The legendary Lexus LFA was never just about speed; its unmistakable V10 howl helped define the car’s character. Now, after Lexus showed a fully electric LFA concept, engineers acknowledged that a silent supercar doesn’t work as an emotional flagship. Project manager Takashi Doi said an artificial sound is in development—the company wants drivers to feel an occasion even without the high-revving hardware that once did the singing.

The reasoning tracks: many still perceive fast EVs as a bit too sterile. To counter that, brands add emotional cues—sound, response, sometimes even simulated shifts. Lexus is more cautious with any virtual gear changes: Doi suggests that if such a feature compromises acceleration or efficiency, it simply won’t make production. In short, real performance takes precedence over nostalgia.

What’s more interesting is the direction of that soundtrack. Lexus hasn’t decided yet. Emulating a V10 is on the table, but the next LFA could just as well adopt its own sonic signature—not a gasoline copy, but a new, recognizable timbre. That feels like the most honest path: instead of pretending to be the past, compose a fresh music of speed that people will remember as vividly as they remember the original LFA.