For years, Toyota fans have been whispering about the return of a proper V-8—something loud, fast, and mechanical. OK, maybe I’m being a little hyperbolic. Toyota has V-8s, but it’s been some time since our friends in Japan have made a performance eight-banger for the fans. At the Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota’s global powertrain chief, Takashi Uehara, confirmed to CarExpert what enthusiasts have been hoping to hear: a new twin-turbo V-8 hybrid is on its way, and it’s headed for Toyota’s mid-engine supercars, a phrase that should perk all of our ears up.
New Toyota Supercar
That engine will first appear in the upcoming Toyota GR GT, which made a shadowy debut at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Cloaked in camouflage and roaring through the English countryside, the prototype confirmed that Toyota hasn’t forgotten how to build something nasty. Uehara described the new V-8 as a modular design related to the turbocharged four-cylinder in the Yaris GR Concept—scaled up, doubled, and fortified with electrification. It’s expected to displace around 4.0 liters and rev high enough to make the Italians nervous.
But Toyota isn’t keeping this beast all to itself. Lexus, its luxury sibling, will get its own version—possibly a bit more civilized but no less potent. That car is likely the long-awaited Lexus LFR, the spiritual successor to the legendary V-10-powered LFA. Lexus teased its Sport Concept at Monterey Car Week, a sharp blade of carbon and coils that previewed the future of its performance lineup. Uehara all but confirmed the connection, nodding toward the concept when asked about future V-8s.
Two Engines, Two Cars
What’s fascinating is how Toyota is positioning this new engine family. The automaker’s modular system starts with humble roots: a 1.5-liter turbo-four destined for the next Corolla, then a 2.0-liter version already powering concept cars. The V-8 represents the top of that pyramid—a culmination of lessons learned from smaller engines, scaled for performance and hybrid efficiency. Uehara hinted that there will be two flavors of the new V-8: one “gentle” and one “muscular.” In other words, one for Lexus, and one for the wild child wearing a GR badge.
Unlike other hybrid setups that lean on plug-in complexity, Toyota’s V-8 won’t require external charging. Instead, it will blend combustion and electrical assistance internally, helping it meet strict global emissions standards—including Australia’s new NVES rules—without compromising on sound or soul.
Listen up
A brief audio teaser of the V8, released earlier this month, already gave fans chills. It’s a deep, metallic growl that swells into a scream—a reminder that Toyota can still make engines that stir something primal. If Uehara’s hints about a high-revving design are accurate, the new V-8 could spin well beyond 9,000 rpm, rivaling exotic benchmarks like Lamborghini’s hybrid V-8 in the Temerario.
When Will We See The Toyota Supercar Out In The Street?
Both the Toyota GR GT and Lexus LFR are expected to be fully revealed soon, with the Toyota debut set for December 5, 2025, in Tokyo. For enthusiasts tired of electric silence, this might be the last great mechanical symphony—a twin-turbo hybrid V8 that bridges the gap between old-school combustion and tomorrow’s electric dawn.
In a world where they feel like they are disappearing, Toyota just built a hell of an engine.
