Lexus Proceeds Construction of LS650 TMG

While Lexus carries on to push its F-Sport line of performance products and accessories a skunk works project by a team of German constructors is proceeding to refine what they believe is a more fitting competitor for the Ms and AMGs of the world.

First uncovered in 2012, Toyota Motorsports Germany (TMG) has just unveiled a refreshed variant of what it calls the LS650 TMG – positioning the European racing division as the in-house tuner of choice for the Lexus brand.

Enhanced by a twin-turbocharged variant of the factory 5.0-liter V8 motor, power has been downgraded from the original, lofty digit of 800 hp to a more realistic, though still AMG-competing 650 hp.

The vehicle itself is a test bed to showcase the capabilities of the TMG team and the lessons learned in Formula 1 informs Alastair Moffitt of Toyota Motorsport Germany, commenting on the official Lexus UK blog that, “we really wanted to construct a Formula 1 car combined with a limousine.”

Moffitt informs that there are no immediate plans for the TMG model to make it to production, though this current state of tune was performed with that in mind, commenting that, his team, “had to look to road application.” Particularly, he comments that this 3rd gen of the vehicle was engineered with Euro5 emissions in mind, as well as fuel efficiency and practicality, “so that we can, at least in concept, construct a vehicle that can be built and built again.”

“We would like to think that some of the areas we’ve presented on this car will lead into future projects for us at TMG,” he admits, commenting that the goal with this project would be to have Lexus enlarge it into at least a small series of production vehicles.

If nothing else, Moffitt believes TMG’s efforts can lead to further prosperity of Lexus’ performance credentials.