Lexus LF-A: The Long and Winding Road

[harrytuttle]

Tokyo, We Have A Problem...
Actually, one 'Ring test driver didn't mind going on the record with his opinion. Former Nissan racer, NSX development driver and Nurburgring legend Motoharu "Gan-san" Kurosawa reckons, "Toyota are good at making money, but they're no good at making sports cars."

Well, that is an unexpected turn if it is anywhere close to being true.

I think if you re-read that section, you'll see it's quite expected. If you're familiar with anything Toyota over the last 15 years, you'll also see how uninteresting Toyota/Lexus is to drive (Supra and Celica variants included). Reliable, well-built, economical...but boring as all hell. No one's going to take any $225,000 car seriously if it still drives like a Camry, regardless of the badge. The SLR and Veyron are further proof of this; fast, but they feel more like GT's. For that kind of money, it damned well better be exciting.

 

[Pupik]

The automotive economy is going through a hangover right now, so introducing a new $200,000+ car is not a good strategy, even for coffer-filled Toyota. And can we get an end to the Camry comparisons? At least Toyota delivers the Camry on time.

If it's about winning the "fastest-time-'round-the-Nürburgring" contest, then that's the lamest excuse I've heard in a while; since no one car can hold the title for long due to the pace of technology, go-fast-now modifications, and getting an experienced 'Ring-driver to make up an extra tenth. I doubt few Lexus owners are really going to lap racetracks with an LF-A anyhow. Sure, someone will...maybe even a few will show up to a track meet or be punished by car journalists around and around. But most production examples will get more hot laps by the valet drivers and technicians than the owners will, so overall, that's a moot excuse.

I still think we'll see some of this distilled into some future sporty Toyota models, the trouble is; there aren't that many...unless it's all underpinning the future GS-F and/or IS coupe.

 

[YSSMAN]

I just want them to get around to doing something with the SC430... Its getting a bit old, a bit long in the tooth, and desperately needs a replacement.

 

[buickgnx88]

Agree, it's been the same for 7 years now.

 

[.star.]

i'd have to agree the lf-a probably won't be the greatest bang for the buck as for a sports car. probably wind up feeling like a more powerful sc430 lol.

as for new sc's, eh..... dunno where that'll go. i've test driven a couple at last years "taste of lexus" event and was not very happy as an older gen SC owner.

if there was an IS-F coupe (not a cabriolet) i would drop my sc in a heartbeat for it given its a reasonable price and perf (compared to just the is-f sedan of course).

 

[Pupik]

When I worked for Lexus, there were very few complaints from customers about what they'd like the car to do better. The biggest complaint was tire wear, as I'd see 12,000 mile averages on tire life: Excessive inner wear, the only way to stop that was to drive the car even harder, thus ensuring 8,000 miles of even wear so that the metal cord would show on both sides of the tire by that point!

Other than squeaks and rattles in the first two years, the mostly retirees and middle-aged ladies did not have many suggestions for improvement. Nobody seriously used it as a sports-car, not even the handful of (comparative) youngsters that didn't have kids.

However, the original SC (300/400) faithful felt the SC 430 was heresy; more expensive, long (initial) waiting list, and numb-er handling. Sure, the suspension was tuned, but it was much heavier, and the run-flats were a love-or-hate scenario. And the simple exterior style of the original was lost, for a nostalgic looking car that older people really liked. So a lot of 1st/2nd-gen SC owners stuck with their cars, and refuse to part with them unless they fell apart.

Why Lexus hasn't gone after that sector of diehards asking me if they'd make a real SC again is beyond me. But by 1998-99, SC sales dried up, production slowed to about 2800 each year, and the 2000 models are quite rare (about 900 produced). There is no 2001 model (American SC's from early 2001 are '02 models).

I've heard the IS coupe is coming, but it's been talked about for so long (and I'm out of the immediate loop), that I don't know if it's a 100% sure thing. We were told in person by Jim Press is was going to happen, but that was 3 years ago.

 

[Philly]

And now this thing is back on again? They still have seven months to cancel it again, so who knows. With the economy the way it is, I'm actually a little surprised at this decision. Or maybe they'll just show us yet another concept.

 

[YSSMAN]

That's weird. I'm not sure what to make of it. Everything is so on/off right now with everyone, I'm almost tempted to not believe any of the internet hate machine at all these days.

 

[Leonidae]

REPORT: Toyoda says Lexus LF-A on time and headed for America, reconfirms Toyobaru

Source: Autoblog

There's a new sheriff in town at Toyota, and he's wasting no time in making his presence felt at the World's Largest Automaker. Fortunately, that finally means a return to building fun-to-drive cars after years of offering virtually nothing to tempt the enthusiast market. We can only hope that some of that sporting DNA finds its way into the rest of the automaker's staid lineup as well.

