Ever since the IS F was unveiled to the world in 2007, the backbone of Lexus’ high-performance F division has been the 2UR-GSE, a 5.0 litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine. With the exception of the V10-powered LFA, the sonorous eight-cylinder mill has appeared on the two F models since – the RC F and GS F.

But with the engine having reached its zenith in the 471 hp LC 500, the brand hasn’t had anywhere to go from there. Well, now it does, as Toyota has confirmed that it has developed a new twin-turbocharged V8 for use in future road cars, including its sports cars.

The engine will be shoehorned into an LC race car that Lexus is fielding in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in May, where the company hopes it will improve on past results, the car having spent an inordinate amount of time in the pits in both years it has competed in so far. Apart from hopefully giving the car a competitive edge, the news also blows the door wide open for the engine’s implementation in the upcoming LC F.

This uprated version of a fairly potent luxury coupé (and now convertible) has been spotted undergoing testing at the fearsome German track as early as July, sporting large front bumper cutouts for extra cooling, much wider tyres, cross-drilled brakes and the stacked quad exhausts that are hallmarks of the F brand. An image of the prototype was even shown at an event, confirming that an F model is in development.

No details of the engine have been released just yet, but reports suggest that the eight-pot will be significantly smaller than the current unit, displacing just 4.0 litres. Even so, the existence of the twin turbos will be more than enough to make up for it, with a projected output of upwards of 600 hp being more than enough to allow it to compete with the BMW M8.

-paultan