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Lexus reportedly working on two different successors to the LFA

The successor to the Lexus LFA is beginning to take shape — in unofficial rumors, at least. The firm's next supercar will reportedly make its debut in the coming years with a V8 under the hood, and it will be followed by a battery-electric model due out at the turn of the decade. Citing anonymous inside sources, Japanese magazine Best Car wrote that the long-awaited car that will take the torch from the limited-edition LFA will land in showrooms in 2025. As we've previously reported, it will be powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain built around a mysterious 4.0-liter V8 engine fitted with two turbochargers. The publication adds that the coupe, whose name hasn't been confirmed, will be launched as a regular-production model and that it will be built on a version of Toyota's TNGA-L platform. This is the same architecture found under the LC and the LS, among models, and using these foundations should allow Lexus to keep the car's cost in check. Engineers could peg the hybrid system's total output at around 700 horsepower, and Best Car reports that the car's front end will borrow styling cues from the Electrified Sport concept (pictured) introduced in December 2021. If the report is accurate, sales will start in 2025. Speaking of which, the Electrified Sport will make its debut with a battery-electric powertrain in 2030 at the earliest. Its design will evolve over the next eight-plus years; it sounds like what we saw in December 2021 more accurately previewed the hybrid supercar than the electric one. It could hit 60 mph from a stop in under 2 seconds, and it could offer a maximum driving range of over 430 miles. Interestingly, the same report points out that the Electrified Sport might use solid-state batteries. That technology's not ready, but Lexus has plenty of time to fine-tune it. Toyota GR GT3 Concept View 8 Photos On the Toyota side of the family tree, the GR GT3 concept unveiled in January 2022 is allegedly on its way to production (in one form or another) as well. It will initially spawn a race car built to GT3 specifications, as its name implies, and it will benefit from the lessons that engineers learned while designing a road-going, Le Mans-inspired hypercar that Toyota consigned to the automotive attic in August 2021. Whether the GR GT3 will be related to the LFA's successor is up in the air, though it doesn't take a significant stretch of the imagination to speculate that some parts will be shared.

Lexus makes the LS more comfortable, smarter and even quieter for 2021

Lexus introduced an updated version of the LS, its flagship sedan, earlier in 2020, but it left out details about the American-spec model. As expected, it announced our version of the car will get several improvements for 2021. Now in its fifth generation, the LS receives an array of small but significant changes that come together to make the ride quieter and more comfortable. Engineers explained they revised the spring and damper rates, increased the diameter of the anti-roll bars, and added larger liquid-filled front and rear bushings for an even cushier rider.  Visual modifications are subtle, which is to say the LS remains not-so-subtle. Stylists tweaked the front bumper, made the spindle grille a little bit darker, and redesigned the headlights by getting rid of the Z-shaped look. Black trim replaces the chrome in the rear lights, and the color palette grows with a new shade called Iridium. Back for 2021, the F Sport package adds a sportier-looking front end with a specific grille, a body kit, and 20-inch alloy wheels. It also brings bigger brakes, and buyers can pay extra for a Dynamic Handling Package which bundles Variable Gear Ratio Steering, Active Rear Steering, and an Active Stabilizer Suspension. Inside, sedans equipped with the F Sport package get front seats that adjust pneumatically and electrically in 28 ways. Speaking of the interior, Lexus also added extra padding on the armrests, the seat cushions, and other touch points, plus revised springs and thicker cushioning for the front seats. Buyers who prefer being driven can order heated and massaging rear seats, plus a passenger-side seat that reclines at up to 48 degrees. Lexus made no major mechanical modifications to the LS 500, meaning power comes from a twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V6 which produces 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. It spins the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost. Reaching 60 mph from a stop takes 4.6 seconds, which is impressive for a big, heavy sedan developed with a major focus on comfort. Motorists who want to keep their fuel budget in check can select the LS 500h, which offers a 354-horsepower hybrid powertrain that teams a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 set up to run on the Atkinson cycle with two electric motors connected to a lithium-ion battery.

2023 Lexus LS gets Lexus Interface infotainment and more USBs

The 2023 Lexus LS is headed to dealers shortly, bringing one very important update as well as a few detail touch-ups. The headliner is the Lexus Interface infotainment system replacing the trackpad-based setup noted for being fiddly at best. Lexus Interface is the luxury brand's version of the Toyota Audio Multimedia system that debuted at the end of 2021 before moving to the nicer part of town with its arrival in the refreshed Lexus NX last year. The high-res, anti-glare 12.3-inch touchscreen atop the instrument panel can be awakened with voice commands like "Hey Lexus." The detail revisions include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and more USB ports around the cabin — six in total. Sign up for a Drive Connect subscription and get cloud-based navigation with stress-relieving tech like live traffic and points-of-interest. The LS 500h alone comes with Lexus Teammate, the brand's Level 2 autonomous driving system. Teammate's Advanced Drive component will manage steering, braking, lane changes, traffic jams, and certain interchanges on limited-access highways, while Advanced Park can put the sedan into a chosen spot at the destination. Engines and trims don't change, but the steering, braking, 10-speed automatic, and suspension have been tweaked to provide an even more poised and compelling ride. The suspension's front and rear anti-roll bars are "optimized" in a way that tamps body roll in corners, so we'll guess the bars have been stiffened in some mysterious fashion. As for mills, every LS 500 is pulled along by a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 with 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. The LS 500h uses a 3.5-liter V6 assisted by two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack, combined output coming to 354 hp. It's not as quick as the twin-turbo V6, but it gets around 20% better fuel economy. Comparing AWD models to keep it like-for-like, the LS 500 AWD gets 17 miles per gallon in the city, 27 on the highway, and 21 combined. The LS 500h AWD returns 22 miles per gallon in the city, 29 on the highway, and 25 combined. MSRPs are up a meager $285 over the 2022 figures. Sticker prices for the lineup after the $1,150 destination charge are: LS 500: $78,685 LS 500 F Sport: $82,285 LS 500 AWD: $81,835 LS 500 F Sport AWD: $85,535 LS 500h AWD: $114,585 Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Walkaround