V8 engine development at Toyota allegedly stopped

With Lexus having seemingly cancelled the LC F despite the spotting of a prototype last year, a new speculative report from Japan has claimed that Toyota has halted development of its planned next generation of V8 engines.

The claim by Japanese publication Mag-X does not provide substantial details though and should therefore be taken with a pinch of salt until more information is uncovered. If proven to be true however, it could result in the 4.0-litre engine, rumoured last month to be heading for Toyota’s next generation pick-ups in the United States, being no more.

Earmarked for the LC, the twin-turbocharged unit had been in reported development since 2017 when Car and Driver first reported on it, and would have produced as much as 447 kW in the F that was due to make its debut at this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Given that Toyota has already ruled out a V8 for the incoming Land Cruiser 300, its flagship North America pick-up, the Tundra, which uses the same underpinnings and currently only offers a bent-eight, seemingly now appears certain to head the V6 route along with the Sequoia that sits below the soon-to-be discontinued Land Cruiser 200.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.