Toyota GT86 and Lexus LFA Ready For Nurburgring 24 Hours

Japan is planning a major assault on the lovely village of Nürburg in Germany this weekend. The weapons they’re using include one Lexus LFA and four Toyota GT86 racing cars. What they’re after is a place on podium at the Nurburgring 24 hours race. The LFA as well as two of the GT86s are fielded by Gazoo Racing, while the other two GT86 production cars are entered by Toyota Swiss Racing Team.

The LFA is no stranger to the ‘Ring, as it’s been racing there long before it even becomes a real produciton car. It will fight this years in the SP8 Class. The new boy GT86 is set for competing in the SP3 class.

Toyota decided that all the technicians and drivers for the teams should be Toyota employees from Japan. They want the people who actually design and engineer these cars to be directly involved in the sport, so they can use the experience in developing future cars. Great thinking.

Both the LFA and the GT86 has been warming up for the big race. Earlier this year they took part in two shorter-distance races at the Nurburgring, in which the LFA was twice a winner in its class and the GT86 showed promising progress.

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SHOWTIME - 5/16/2012 1:57:19 PM

-4 Boost

Respect to the LF-A but for a sec I didn't know which was which lol

LexSucks - 5/16/2012 4:21:16 PM

-9 Boost

Toyota/Lexus doesn't have a clue on how to bring enthusiasts to the brand. You dont do it by only building an unaffordable exotic, and an underpowered tepid "Sports" coupe. What a lame brand.

LexSucks - 5/16/2012 5:09:52 PM

-9 Boost

How about you not make it personal? Oh... I forgot, you’re a Toyota fan. You can't counter what I've stated with anything so you attack.

You Toyota fans are amazing. Say something bad about a Toyota and you guys get all personal with insults and attacks. LOL!! What are you guys? Teenagers?

GG123 - 5/16/2012 7:13:06 PM

+11 Boost

You know something? The comment you just made actually make you sound somewhat of a hater. Ok, I get it that the LF-A is out of reach for 99.9% of us and therefore cannot effectively represent the "sporty" image it's trying to adopt.

But to blindly claim how the GT86/FRS is "tepid". Huh?? Are you for real???

Let me ask you this...have you ever driven this car? I bet not. I'll tell you who has...just about every car mag there is out there. Yes, that includes Top Gear UK, among many other publications. And they have unanimously praised this car for the fun factor. It was never about the horsepower with this car. It's about the fun the car can generate from it's sporty nature. That's the reason it's priced affordably. This IS the company's entry-level, bare-bones offering to the public as it tries to improve their image.

Had they boosted HP and increased displacement, it would probably be priced much higher they you'd be back here saying how out-of-clue Toyota is in offering cars that are out of reach.

Based on your argument, Toyota might as well pack up now as they'll never shed their image no matter how hard they try. This is what makes you somewhat of a hater. I qualified it with the word "somewhat" as you're a bit tolerable than a couple of posters here (you know who you are).

LexSucks - 5/16/2012 8:23:31 PM

-6 Boost

The FR-S accelerates like a mini-van. Defend that as much as you want. Bare bones? What about the folks who don't want "Bare bones"? Guess they'll have to go to Hyundai of Nissan because because Toyota doesn't have a player. Lame company dude.

knowitall1985 - 5/17/2012 5:10:56 PM

+4 Boost

Hyundai and Nissan are poor quality....WE OWN BOTH BRANDS!!!

1CarSmart1 - 5/18/2012 9:14:01 AM

+1 Boost

One positive is that the Dodge Viper Oxcart lap record will soon be destroyed.