Category Archives: CONCEPT CARS

CONCEPT CARS

Lexus LFR: The LFA’s Spiritual Successor or the LC500’s Angrier Cousin?

Well, this was unexpected. You go to The Quail expecting to be fed canapés and watch a billionaire try to reverse a McLaren Speedtail into a hedge, and Lexus turns up with something that looks like it escaped from Gran Turismo 8. They’re calling it the Sport Concept—which sounds like what a PowerPoint file would be named before marketing gets involved—but we all know what’s really going on here. This is the first proper glimpse of what we’ve been whispering about for ages: the Lexus LFR.

And, my word, it’s gorgeous. Imagine an LFA and an LC500 got stuck in a wind tunnel together, were left overnight, and in the morning you found this thing sitting there with a smug grin.

Lexus is keeping its cards closer to its chest than a poker player at the world championships, but here’s what we do know. It’s a front-engine, rear-drive, twin-turbo V8 job with what’s likely a rear transaxle—because the engine’s pushed so far back it’s practically trying to escape into the firewall. There’s a Toyota twin too, but that one won’t be coming to the US. Shame. Oh, and it’s going to form the bones for Toyota’s next GT3 race car, which means under all that concept flash, this thing is serious.

The details are delicious: exhaust pipes hiding under the rear wing like some secret weapons system, giant rear vents that could have been lifted from the LFA’s design sketchbook, and big side intakes that might feed cooling air to brakes, the gearbox, or possibly the afterburners. On the rear brake light, there are four tiny fans—no one’s saying what they do, but it’s the sort of thing that makes car nerds rub their hands like Victorian villains.

Of course, it’s still very much a concept car. There’s no interior—just blacked-out windows—and even the Bridgestone logos were shaved off the tyres, presumably so we’d focus on the bodywork rather than start price-matching rubber. But Lexus’s promise that the production car will look “a lot like this” is enough to have us making the sort of noise you normally reserve for spotting a wild Ferrari F40 in traffic.

Fun fact: Toyota and Lexus actually benchmarked the AMG GT R when developing it, because it’s one of the best front-engine, rear transaxle sports cars in recent memory. This explains the proportions, the long bonnet, and the confident stance. It’s also a cheeky nod that Lexus isn’t aiming for “good for a Lexus” anymore—they’re aiming for world class.

The last time Lexus gave us a truly uncompromising sports car, it was called the LFA. It had a screaming V10, cost as much as a country estate, and was instantly one of the best cars on Earth. Now, this? This looks like they might be ready to do it again—but with turbos, race-car DNA, and just enough attitude to make the Germans sweat.

Brace yourselves. The LFR might just be coming. And it’s not here to play nice.

Source: Lexus; Photo: Brian Silvestro / Motor1

CONCEPT CARS

Meet the Cadillac Elevated Velocity: Luxury, Lunacy, and a Dash of Mars Rover

Cadillac has clearly decided that “normal” is a word best left to accountants, not car designers. Their latest concept, the Elevated Velocity, is what happens when you take last year’s Opulent Velocity, feed it a double shot of espresso, and tell it it’s allowed to run wild in the desert.

It’s a high-riding electric SUV, yes—but that’s like calling the Space Shuttle a “commuter vehicle.” This is Cadillac imagining a world where autonomous driving and good old-fashioned steering-wheel-wrangling can live under the same panoramic glass roof.

From the outside, it’s pure sci-fi V-Series: hulking stance, gullwing doors that open like they’re greeting alien royalty, illuminated 24-inch wheels (which Cadillac insists are “probably” going into production), and taillight fins that look like they belong on a ’59 Eldorado—if that Eldorado had been designed by Blade Runner’s art department.

Underneath? Electric. That’s all Cadillac’s saying. No range figures. No torque numbers. No rock-crawling specs. And frankly, it doesn’t matter—because this isn’t the sort of concept that talks about approach and departure angles. It’s here to make a statement, not to get muddy.

Inside, the Elevated Velocity is a mood board on wheels. Every surface is some shade of red—leather, boucle, you name it—and there isn’t a single conventional screen in sight. Instead, there’s a display in the steering wheel itself, because apparently that’s the future. Other features range from the vaguely plausible (cabin air purification, adaptive air suspension) to the outright bonkers (infrared light for “rejuvenation” and a dust-phobic vibration system that literally shakes dirt off the car). Oh, and there’s a hand-crafted polo set, because why not.

Driving modes are where things get properly wild:

  • Elevate Mode: Car drives itself, pedals and wheel vanish like a Vegas magic act.
  • Velocity Mode: You’re in charge—Cadillac trusts you not to bin it.
  • E-Velocity Mode: A more intense version for spirited on-road driving.
  • Terra Mode: For when you want to go off-road like a lunatic with a taste for champagne.

Cadillac will be showing it off on August 15 at The Quail during Monterey Car Week, which is the perfect venue for something that looks like it could double as a Bond villain’s escape pod. Will any of this actually make it into production? Hard to say. But Cadillac insists the future is electric—and if this is what they mean, that future is going to look utterly mad.

Source: Cadillac

CONCEPT CARS

Opel Teases a Track-Ready EV Concept Ahead of 2025 IAA Mobility

Opel is dialing up the anticipation game. The Rüsselsheim brand has dropped the first tantalizing images of a new concept car set to make its world debut at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich (September 8–14). Details are scarce, the name is still locked in a vault somewhere, but the early visuals and subtle hints make one thing clear: this machine is part design manifesto, part performance statement.

The brand’s press materials make repeated references to its GSE sub-brand—Opel’s high-performance badge that recently made the jump to full electrification with the Mokka GSE. That means this concept isn’t just about looking fast. It’s a likely preview of where Opel intends to take its battery-electric performance lineup.

The Next Step in the Compass

Design chief Mark Adams and his team are pushing Opel’s “Compass” design language into new territory. At the center sits an illuminated Opel wordmark, flanked by razor-thin horizontal and vertical light elements—clean, precise, and unmistakably modern. The effect is minimalist but far from plain, with just enough aggression to make you suspect this concept’s bark will match its bite.

From the few official images, there’s no mistaking the motorsport undertones. The wheels, with their truncated triangular elements, nod directly to icons like the Opel Manta 400 rally car. Inside, a slim, racing-inspired steering wheel proudly wears the new GSE logo, while a lightweight driver’s seat and a visible roll cage leave no doubt: this is a car with track ambitions.

Electric, and Not Just for Show

Opel CEO Florian Huettl promises the concept will “send pulses racing” while previewing upcoming production models. Given the GSE tie-in, the focus will be on delivering all-electric performance—and not just in straight-line numbers. Expect chassis tuning, aerodynamics, and driver engagement to get as much attention as battery output and range.

The car also appears to carry Opel’s signature design restraint—no excessive vents, no overblown bodywork—just purposeful, aero-driven shaping. If Opel’s previous concepts are any indication, we could be looking at a vehicle that bridges the gap between road-going EVs and pure race machinery.

The Countdown to Munich

Opel will reveal the concept’s name and full details closer to its Munich debut, but the combination of heritage motorsport cues, the GSE performance ethos, and electric innovation suggests this isn’t a one-off showpiece. This could be the blueprint for a generation of Opel EVs aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts.

The message from Rüsselsheim is clear: the brand with the Blitz is ready to make performance EVs not just fast—but thrilling.

Source: Stellantis