Lexus used the 2017 Detroit auto show to debut the totally redesigned 2018 LS sedan, but Tokyo may be the place where the LS earns its performance credentials.
Posted to an Instagram by the user Jzsinternational is a photo from a Japanese automotive magazine with a caption that seems to claim a Lexus LS F will debut at the upcoming Tokyo motor show. The photo appears to show the production car. It looks an awful lot like an LS F would, with a gaping front grille, aggressive front air intakes, a lowered stance, and what appears to be a wider body.
That's not all, however. The rumor suggests a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine will find a home under the LS F's hood. It's not the first time a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 has been rumored from Lexus. Earlier this year, reports broke of an LC F heading to the Tokyo motor show with the same engine. Power is rumored to sit at 600 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. We've also heard this engine could find its way to the Lexus GS F, though in a detuned form.
Toyota Motorsports GmbH showcased a Lexus LS-based performance sedan four years ago with the TMG650, which used a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine delivering 641 hp and 564 lb-ft of torque. That car was supposed to preview the possibilities of performance upgrades for future Lexus cars.
If both the idea of an LS F and LC F are true, Tokyo will be busy for Lexus. The luxury brand is no stranger to the Tokyo show. Lexus debuted the LFA Nürburgring there in 2011, and the RC was first shown at the show in 2013. We'll keep an eye on it when the show opens on October 27.
