Made almost entirely from carbon fiber and aluminum, the LF-A convertible is the latest Lexus to move the brand's L-Finesse styling philosophy forward. The V10 engine, which Lexus coyly says is "approaching 5.0 liters", is "capable of more than 500 horsepower", and is — we're not kidding — "capable of test track speeds greater than 200 mph." Not the car, mind you, the engine. Really — read the wording of the press release. Using the same logic, Lexus has a ways to go to catch the 565 mph that the Cadillac Allante achieved in 1987 when its bodies were flown from Pininfarina in Turin, Italy, back to GM in Hamtramck, Michigan, in a special 747.
Mounted in a mid-front configuration, the engine is connected to a rear-mid transaxle via a torque tube, a design which adds rigidity to the chassis while simultaneously mitigating vibration. While Lexus doesn't give any performance figures for the LF-A, they must be doing something right, as the fixed-roof version of the LF-A recently broke the Porsche GT2's Nürburging lap time, tripping the timers in 7 minutes and 24 seconds. Click below for the full press release, as well as photography.
"The fact that German cars are more reliable than Japanese cars is not surprising in the eyes of the car enthusiasts who actually drive German cars and know that they are bullet proof when it comes to reliability." - Invincible
Although the 7min 24sec Nurburgring time is impressive, if I had the money I'd have zero interest. Absolute zero passion to have this car. I'll take a slower car that gets my heart beating everytime over this.
WOW, what a tough bunch in here, why I am I not surprised?
The care tears it up on the track, yet it doesn't have passion? WTF?
I swear, you guys are getting absolutely ridiculous these days... it's absolutely pathetic. Give credit where credit is due for goodness sake.
It all goes back to the tons of Honda Civics blowing off a Lambo in a street race shown on YouTube, I don't care if its beats me in a race, I'd still rather have a Lambo. Honestly, if they sell this car for 100K and I can get a pristine Ferrari 355GTB for the same price, I'm going Ferrari.
It all goes back to the tons of Honda Civics blowing off a Lambo in a street race shown on YouTube, I don't care if its beats me in a race, I'd still rather have a Lambo. Honestly, if they sell this car for 100K and I can get a pristine Ferrari 355GTB for the same price, I'm going Ferrari.
My $100 would go for an Aston Vantage any day of the week. Local dealer has one for 94K. hmmmmm
It all goes back to the tons of Honda Civics blowing off a Lambo in a street race shown on YouTube, I don't care if its beats me in a race, I'd still rather have a Lambo. Honestly, if they sell this car for 100K and I can get a pristine Ferrari 355GTB for the same price, I'm going Ferrari.
BUT THIS ISN'T A RICED OUT CIVIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bet you don't consider the NSX to have passion either
"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."
The Japanese press have said that the car is making around 580hp from 4.8 liters in the test mule presently. Also, the recent issue of Evo reported that Toyota wasn't happy with the performance, they wanted the car to hit 350kph(217mph) to justify the asking price of the car, but the car is having trouble going beyond 330kph(205mph) at the current stage of development. Being that the car is composed mainly of carbon-fiber I honestly expect it to come out well above $100k.
I hope they all those "F" cars are a complete flop and sink Lexus. This has no heritage to lean on, no history of racing but for the past couple of decades. This is pathetic. Listen people, get this straight, Lexus IS NOT A BRAND, IT IS A MARKETING BRANCH OF A BRAND. This is just marketing.
ROFL
You seem like the type that puts tinfoil on your head before you go to sleep at night. This car is extremely impressive and racing history means not a damn thing to me.
Lamborghini has no racing heritage as far as I'm concerned, but I'd sink down $200k on a Gallardo all day, any day. Anyway, this car is amazing and I love it. I'm glad to see Lexus is getting more bold and interesting. Between the IS-F and the LF-A, I'm really excited about future performance variants of Lexus. I wonder if we'll ever get an IS-F in coupe form.
For the most part. If memory serves, it's also the cucumber capital of Japan. Hence the home-market ads for the FT-86 featuring Takeichi-kun, the cartoon cucumber whose meteoric rise through the underground drift world has shamed him in the eyes of his school-master.
Drive a Ferari or Lambo one time and then tell me which car has more passion.
I never said anything about the Lexus having more passion than those other cars. Don't put words in my mouth.
I'm just saying, give credit where credit is due. You don't get performance numbers like that around the ring in a vehicle that isn't:
1) Fast 2) Balanced
Or in other words, a great all-around vehicle. How can a "passionless" car achieve such a feat? This isn't a Camry, this isn't a Corolla, this is a vehicle on a mission to be fast -- to take on the best around the world.
You people need to get your heads out of your asses and stop looking at the brand name and instantly deducting that it "Has no soul" or that it is "Passionless."
If the Germans put out a car, you guys are instantly onboard and don't even give it a second thought as to how competent a vehicle is.
Koenigsegg puts out an awesome supercar and you guys don't question it. It has "instant" passion and soul. Hell, you guys are quick to complement any car that gets a top time on Top Gear's test track.
But Toyota, everyone's favorite beige whipping boy can't even get a break around here... even with their Lexus division. They have the money, the resources, the engineering expertise and the drive to build a world class machine, and you guys still won't give them the time of day.
I thought you guys were supposed to be CAR enthusiasts, not BRAND enthusiasts
"Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."
looks like it should be rear/mid engine with the 360 modena style vents above the doors and the lambo looking rear bumper vents..
There is actually a functional reasoning behind that. As Lexus explains it:
Quote »
The rear is marked by a pair of wrap-around, arrowhead-shaped taillights that bracket a pair of large grilles. These grilles vent the heated air from the car's two rear-mounted radiators into the LF-A Roadster's aerodynamic wake. The radiators are fed cool air by two large intake ducts mounted just above the rear wheel wells. This aft radiator positioning not only allowed the designers to keep the car's front profile low and tight but also aided the LF-A's chassis engineers in their search for optimal weight distribution.
Your car does not have soul, you just have a pitiful selection of adjectives in your vocabulary. -... .- -. - .- -... ..- .-.. .- I post useless garbage at http://twitter.com/salynch
I think just like the NSX it may have some takers the first year and then sales will plummet. Very few that drive Porsches, Ferrari and Lambo are going to jump ship to Lexus. The fanboys of this car are the guys that can't afford it. In my opinion they guy who should buy this car is the guy who already has a Ferrari with cash to burn and wants this as his track car to beat on at club events. If you only have money to buy one sports car at this price level, pick a legend instead.
The performance should be great, but I think it's hideous.
"What you are, is by accident of birth. What I am, I created myself. There are, and have been, thousands of princes; there is only one Beethoven." -- Beethoven
Anyone have any idea how much it will sell for? Looks like its going to be a 6 digit car.
I think its gorgeous....
"From the heavy rumble of a stormy night, through the trumpeting of mighty elephants, to the roar of a raging lion, the SuperVeloce performs the grand opera for 12 cylinders, 48 valves, and 8000 revs!"
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