Copyright Men's Journal
Toyota’s powertrain president, Takashi Uehara, confirmed the company has a new twin-turbo V8 that will power its flagship supercar, previewed in the Lexus Sport Concept. The large-displacement engine will no doubt be a serious performer, but Uehara tells CarExpert that the engine’s bones lie in the brand’s smaller displacement engines, like the company’s high-performance four-cylinders. Toyota Has A New V8 In The Works The new V8 is “widely related” to this smaller powertrain, which made more than 400 horsepower in Toyota’s recent Yaris M concept. The V8 will also work as part of a hybrid powertrain, but the system won’t be a plug-in setup, where drivers must charge a large electric battery a la EVs to gain electric-only driving range. Of course, this engine will find a home in Lexus’ recently shown flagship concept, which will eventually reach production, though hopefully with a catchier name than “Sport Concept.” Uehara confirmed it, saying, “You can expect—you see the Lexus new sports car? That is that… [the V8].” It’s likely this version of the V8 will use a mild-hybrid setup, where a small electric motor and battery assist in functions like adding power or providing drive power to a set of wheels, but without the large, heavy battery associated with plug-in hybrids like your neighbor’s Prius. Toyota will also use the V8, but different versions will be tailored to meet various applications within the company. Toyota’s New V8 Will Be Widely Adopted “Maybe we could have a V8 with a more gentle [character], or we could have a more muscular, heavy-duty version.” The large V8 should be equally well-suited to luxury applications where smoothness and low-down torque are required. The engine will also power Toyota’s GT3 race car. It’ll cover a large spread, so expect the engine will appear in multiple places in Toyota and Lexus’ respective lineups. Little else is known about the upcoming Lexus flagship. It should drive the rear wheels, but it’s tough to rule out all-wheel drive, especially if the V8 will be a hybrid. There’ll be a very driver-focused interior to accompany the engine, with a blocky, flat steering wheel and a bisected concept that splits the cabin via a center tunnel and a split skylight. We’ll see if the latter makes it to production. For now, Toyota will show its GR-branded flagship performance car this December.
