Here’s Definitive Proof That the Lexus LFR Is a Hybrid

With a launch imminent, Lexus is hard at work testing its new sports car, the one we—and everybody else—have been referring to as the “LFR.” Out on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, we were able to hear its V-8 burble distinctly. But these prototypes reveal another detail: The LFR is a hybrid.

In this Nürburgring testing roundup video from StatesideSupercars on YouTube, we see a yellow sticker on the rear window of the LFR. This is to let safety workers know that the car is equipped with some sort of high-voltage electrical system, in case of a crash. We’ve seen this yellow sticker on other hybrids, like the new Porsche 911 Turbo S.

This video captures two LFRs running laps, one with a large fixed rear wing, and one without. Both have the yellow sticker, though.

Toyota and Lexus haven’t exactly been forthcoming with specs for this new model. The rumor mill suggests that it’ll use a twin-turbo V-8 and a rear transaxle, just like the old Mercedes-AMG GT, a car Toyota is benchmarking. 

The hybrid system is an interesting wrinkle because it’s likely a new development for Toyota. Obviously, Toyota has made hybrid cars for decades, but it’s never made a performance-focused hybrid system—unless you count the system it uses for its LMP1 race cars.

The LC500h was a hybrid, but its system wasn’t out-and-out performance-focused, like say, what AMG, BMW M, and Porsche offer. For the LFR, Toyota will need something more like those and less focused on efficiency.

Lexus gave us our first real look at the car, debuting the Sport Concept at Monterey Car Week last month. Toyota previewed the car even earlier, in 2022, as the GR GT3 concept. We expect that Toyota will sell this car as a Toyota in some markets, and as a Lexus in others, like the US.

We’re not sure when we’ll see the production car, but given that Toyota is hard at work testing prototypes, it should be sooner than later.