"The severe drop in the economy and auto market has created some of the most challenging times Toyota has ever faced," says new Toyota Prez Akio Toyoda. "I aim to take us back to what made Toyota successful for many years – making high-quality products at an affordable price."

According to Toyoda, two of the most eagerly anticipated (non-hybrid) vehicles from Toyota in years are moving ahead at full steam. First of all, the seemingly forever-delayed Lexus LF-A sportscar is back on track and headed Stateside. Secondly, Toyoda reconfirmed earlier reports that the planned affordable sportscar made in partnership with Subaru is on its way within the next few years. Finally, change we can believe in!

 

[Rotary Junkie]

His name is Akio, what do you expect?

 

[Leonidae]

nice one

 

[Rykon Zero]

I dun geddit.

And this looks hopeful, then again, so did Obama.

 

[Leonidae]

it's a reference to an anime called Wangan Midnight. Main character is called Akio Asakura etc etc..

 

[Jim Prower]

Yes, but that Akio drives a Nissan...

 

[Leonidae]

Yes, but that Akio drives a Nissan...

It's a Datsun..

 

[Jim Prower]

Not in Japan. Datsun was a trade name used everywhere BUT Japan.

 

[Leonidae]

I thought it was Datsun until 80's.

 

[JCE]

Datsun was used in Japan until 1957 and worldwide in 1981.

 

[Leonidae]

Ah. Okay, enough OT.

 

[Philly]

Doesn't "on-time" mean it should have been in showrooms a couple years ago?

 

[YSSMAN]

I think "one time" should have meant "right meow" if we were counting things right. We had what, two concept cars, a prototype, and then two prototype race cars? What more do they need?

 

[Philly]

Probably the will to commit to such a thing. I almost wonder if by waiting they've delayed the car to the point that it'll be pretty irrelevant by the time it hits the showroom. Competition from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche is pretty tough...

 

[Hitman]

Oh yes, Car and Driver managed to test the LF-A on the Nurburgring. Oh, and look what does that windshield sticker say? Why, I think it says GRAN TURISMO! Check out the photos here, at the C&D website:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/we_drive_a_race-prepped_2011_lexus_lf-a-preview/gallery

 

[Mt. Lynx]

The LF-A racecar participated in the Nürburgring 24hrs. Did so last year aswell. There are to my knowledge no roadlegal versions of this car.
Gran Turismo was a major sponsor for the Nürb 24. All cars had that sticker.

 

[Hitman]

To make a road legal version all you have to do is strip off the stickers, the wings, and put in a passenger seat and an airbag or two haha. But seriously, this is fairly close, inside and out, what the car will look like in production.

 

[Leonidae]

it's been spotted again.

These new spy photos feature yet another version of the Lexus LF-A. Now in Matte Black, we can see even more details on the car compared to the barely-camouflaged white model spied last week.

Taken on the Nurburgring, the black model shows very sharp contours at the front, almost making the vehicle look like it was already attacked by a tuner firm. Some black tape is still used to mask details around the lighting, but the three-sectioned grille, front spoiler, hood vents, and new mirrors are perfectly visible.

Steep side sills lead to air intakes, which merge well with the rear wheel wells. The back end's rear fascia is mostly complete, and shaped in a way that perfectly uses tri-exhaust pipes. A rear diffuser looks to incorporate those pipes. Also at the back, we get our clearest view of the rear LED lights, although still partially covered.

Expected to use a 600-horsepower 4.8-liter V10 engine, the Lexus LF-A should be one of the hottest debuts at next month's Tokyo Motor Show.

 

[Philly]

It doesn't look complete, at all. Both ends have the appearance that they took they design they wanted to use for the showroom car and changed the body work a bit to look more unfinished. Remove the tape and padding and I think that thing would still look more like something Toyota would sell for work on a factory floor than a halo car for their showrooms. Especially that rear end.

But I like what I see with the elements that are showroom worthy. The front end bits and side styling do a very nice job of looking classy yet aggressive I think.

Also, the thing is front engined. So why does it have enough intake area at the back for a jet plane to take off? It just seems a little cheesy...

 

[Leonidae]

Didn't the original concept have coolers and fans back there?

 

[Bram Turismo]

Yes.

Say what you want, I think the LF-A is a stunner in the looks department.

 

[Jim Prower]

I'm actually halfway impressed. Looks like Toyota can make at least one car LOOK passionate.

One issue I have, though, is that it looks a bit like a Hot Wheels car of a few years ago. Don't remember what it was called...