Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Hybrids/Alternative, Supercars, Lexus, Toyota
Lexus planning hybrid supercar?
When we last posted about Lexus' long-awaited LF-A supercar, which debuted at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show (photo at right), it was to announce that the production version of the car would make its debut as the pace car for the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix. Well, as we get ever-closer to production, the latest news on Toyota's supercar is that it will be available in both gasoline and hybrid versions.Speculation has the hybrid version using the powertrain from the 600h sedan - a 5-liter V8 with a continuously-variable transmission and an electric motor/battery auxiliary power unit.
At the same time, the gasoline version will follow Toyota's Formula 1 cars in switching from the previously rumored V10 to a V8.
Related factoids for your consideration:
- F1 rules for 2008 and beyond are considering regenerative braking systems (and longer-term, alternative powertrains)
- Lexus recently completed a 24 hour endurance race with a modified GS450h - the first hybrid car ever to compete in an FIA-sanctioned circuit race
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ryan 4:24PM (8/24/2006)
"Lexus recently completed a 24 hour endurance race with a modified GS450h - the first hybrid car ever to compete in an FIA-sanctioned circuit race"
-I'm at a total loss unless someone can explain this to me. Why do you need a hybrid when you can save a lot more of the enviroment by simply not racing. AND, is a Hybrid drive powertrain going to traditionally be more powerful (if tuned in that direction) than even the best of the traditional IC engines?!
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David 5:27PM (8/24/2006)
Rick, it's much like saying that you shouldn't go hiking rather than "tread lightly" because not hiking at all is better for the environment. One of the reasons that people hike, is one of the reasons that people race, it's fun! So, instead of having no fun, by not racing/not hiking, you do your best to minimize environmetal impact.
And yes, the hybrid tech. can be more powerful than traditional IC components. However, the weight added due to the hybrid tech can sometimes offset the gains made in hp. Though in a race car, I can imagine that it still give gains in hp.
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Whydrive 5:58PM (8/24/2006)
Ooooh, a hybrid supercar. How many years have Toyota said they're going to come out with a supercar. I recall all the magazines talking about a supercar back about 10 years ago around the time they canned the Supra. Folks criticize GM for taking a long time with the Camaro. Geez, look at Toyota.
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MPL09 10:48AM (8/25/2006)
I just don't understand what advantage a hybrid drivetrain would have over any other "high performance" car. Considering the fact that weight savings are one of the top priorities for automakers and tuners alike when developing extremely fast and agile cars, why then add hundred of pounds of batteries, electric motors and so forth? I'd imagine that while you can make up the horsepower difference it'll be extremely difficult to have a favorable weight distribution along with a reasonable power/weight ratio. Tally all this up and also the inherent danger of electocution that could come to a weekend racer in the event of an accident and you have, what I believe, is an uncompetative sports car before it even hits the road.
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Boxed Fox 12:44PM (8/25/2006)
I'm not sure if this idea of a Hybrid Supercar excites me all that much. The GS450h has probably been the most successful sporty Toyota Hybrid to date, but the stock battery reportedly still doesn't hold enough of a charge to do more than 1.5 laps on any reasonable size circuit. I don't think a car that can bang out a quick time on a mini circuit (think Lime Rock Park) but struggles on a longer circuit (Watkins Glen) would be all that attractive to the performance enthusiast types.
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GeoTracker 9:46PM (8/25/2006)
Want to help the environment? Stop driving, stop buying anything packaged from the store, and want to really cut CO2 emission? Stop breathing.
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Fukuda 6:53AM (8/28/2006)
I feel Toyota should not mix two different concepts - Hybrid cars and supercars. But I am awaiting to see how the supercar performs.
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Japan Car Exporters 3:03PM (8/30/2006)
Well if we can have a high performance car which can keep pollution in control what's wrong in it? Japan though has large number of cars, has low pollution records even for big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. And that is because of the government's efforts to control pollution - which in turn force the automakers to have a stringent gas emission policy.
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