beauty of the original LFA to the electri昀椀ed world ahead. It respects history, celebrates
craftsmanship and embraces the future with conviction.
In an era when many BEVs prioritise digital novelty over emotional
engagement, Lexus chooses a di昀昀erent path — one rooted in human
connection, timeless proportion and pure driving pleasure.
The LFA Concept is a promise: that the spirit of great Japanese sports
cars will not fade, but evolve.
Visit: www.lexus.co.uk
Lisa Curtiss
“Discover Immersion”: A New Driving Sensation
While electri昀椀cation changes the mechanics of motion, Lexus is determined that it must never dilute the thrill of driving. The LFA Concept
introduces a new experiential philosophy called “Discover Immersion”,
describing a deeper, purer state of engagement between driver and
machine.
This immersion is achieved through harmony rather than spectacle.
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
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