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Forbes
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Lexus Unveils Surprise Supercar Concept At The Quail
It's edgy and appears to employ styling elements from Ferrari, Jaguar, and, maybe even Porsche. Not originally expected to appear at the California event, could this surprise new Sport Concept be a Lexus morphing into a new LC or maybe even a second-generation LFA? From the looks of this sleek coupe, that was just unveiled at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, this new concept appears to be an evolution of the Electrified Sport Concept that Lexus first revealed in 2021. Why do we say 'appears to be?' Simply because Lexus was giving out very little background information on this car. So we will have to delve into what Toyota's luxury brand has been tempting us with of late to get an idea of where this concept may go. Choosing to follow the same launch protocol as many of its rivals, Lexus selected America's prestigious The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering which is an integral part of the now famous Monterey Car Week held in Carmel, California. The new Lexus Sport Concept will employ an EV powertrain…probably The new Lexus Sport Concept found itself alongside rare classic cars like a Ferrari F50 GT1 and a Shelby Mustang GT350, and strategic reveals of new concepts and production models from Corvette, Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Pagani, Koenigsegg, Porsche, as well as Ruf, Singer and Bugatti. Occupied by some of the best looking kinetic art on the planet, Monterey Car Week is the perfect setting for a new car reveal, and Lexus has taken the opportunity to unveil its new Sport Concept at The Quail. The sporty, low-slung, wide-bodied coupe reminds us of the Electrified Sport Concept that Lexus first teased in 2021, but employs a more sophisticated design that appears ready for production. With Lexus PR types remaining tight-lipped about specs, the Sport Concept's technical details are still under wraps. We do know that the brand is currently working on another supercar called the LFR, which according to Car and Driver, is expected to feature a twin-turbocharged hybrid V-8 powertrain. So with an internal combustion engine set to occupy that the LFR's engine bay, we suspect that the Sport Concept will employ an all-electric powertrain. When Lexus first unveiled its Electrified Sport Concept in 2021, the brand suggested a two-second plus 0-60mph sprint time and around 430 miles of range thanks to new solid-state batteries. Japan is long overdue for an electric supercar, so perhaps this Sport Concept could break the mold.
Motor 1
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Meet Bugatti's Beautiful New One-Of-One Hypercar: Brouillard
Update: This story has been updated with live photos and video from The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. Even for a brand as prestigious as Bugatti , exclusivity is everything. For some buyers, owning one of 250 Tourbillons or one of 500 Chirons isn't good enough. Instead, the wealthiest of Bugatti's clientele want something only they can own, and the company is introducing a new program aimed squarely at those buyers. Dubbed Programme Solitaire, Bugatti's new one-of-one service builds atop the brand's coachbuilding roots. It allows Bugatti's wealthiest collectors to create something truly unique—and truly exclusive. Photo by: Bugatti Programme Solitaire is even more exclusive than Bugatti's Sur Mesure customization program, which the company officially announced in 2021. Rather than simply allowing clients to customize existing models, Programme Solitaire lets them create their own custom Bugs, virtually from the ground up. The brand's first one-of-one commission is the stunning supercar you see here: The Bugatti Brouillard. Built atop Bugatti's ubiquitous W-16 platform—borrowed from the Chiron and Mistral—the Brouillard features a carbon-fiber and aluminum chassis, a quad-turbocharged engine, and 1,578 horsepower The Brouillard is heavily inspired by the convertible Mistral. Horizontal LED lighting elements adorn the front end, while darkened accents line the front bumper. Familiar arrow-shaped LED taillights stretch across the rear, while an illuminated "BUGATTI" wordmark sits front and center. But arguably the prettiest piece on the back end is the stylish fixed ducktail spoiler. Unlike the Mistral, though, the Brouillard has a roof. The fixed glass panel creates an airier cabin experience, while the center spine design element that flows seamlessly from front to rear is visible from inside the car. Photo by: Bugatti Photo by: Bugatti Photo by: Bugatti The interior itself combines custom-woven fabrics in a tartan pattern with green-tinted carbon fiber accents and machined aluminum elements. Embroidered horse motifs cover the door panels and seat backs—a nod to Ettore Bugatti's beloved horse—while the seats are molded specifically to the driver's preference. Even the machined aluminum gear shifter includes a glass insert of a miniature horse. 