Lexus LFA Concept surprises Goodwood Festival of Speed with world-first hill climb drive

Lexus sprang a major surprise at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with the world-first dynamic drives of its LFA Concept electric supercar.

Its appearance came 17 years after the original V10 Lexus LFA first appeared in prototype form at the world-famous celebration of motoring performance in the south of England.

Scheduled to appear only on static display in the festival’s Supercar Paddock, the LFA Concept was an unannounced addition to the high-speed sessions on the festival’s famous hill climb course. Its bodywork still bearing camouflage wrapping, it formed a trio of high-performance stars alongside GAZOO Racing’s prototype GR GT and GR GT3, with which it shares some common technologies. Together, they further signalled Toyota’s multipath approach to powertrain development, across a spectrum from road-going and circuit-tuned hybrid systems to ultra-high-performance battery electric technology.

Driving duties over the four days of the festival (9-12 July) were shared by a company of distinguished drivers, including Elfyn Evans from Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT), Toyota Racing Vice Chairman Kazuki Nakajima, GR GT, GR GT3 and Lexus LFA Concept development driver Hiroaki Ishiura, four-time Super GT Champion Sho Tsuboi, Super GT driver Yuichi Nakayama and German racing driver and Nürburgring specialist Uwe Kleen.

The Lexus LFA Concept presents Lexus’ vision for a next-generation electric sports car, blending advanced performance with emotional appeal and invoking the spirit of the original LFA.

Introducing the car ahead of its festival appearance, Project General Manager Yukihiro Yukita said: “The Lexus LFA Concept will pursue delivery of a multi-sensory experience unique to Lexus and challenge the possibilities of what a battery electric sports car can be, unlike anything that has gone before. 

“This next-generation LFA is a car that provides an immersive experience like no other, imitating nothing else. This sense of immersion was born from the pursuit of a high-level fusion of aerodynamic performance and sculptural beauty. Our focus is emotive performance that evokes ‘immersion’ and ‘lasting resonance’, creating a truly one-of-a-kind car.”

ENDS