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Lexus LFA II could get TTV8 from LC500 endurance racer

We are thought to be three years away from the successor of the Lexus LFA arriving in showrooms. We are thought to be less than a month from the debut of a pre-production version of Lexus' coming supercar, which could take place at next month's Monterey Car Week. Persistent reports say Lexus is preparing two versions, one with a hybridized twin-turbo V8, one with a battery-electric powertrain; the former is thought to be the one on show in California in August, the latter not ready for primetime until around 2030. One of the many questions has been, "Where is that V8 coming from?" CarBuzz had its feelers out in Japan, picking up a report from Japan's Mag-X (translated) that Lexus will use the 5.0-liter TTV8 in the LC500 endurance racer for the super coupe being referred to as LFA II. This particular engine has been a specter, rumored for ages to make production but never seen. Way back in 2014, rumors that were already a year old posited a trio of engine options for the coupe still known as the LF-LC concept. Paramount among the powerplants was a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 with around 600 horsepower. The scuttlebutt continued even after the LC launched in 2016, we saw no truth of it on the street. Even when Lexus launched an endurance racing program with the LC500 in 2018, no one knew what was under the hood. It wasn't until a year later that the brand officially announced the TTV8 engine with a release that included one aim being "to complete the [Nurburgring 24-hour] race without any trouble by adopting a variety of new technologies, including a newly-developed V8 twin-turbo engine destined for use on future road cars such as sports cars." At the time, almost everyone expected the "sports cars" reference to indicate the coming of an LC F.  That could still be the case. But Mag-X says the racing engine will be used in the LFA II.

Lexus reportedly debuting a trio high-performance, V8-powered F models

The V8 engine may not be long for this world, but before it disappears forever Lexus may give it a proper sendoff with a trio of eight-cylinder F cars. If reports out of Japan are true, Lexus is working on high-performance F variants of the IS and LS sedans, as well as the LC flagship coupe. The story comes form Japan's Best Car magazine, which claims the Lexus IS F will soon be making a return. Based on the updated 2021 Lexus IS, it will run an up-tuned engine that puts out 474 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. That's a 58-horse and 24-lb-ft increase from the last IS F. To be honest it would be a bit surprising to see an IS F at this point, as the previous, third-generation IS skipped an F version. And since the 2021 IS sedan is based on that same platform, it seems Lexus would have introduced an IS F successor much earlier if one was in the cards. As much as we would love to see the IS F return, we won't hold our breaths for this one. Still, an IS F would be nothing, shock-wise, compared to what comes next. Best Car says Lexus will introduce an LS F to go up against the Mercedes-AMG S 63 and BMW M760Li. Power would come from a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 661 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. If true, this would drastically counter the LS's mission of smooth luxury that's been its raison d'etre since 1989. Out of the three, the car that makes the most sense to us is the LC F. It's been rumored for quite a while. We even saw spy shots of the car testing in 2018, but then came chatter that the car was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Best Car, it's back on (or was never canceled) and will share a mill with the LS F. The report also says that all three cars have sport suspensions and chassis improvements that properly harness the power of these engines. Lexus has proven it can build compelling high-performance cars like the IS F and GS F, which were far better than what their sales numbers indicated. Furthermore, the Lexus V8s themselves are machines of engineering beauty, amazing throttle response and glorious sound. Naturally, we'd welcome any of these cars, even as we take the article with a massive grain of salt. Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.