22 Votes

FIRST Drive: Lexus LF-A is "Raw, Intense and Manic"

Agent00R submitted on 10/21/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 11:42:42 AM

31 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: www.autocar.co.uk

Tag Links: lexus, LF-A, LF-L, toyota racing development

The LFA is Lexus’s long awaited first supercar.

Six years in the making, and subject to a major rethink mid development, the LFA faces a fair amount of expectation.

Still, the final on-paper stats certainly justify the supercar billing. A bespoke 4.8-litre V10 producing 552bhp and revving to 9000rpm. A transaxle six-speed automated sequential gearbox. Extensive use of carbonfibre reinforced plastic for the chassis construction and body panels. Conventional rear-wheel drive, and no hybrid drive. The LFA also comes with a supercar price tag of 375,000 euros (£343,000)....

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"There are two opinions in this world. Mine and the wrong one." -- Jeremy Clarkson
— Agent00R (View Profile)

User Comments

A positive review...

"What’s more impressive though, is that the LFA has a character of its own, rather follow a preset supercar template. That it is more solidly constructed than anything Italian, and less flamboyant, is perhaps to be expected from a Lexus. What’s surprising though is how honed and sharp it feels to drive. While it has GT qualities it’s no soft-edged GT. Instead it is a serious and credible supercar."
— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 12:10:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

AS was mentioned in another thread, the TECHNOLOGY in the LF-A can not be compared to any other exotic out there.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 12:39:29 PM | | Votes: -7

TECHNOLOGY... why did you capitalize every letter? Is it an abbreviation for something?

The
Extreme
Chinese
Haters
Nightmare
Overrated
Luxury
Otto
Ghetto
Yall
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:30:05 PM | | Votes: -8

Wow, the brand new LF-A outclasses all other supercars out there in terms of the newest technology? Thanks for telling me this. I would never have come to such a conclusion by myself.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:32:43 PM | | Votes: -5

I have to point out TECHNOLOGY as the factor that really seperates this car from other exotics. Most of the dopes on this site are going to try and make the comparison to
a GT-R or CTS-V in terms of performance, but as you know this car is marketed against a totally different class of vehicles.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:54:19 PM | | Votes: 0

Ohh, so it's TECHNOLOGY that makes this car weigh as much as my 86 steel bodied thunderbird? Here I thought "TECHNOLOGY" found in a supercar was supposed to make it lighter weight and faster...
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 2:02:38 PM | | Votes: 0

The V10 engine alone only weighs the same as an average V6, and it also meets Euro 5 emissions. Just one of the high tech features that seperate it from the pack. You can keep your Tbird.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 2:21:07 PM | | Votes: 0

lol cause so few cars are capable of passing emissions tests </sarcasm> so if this engine weighs so little why does the vehicle weigh so much?
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 2:43:08 PM | | Votes: -1

Considering same V10 M6 weighs 4000 lb, it's clear you're biased and cannot take it like a man, don't you?

TECHNOLOGY - 9000 rpm and 115 hp/L. That said it all.
— dlin (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 3:24:24 PM | | Votes: 3

. . .but why did they have to make it ugly?
— grysko (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 5:48:25 PM | | Votes: 0

TECHNOLOGY 15,000rpm and almost 200hp/liter naturally aspirated for $10,000. Can you guess the vehicle? And LOL, you had to compare it to a fat ass bmw to make it seem like a supercar.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 6:13:16 PM | | Votes: -2

LOL...... Joe aka 'asian hater', stop the BS and have fun with your bike if you cannot afford a real car. 200 hp/L? No problem, any MFR can do that if you can sell it @ 3 mpg highway. I hope you'll be the engineer to bring that one day. Mazda will be a good start!
— dlin (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 9:08:55 PM | | Votes: 3

How am I a Japanese hater? lol that bike is Japanese! Speaking of which I have made a car with one of those engines, 0-60 in about 3.5 and it got 28mpg full out racing... Also, I like the GTR and am strongly considering getting a used gto/3000gt as my next vehicle.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 9:44:46 PM | | Votes: 0

This car just made the new improved 911 feel like it's 30yrs old. Not that the 911s F/R bumper change and a few HP bump has really made any difference anyway.
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:08:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

How does this limited production, $375k+ "supercar" compete with the mass produced 911 (whose price ranges from roughly $76k to $200k)?
— HSCenterconsole (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:27:25 PM | | Votes: 1

