LFA Spirit, GR Badge: Toyota’s Surprise Supercar Aims at Ferrari

Toyota just dropped a set of mysterious images from Fuji Speedway, and they carry a message only enthusiasts can decode at a glance. On the sign you see the Toyota 2000GT, then the Lexus LFA, and then a question mark. That question mark is the story. It hints at a brand-new halo supercar that looks set to wear a Toyota Gazoo Racing badge rather than a Lexus one. It is unexpected, bold, and frankly exciting: the spiritual successor to the LFA stepping into the Toyota Gazoo Racing family as a standalone flagship.

This choice changes the tone immediately. Lexus builds refined, high-craft grand tourers. Toyota Gazoo Racing builds machines that chase lap records and live for tire temperature. Putting the LFA successor under Toyota Gazoo Racing signals clear intent: lighter, meaner, louder, and more focused. From what we have seen and heard, the prototype fleet includes at least three configurations, including one with serious aerodynamic add-ons and a towering rear wing that looks born for time-attack days. That one should be the range-topper.

The LFA’s beating heart was a mesmerizing naturally aspirated V10. Times change, and this new car appears to be moving to a twin-turbocharged V8 with hybrid assistance, likely around a 4.0-liter displacement. The numbers are still unofficial, but the total system output is whispered to be in the neighborhood of 900 horsepower. If that ballpark holds, this Toyota Gazoo Racing supercar will not just nod at the LFA’s legacy—it will try to rewrite it.

Who sits in its crosshairs? One obvious rival is the Ferrari 12Cilindri, a purist’s dream with a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 rated at 818 horsepower and a 0 to 62 miles per hour time of 2.9 seconds. Toyota’s approach is different: forced induction plus electrification for relentless torque and repeatable performance. The philosophy is distinct, but the target is the same—deliver a supercar that stings every sense and earns a poster on bedroom walls.

If the timing holds, the full reveal is slated for an online premiere, with a public debut planned for the Japan Mobility Show later this month. Until then, we get to play the best game in car culture: reading tea leaves, zooming into pixels, and imagining what that first full-throttle run will sound like. Would you choose a Gazoo Racing flagship over Maranello’s finest? I cannot wait to hear your take.