BMW, Lexus Collaborating on LFA Successor
Rumor has it that BMW and Lexus are working together to build an LFA successor, giving BMW a true range-topping sports car to take on the Audi R8.
AutoGuide.com first reported a possible LFA successor in 2012 and now discussions are heating up thanks to BMW’s partnership with Toyota that will result in the next-generation Z4 and Toyota Supra successor. It appears that the two companies are so content with the progress being made that BMW is reaching out to Toyota’s luxury arm to work on a range-topping halo sports car. One of the biggest advantages Audi has on BMW is that BMW doesn’t have a flagship sports car like the Audi R8 and BMW is out to change that.
The Lexus LFA successor will reportedly use a hybrid powertrain similar to what Honda is doing with its new NSX with the BMW version sporting an M-developed twin-turbo straight-six engine. Lexus, on the other hand, is working with a detuned version of Toyota’s TS040 race car’s powertrain that has 520 horsepower from a 3.7-liter V8. Combined with the electric motors, Toyota’s powertrain has the capability of hitting 1,000 hp, although a more realistic figure of 800 is obtainable for a production car.
SEE ALSO: Lexus LFA II Rumors: Twice the Car, Twice the Price
BMW is turning to Lexus due to the Japanese automaker’s experience in building the original LFA flagship. Of course the biggest factor for both automakers to being successful is producing a model that would be nearly half the price of the LFA in order to compete with the Audi R8.
If it all comes to fruition, expect to see the supercars debut in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
[Source: Motoring]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Will not matter much because they will be low volume but anything BMW get their grubby hands on, the quality will go down and I expect that low quality could affect Lexus. Will be interesting how the tow pan out though.