What Does The Patent Reveal?

According to the forum, the claim was filed in September 2020. This patent reveals drawings wherein both the turbochargers are placed between the cylinder banks. This design would lead to better throttle response and reduced turbo lag.

A single-turbo option is also a possibility as seen in the images, which means Toyota could offer the mill with single- and twin-turbo options.

Which Cars Could Get It?

While the claim is filed by Toyota, it goes unsaid that the engine will be shared across the automaker’s brands. Lexus is the most likely possibility at this point. With the launch of the 2022 IS 500 F Sport, Lexus marked the introduction of the ‘F Sport Performance Line’ Series. It features a naturally-aspirated V-8 engine that makes 472 horses and 395 pound-feet of torque. While it is good, these specs aren’t enough to sustain in the market for a marquee brand. Perhaps, this V-8 single- or twin-turbo engine could be offered here, too, thus marking a new flagship trim-engine combo.

The new engine could also be seen in the rumored LS F, LC F, and the IS F.

Motoring had reported a couple of months back that the IS F moniker will be resurrected and it will feature a new twin-turbo V-8. This new sits perfectly in line with the patent claim. According to the publication, the engine will be able to handle up to 670 horses and 516 pound-feet of torque. But, considering it will be available in many products, Lexus will offer it in different states of tune. In the IS F, for instance, we could have 535 horses and 445 pound-feet of torque.

Why Does Lexus Need This When It Already Has A Naturally Aspirated V-8?

There is still no definitive answer if turbocharged engines are better than naturally aspirated engines or not. A purist would pick the free-flowing, high-revving naturally aspirated engine as his or her pick, whereas folks who want outright straight-line performance and shove-in-the-seat feeling would prefer turbo-powered mills. The lack of a turbocharged engine would haunt Lexus and avoid it from being a genuine threat to the Germans.

With the resurrection of the IS F model and a twin-turbocharged V-8, Lexus will be able to take on the likes of the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the BMW M3 Competition, and perhaps, be better than both of them. Currently, the AMG C63 is the only one powered by a twin-turbo V-8, but makes less than 500 horses. The M3 Competition makes over 500 horses, but features a twin-turbo six-pot mill. The IS F, if revived, could offer the best of both worlds – a twin-turbo V-8 and over 500 horses. Doesn’t it already raise the stakes for Lexus?

For your reference, the AMG C63 is powered by a 4.0-liter, V-8 bi-turbo engine that churns out 469 ponies and 479 pound-feet of twist. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox that helps that car sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds. The BMW M3 Competition features a six-cylinder engine, but with a twin-turbo setup. It dishes out 503 horses and 479 pound-feet of torque. Here, the engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It takes 3.8 seconds to 60 mph from rest.

If you’re wondering about the price, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG C63 starts at $68,600 whereas the BMW M3 Competition starts at $72,800. You can expect the IS-F with this engine to be priced in this ballpark, too.

Any Toyota Product In The Reckoning For This Engine?

Contrary to the hushed talks about the Tundra ditching its 5.7-liter V-8 in favor of a downsized V-6, the automaker could come up with a performance version of the truck with this new engine powering it. This will add the Tundra to the performance truck mix which currently has the Ram 1500 TRX and the Ford F-150 Raptor R joining it soon.

Other than this, we could perhaps see it in some GR-branded products in the future. The automaker is also pumping in big money in its R&D. For instance, around $2.8 billion is being spent on developing its Shimoyama R&D center. It features a test track for now, but some more are being developed, which includes a high-speed circuit as well. It is expected to be completed by 2023. If you connect all these dots, we could be in for a new generation of high-powered turbocharged V-8s from Toyota in the next couple of years.

Which Toyota or Lexus product would you like to see powered by a turbocharged V-8 engine? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: GR86.org