Because people keep mentioning it the same sentence as the low prestige mass production Porsche.
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 11:38:16 PM | | Votes: 1

Wow, this car is nice but seriously overpriced. I would rather get the base GT-R or V-Spec version, both of which I think look better and will outperform it.
— PerformanceGuy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:34:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

I wonder if they'll be able to find 500 buyers at that price.
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:46:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

They have so much interest in this car, Lexus is going to pick the lucky owners from a list, similar to how Ferraris are sold.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 1:57:17 PM | | Votes: -1

Links to back up your claim about the demand?
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 2:07:32 PM | | Votes: 1

I don't know how credible this source is but user "mitchatlexusofmarin" claimed on 10/13 that there are already 500 deposits for this car in California alone. This was the thread:

http://www.autospies.com/news/VIDEO-Lexus-LF-A-The-Best-Car-I-Have-Ever-Driven-48781/

I don't think they'll have a problem. Remember, just because the Maybach and Phaeton (in the US) were a flop, it doesn't meant the LF-A won't sell.
— _43LE (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 2:18:48 PM | | Votes: 5

"How does this limited production, $375k+ "supercar" compete with the mass produced 911"

We all will find out soon. I don't think 911s got any chance even Carrera GT. Also LF-A looks 100 times better than those egg shape Porsches.

JUGNU
— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 4:17:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

At a whopping $562,398.23 (based off the 375,000 Euro at todays conversion rate) makes it debut and with only 500 cars built I sure the will have no problem selling them out. This is a brilliant automobile but as with Lexus’s other attempts at high-performance cars there is one significant problem, the competition. In this case it Ferraris brilliant new 458 Italia. While the looks of the two cars maybe debatable the numbers are not.

Lexus LF-A
4.8-liter V10
560 hp at 8,700 RPM
354 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,800 RPM

Ferrari 458 Italia
4.5-liter V8
562 horsepower
398 lb-ft of torque.

It takes Toyota a 4.8 Liter V10 to come close to what Ferrari does with a 4.5-liter V8.

The new Ferrari 548 Italia is half the price, more performance and I’m sorry, more technologically advanced (the 6 speed SMG transmission is antiquated, and should be more properly used as a boat anchor).

I have not doubt Lexus will sell the 500 cars allotted, they just better no make any more.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 4:59:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

$375,000US
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 9:27:19 PM | | Votes: 0

F*ing hilarious how people are trying to find anything possible to dismiss this car:

weight
price
demand
looks

— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 5:58:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

the longevity of the lexus will cream that of a ferrari anyday. drive your ferrari for more than 10K miles and the value is depleted by half. Lexus on the other hand is known for it's resale value, as is toyota. Toyota supras from 12 years ago still sell for more than half their original cost with over 50K miles on it. That's demand performance and reliability. Tell me when was the last time a ferrari made 50K cars of one model and had its resale value at half or better 12 years down the line? Never. You people will write off anything if it's japanese. The GTR couldn't beat the Porsche, it did. The Lexus cars couldn't compete with the german cars, they sell better. Now this LFA comes out and it won't be as good as a ferrari or the new McFalen aka McLaren. Fact is a few journalists for renowned magazine titles have already said it was better than the 599GTB. Another magazine praised it saying the limits are easier to explore and it's more confidence inspiring than anything competitive from the V10 audi to the Ferrari 430 Scuderia to the Lamborghini Gallardo.
— freshseth83 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 7:20:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

citing the magazine(s) without specifying or linking isn't proof of anything except maybe that you are one of the trolls plaguing this site. further proof to my point, look who approves, and actually finds your rambling excellent!
do you even know what an argument is, let alone how to make one?
— nvme (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 5:32:30 AM | | Votes: 1

Where are you getting resell values for Ferrari? Ferrari is famous for keeping it's resell value were other cars fail. Looking a Manhiem auction reports show a 2006 Modena selling for 135k to 140k off it original sale price. look at the record price for car sold you'll find the majority are Ferrai. If you want to compare resell values take a look at what a 30+ year old 308 sells for compared to just about any exotic (or car) stating Ferrari don't hold their value is just making things up.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 11:41:16 AM | | Votes: 2

freshseth83,
excellent comments.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/21/2009 9:25:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

ugly.
— xj13 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 7:50:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

agreed. tacky too.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 2:00:51 PM | | Votes: 1

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FIRST Drive: Lexus LF-A is "Raw, Intense and Manic"

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