Lexus confirms turbocharged V8 F-car future

Lexus has quelled speculation that its next generation of F models will eschew V8 engines, confirming instead that the bent-eight layout will continue with added turbocharging.

According to Australia’s motoring.com.au, the all-new forced induced V8 will make its official media showing in April next year when the brand takes on the Nürburgring 24 Hours in a still to-be-confirmed model, likely to be a race-bred version of the LC that races in the Japanese Super GT series.

In accordance with a report first broke by US publication Car and Driver two years ago, the online platform claims that the V8 will feature twin-turbocharging and displace 4.0-litres, a layout used by Mercedes-AMG, while producing a rumoured 600 horsepower or 447 kW. The mill is set to the teamed to a revised version of the current 10-speed automatic gearbox.

While it is expected that the new engine will become available in the LC F first that has been confirmed for production and seen in various online pre-production spy shots since 2018, it will eventually replace the normally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 in the RC F, but is unlikely to power an all-new IS F when the next generation, that will share its platform with the new Mazda6, reportedly debuts in 2026.

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