Lexus LF-A: The Long and Winding Road

[McLaren]

But the Veyron did come out...eventually.

And? This should, too, but everyone just has to be patient.

That LF-A looks like it's ready to go into production. Normally Toyota can make a model production ready pretty fast, so maybe it's slower than the GTR and Toyota is improving the car even further, or they wait for their first succes in F1 before releasing it...

I doubt it's slower than the GT-R b/c even though I don't believe the sources saying it's achieving 7:25 (or whatever), it has to be pretty fast for them to start saying that.

 

[YSSMAN]

...or they wait for their first succes in F1 before releasing it...

We'll have to wait a long, long, long time then...

 

[Hugo Boss]

If there's one season where Toyota does have some sort of pace in their car, it must be this one. I think a podium spot would suffice for releasing the LF-A to the public

 

[McLaren]

From FC.com's BADNED

Press Release:

LEXUS LF-A CONCEPT TO PARTICIPATE IN NÜRBURGRING 24 HOUR RACE

The Lexus LF-A concept car will participate in the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race on 24–25 May 2008 as part of ongoing development.

Testing the vehicle on the famous Nürburgring circuit for 24 hours under gruelling race conditions will provide Lexus engineers with a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge that can be used to further the vehicle’s overall development.

The vehicle is not a dedicated race car and will only be equipped with the safety equipment (roll cage, fuel tank, etc.) necessary to meet racing regulations.

A team of experienced Japanese drivers will have the aim of providing feedback to the Lexus development team rather than achieving a race result.

For race support, Lexus will assign a team of young mechanics as part of the company’s commitment to the development of personal and technical skills.

The LF-A concept is powered by a high-revving, 500+ bhp V10 engine. Its front mid-engine placement, along with a rear mounted transmission and rear mounted radiators, allows for excellent weight distribution and agile handling. The horsepower and refined aerodynamics make a top speed of 200 mph not only possible, but probable.

The LF-A concept was originally shown in 2005 to express a bold new direction in styling for the Lexus brand. The goals for the current LF-A are no different than they were with the original concept; to build a supercar with world class performance that is uniquely Lexus.



Spyvideo of the race-spec LF-A Concept running at the Nürburgring GP course:

 

[Appie]

OK, that V10 sound is epic

 

[opendriver]

It sounds just like the V-10 F1's!


DO WANT

 

[peeweegary]

The sound.....i think i jus went myself

 

[harrytuttle]

So the first time this will be officially on the road will be in international competition? That sounds vaguely Italian....

It might be Toyota's retur^H^H^H^Hentrance to actual sports cars. I hear moderately good things about the IS-F, too, but I'd have to experience that firsthand to believe it.

Oh, and the V10 does indeed sound nice. Any time you can emulate the sound of an F1 engine through purely mechanical means, it's a win in my book.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'll be running against the Scirocco, wonder what it's odds are there?

lol

 

[dougiemeats]

I'll be running against the Scirocco, wonder what it's odds are there?

lol

It's a 24-hour race. Its chances are higher than you think.

I can't wait to see this in action. That is, if live video of the race is once again available online.

 

[Jim Prower]

um...wow. now, if Toyota would only make some CHEAP sports cars.

 

[Bram Turismo]

EPIC!

Love that sound when it dowshifts! 👍


Also, it looks absolutely stunning in black

 

[Leonidae]

let's see that thing in JGTC, that is currently being dominated by GT-R's.. for once again..

 

[Bram Turismo]

That sport got boring with all the Z's, FIA GT FTW!

 

[SlipZtrEm]

That sport got boring with all the Z's, FIA GT FTW!

So swap Z's for 3-series and 911's?

Nice sound, but I'll echo the sentiment; I'm more interested in the Scooby/Toyota rear-drive platform than this, as it's far more applicable to my interests.

 

[Bram Turismo]

So swap Z's for 3-series and 911's?

Nice sound, but I'll echo the sentiment; I'm more interested in the Scooby/Toyota rear-drive platform than this, as it's far more applicable to my interests.

Porsches over Nissans at all times dude 👍

 

[Prosthetic]

Porsches over Nissans at all times dude 👍

Nu uh

Nissan > Porsche

I like my cars to not look all the same

 

[Jim Prower]

Actually, FIA GT is dominated by bastardized Ferrari Enzos.

