Peter Lyon from Motoring Australia is reporting that BMW & Lexus are working on a next-generation LFA supercar:
It’s been nearly two years since Toyota and BMW announced an agreement to co-develop sports cars using state-of-the-art hybrid technologies, and now a source close to the two companies says the pair has decided on its first joint-venture.
In all their wisdom, executives citing the high cost of developing a high-performance sports car with lightweight materials have opted for a $300,000-plus Lexus LFA-style package, but with a hybrid twist.
Lyon speculates that this new supercar would be powered by the BMW M5’s 4.4-liter turbo V8 and the Lexus hybrid system, with the chassis developed using carbon fiber techniques from both the Lexus LFA & the BMW i8 — if correct, this would certainly make for a potent mixture of speed and performance.
This rumor seemed outlandish when it was first mentioned in Best Car magazine last week, as the partnership between the companies was expected to focus on BMW & Toyota — I’m lukewarm on BMW engines in Lexus vehicles, but it’s far too early to say what the end result will be. A very interesting turn-of-events, to be sure.
No discussion thread for this article yet.