'To make something look simple is actually incredibly complex. The design has to integrate all of the technological aspects needed, all of the thermodynamics and aerodynamics of a 1,578-hp hyper sports car, while also following a core ethos—established both by us and the client—that the Brouillard was imbued with dignity.' — Frank Heyl, Bugatti Design Director Of course, Bugatti doesn't list a price tag for this one-of-one custom hypercar. If we had to guess, north of $30 million is likely a safe place to start. The Brouillard is one of just two custom models the company plans to build annually as part of its new Programme Solitaire. You can see the Brouillard in person next week at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel, California. The Latest From Bugatti The Bugatti Tourbillon Doesn't Have Real Speakers. It Uses Something Much Cooler Bugatti Boss on Turbocharged Hybrid Supercars: 'I Don't Get It' Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Auto Blog
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Lexus Reveals LFA-Inspired Styling For Its Next-Generation Sports Car
Lexus Finally Hints At Its Next Supercar In A Meaningful Way Say hello to the Lexus Sport Concept, a surprise reveal at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering at this year's edition of Monterey Car Week. Far more evolved than the Electrified Sport Concept yet still just on the other side of reality, this concept is described as a 'progressively styled, future-focused yet truly authentic sports car [that] signals the way forward for Lexus design.' In other words, we can expect at least certain elements of this concept to find their way to a production vehicle, like the next Lexus LC and RC, or better yet, a successor to the iconic LFA. Importantly, the cosmetic approach is relatively far removed from the V8-powered coupe we spied a month ago, which also made a run up the Goodwood Hillclimb soon after with a racing version close behind. A Stunning Design That Is Bordering On Being Production-Ready The abovementioned Toyota GT Racing Concept now seems to foreshadow something with a Gazoo Racing badge, despite its rumored 800-horsepower output that would make it a competitor to $200,000 cars like the Porsche 911 and AMG GT (the latter of which a prototype of Toyota's GT Racing Concept has been spied being benchmarked against). The Lexus Sport Concept in California is much sleeker and more cohesive with current Lexus design elements, while the Gazoo Racing Concepts at Goodwood still looked like Toyotas despite their camouflage. That being said, we must admit that the proportions are similar. At the front, the Lexus logo still appears in the daytime running lights as it does in something like the aging but beautiful LC, and the angular air dam and vented hood, though more aggressive than current Lexus designs, would fit well with the brand's existing designs if they make production. The narrow rearview cameras likely won't be available (at least not in all markets), but the vent behind the front arch that leads the eye to an intake behind the B-pillar manages to look dramatic without being over-the-top. The fin ahead of the rear wheel is also treading the line between reality and concept. This line is carried upward on the rear haunches, leading to a full-width taillight bar that leans down into the rear bumper as the headlights do into the front fascia. A massive rear diffuser sits below a sleek fastback with an adaptive rear wing, and a slender fin on the rear glass acts as a center high-mounted stop light; none of these elements look too extreme for production, though they are likely to be mildly toned down. By providing your email address, you agree that it may be used pursuant to Arena Group's Privacy Policy. We may receive compensation. Plenty Of Questions To Answer Overall, the design looks very much like what a slightly less wide LFA might look like today, but then again, the Lexus LC borrowed and modernized a lot of design elements from the LFA, so this concept could work as a preview of a successor to either. We should also note that the few photos Lexus has provided don't clearly show whether there is an exhaust, so there's a possibility that this might test the waters for a future EV, though that seems unlikely given market conditions and Toyota's aversion to producing too many EVs until the market wants them. It's also worth remembering that the departing Lexus RC is long overdue for replacement, which brings us back to our opening theory: whether or not this concept previews a specific model, its futuristic design looks feasible from multiple angles, and we fully expect to see a production vehicle with some of the concept's aesthetics being teased before long. The end of the video below seemingly hints at an imminent track outing… About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