But we're WAAAAY off topic, now.

 

[006r]

I love the sound of that thing...man! That thing sounds mean!

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Actually, FIA GT is dominated by now-better-looking Ferrari Enzos.

But we're WAAAAY off topic, now.

Fixed!

To swerve back onto topic, the freeze-frame Youtube provides has the car really looking like a modern Supra in profile. I suppose if the GT-R has gone supercar hunting, the Supra might as well now too.

 

[YSSMAN]

If the rumors are true on the 'Ring Wiki, the LF-A is lapping at somewhere around 7:24 which would make it shockingly fast. But, if they're going to charge $200K for it, it damn-well better run like a champ. Especially if its taking this long to build...

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Wait... 200K? I thought it was going to end up under-cutting Ferraris, not going over them?!

For that much, it'll fail. Nissan was worried about the GT-R being too highly priced for the badge, nobody is going to take a two-hundred-thousand dollar Toyota seriously, melty-L on the grille or not.

 

[McLaren]

If the rumors are true on the 'Ring Wiki, the LF-A is lapping at somewhere around 7:24 which would make it shockingly fast. But, if they're going to charge $200K for it, it damn-well better run like a champ. Especially if its taking this long to build...

Folks are saying that's in Australian dollars. The ring time, though, is still unconfirmed.

 

[YSSMAN]

Thats still $150K USD, even if that suggestion was in AUD. And yeah, the ring times are completely unconfirmed... Hopefully its run at the 24-Hours of the Nurburgring will give us a somewhat "enlightened" idea of what it can do at a fast (but safe) clip.

 

[McLaren]

Thats still $150K USD, even if that suggestion was in AUD. And yeah, the ring times are completely unconfirmed... Hopefully its run at the 24-Hours of the Nurburgring will give us a somewhat "enlightened" idea of what it can do at a fast (but safe) clip.

Well, $150K is what Lexus has been estimating.

 

[Prosthetic]

Wait... 200K? I thought it was going to end up under-cutting Ferraris, not going over them?!

For that much, it'll fail. Nissan was worried about the GT-R being too highly priced for the badge, nobody is going to take a two-hundred-thousand dollar Toyota seriously, melty-L on the grille or not.

Nissan wasn't worried... Considering before they released the 08' GT-R people would spend more then 100k to bring them to the states. Nissan could probably charge 25k-30k more and they would still sell. But it wouldn't be such a killer deal.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Using the Motorex argument isn't quite solid though; people were spending that much, yes, but Nissan saw none of it, and it was a very, very select few who were importing them based on their knowledge of it. Now that it's finally officially available here, there's bound to be people who don't really know much about it, and wonder why there is a lone car priced... what, at least twice as expensive as the next-expensive Nissan? The average American knows the name Corvette or Viper... they definitely don't think of Nissan when they think of that class.

 

[MustangSVT]

Using the Motorex argument isn't quite solid though; people were spending that much, yes, but Nissan saw none of it, and it was a very, very select few who were importing them based on their knowledge of it. Now that it's finally officially available here, there's bound to be people who don't really know much about it, and wonder why there is a lone car priced... what, at least twice as expensive as the next-expensive Nissan? The average American knows the name Corvette or Viper... they definitely don't think of Nissan when they think of that class.

Every 15-25 year old guy around here knows what a Skyline is and wishes they had one. I don't know how you can say that people in States don't know what a GT-R/Skyline is. The same people that only know the name Corvette and viper are the people that most likely wouldn't buy a Corvette or viper. The fact that the GT-R is like pre-sold out goes agaisnt what you're saying.

 

[niky]

Well... the average moderately wealthy American? Many non-millionaires looking at cars in the region of $50-100k are baby boomers in their late 50's and early 60's... people who've saved up from a lifetime of work and who are looking at buying that iconic sportscar they've always wanted... which is usually either a Viper or a Vette.

But of course, when you consider the millionaire ballers, rappers and "new money"... MBAs who make over seven figures a year... the GTR isn't going to be a hard sell, anyway.

 

[YSSMAN]

Rappers?

No. Not even close.

They're so obsessed with G-Bodies and A-Bodies right now that they can't wrap their head around a GT-R. Plus, 50 Cent, the only rapper who seems to have any credibility when it comes to cars (other than Jay-Z) has been hooked on the Charger and G8 for some time now...