by Vijay Pattni/Adrian Hearn

The sensational Lexus LF-A supercar will cost approximately £250,000 when it goes on sale, Auto Trader can exclusively reveal.

Speaking to Auto Trader, Lexus confirmed its first ever supercar will feature a 5-litre V10 engine developing 580bhp with production limited to 'just a few hundred'.

No word on official performance figures, but unconfirmed reports reckon the Lexus LF-A will hit a 218mph top speed - 1mph quicker than the Ferrari Enzo.

With its quarter of a million pound price tag, the Lexus LF-A promises epic performance times, and goes up against the cream of the world's supercars, including:

• Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster - £232,000
• Ferrari 599 GTB - £198,000
• Porsche 911 GT2 - £131,000

It also competes against the £250,000 Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series - a 661bhp supercar capable of hitting 62mph from zero in four seconds and a 199mph limited top speed.

The Lexus LF-A is one of the most eagerly anticipated supercars of recent times. It was seen testing at the Nurburgring racetrack as early as 2004, made its public debut in 2005 and has been doing various motor show rounds ever since.

Earlier this month we reported on a racing Lexus LF-A bursting into flames at the Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race. The 'Gazoo' racer was rumoured to have been involved in a collision which caused the spontaneous fire.

The LF-A will be on display at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Auto Trader will be reporting live from the event, so stay tuned for more updates.

View our Lexus LF-A image gallery:

Video: The Lexus LF-A burns