The stunning Lexus Electrified Sport concept car will make its Australian debut at the 2023 Melbourne Cup, giving locals an opportunity to see where Lexus is headed in terms of a future high-end sports car.
Toyota confirmed last year that it is planning a new flagship sports car that will effectively become a spiritual successor to the awesome LFA V10 screamer from around 13 years ago.
Unlike the LFA though, the new model is set to be an electric vehicle. At the time of the Electrified Sport concept’s unveiling in December 2021, the then president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, said:
“Lexus will develop a next-generation battery EV sports car that inherits the driving taste, or the secret sauce, of the performance cultivated via the development of the LFA. We will extend the driving taste refined this way to other models as we evolve Lexus into a brand centred on battery EVs.”
Lexus Australia confirms the concept will be the halo vehicle at its exhibit at the 2023 Melbourne Cup, also joined by the local debut of the LBX compact SUV. Speaking about the concept, Lexus Australia CEO John Pappas said:
“The future of mobility is electrified, and the Lexus Electrified Sport is an absolutely breathtaking representation of what a next-generation flagship Lexus supercar will be like, and the type of exciting BEVs Lexus will offer.”
Specifications and finer details on the concept haven’t been released so far, but according to reports, including by Autocar, we should expect a range of around 700km and a 0-100km/h time in under 2.5 seconds. There’s even talk of a manual transmission. Showroom entry is slated for around 2030.
If it is to replace the LFA it will have some big shoes to fill. The LFA was produced between 2010 and 2012, with just 500 examples ever made, making it a very exclusive vehicle. It featured a 412kW 4.8-litre naturally aspirated V10 developed in part by Yamaha, with around 65 per cent of the LFA’s construction comprising of carbon fibre.
If you’re in Melbourne for the big race, you’ll be able to check out the Electrified Sport concept in person at the Landmark by Lexus pavilion, from November 4-11. Lexus is the naming rights sponsor of the event.
