The Lexus LFA is a two-seat sports car made by Lexus, the premium automotive division of Toyota (Japanese: LFA, Rekusasu LFA). It is the first solo Lexus F model and the second model in Lexus’ F marque line of high-performance cars, following the IS F. At the North American International Auto Show, three concept versions were shown, each bearing the LF-A moniker as a member of the LF Series concept series. The initial LF-A concept debuted in 2005 following the start of development in the early 2000s (under the codename TXS), and a second idea with a more fully furnished interior and exterior debuted in 2007. In 2008, the LF-third A’s iteration with a roadster body style made its debut. In October 2009, the Tokyo Motor Show hosted the unveiling of the production model, designated LFA[3] by trademark. [4] The “Apex” of the LF line of vehicles is represented by the “A” in the production LFA nomenclature, according to Lexus. [5]
The LFA was an opportunity for Akio Toyoda, CEO of parent firm Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), to establish a global icon for the Lexus brand and represent Toyoda’s philosophy that the ideal Lexus should connect with its owner.
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The Lexus LFA’s production model has a body constructed of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer and a 412 kW (560 PS; 553 horsepower) V10 engine created in partnership with Yamaha specifically for the vehicle (CFRP). 65 percent of the mass of the LFA’s body is made up of CFRP components. [7] The LFA began manufacturing in the latter part of 2010. [8] [9] One of the most costly Japanese road vehicles ever produced made its dbut in 2012[10] as a circuit-tuned variation. [11] 500 vehicles were built through December 2012, with a Nrburgring Package model serving as the last vehicle. [12]
Alain Uyttenhoven, head of Lexus Europe, said there wouldn’t be a new LFA replacement anytime soon in February 2016.
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After selling three LFAs in 2019, Lexus still had four LFAs available as of 2020[update]. Despite the fact that the LFA’s production ceased in 2012, two were nevertheless sold in March 2020 and another in September 2020. [14] [15] [16]
In This Article...
What caused the Lexus LFA to be retired?
Unfortunately, the Lexus LFA was never able to attract enough auto consumers to keep it in production for a long time. Initially, a number of regulations were placed in place based on Toyota’s hopes for the vehicle, but as time went on, some of them had to be altered as a result of the failure of those expectations. Even though the Lexus LFA didn’t achieve amazing sales figures, it is still a really cool-looking vehicle with exceptional performance, so its supporters are still eager to speak up in the present. Given its ultimate fate, this may not be much of a comfort, but acknowledgment is recognition.
Is Lexus producing a new LFA?
The Lexus LFA’s successor is starting to take shapeat least according to unconfirmed speculations. According to reports, the company’s next supercar, which will reportedly have a V8 under the hood, will debut in the upcoming years. It will be followed by a battery-electric model that will be released at the turn of the decade.
According to an article in the Japanese magazine Best Car, which cited unnamed inside sources, the long-awaited vehicle that will succeed the limited-edition LFA will hit showrooms in 2025. It will be propelled by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain centered on a shrouded 4.0-liter V8 engine with two turbochargers, as we’ve previously reported. According to the report, the unnamed coupe will go on sale as a regular-production model and will be constructed on a modified version of Toyota’s TNGA-L platform. Because it uses the same design as, among other models, the LC and LS, Lexus should be able to keep the cost of the vehicle under control.
According to Best Car, the hybrid vehicle’s front end will take stylistic influences from the Electrified Sport concept car, which was unveiled in December 2021. Engineers estimate that the hybrid system’s overall output will be approximately 700 horsepower. The article claims that sales will begin in 2025.
In relation to that, the Electrified Sport won’t be available until 2030 at the earliest with a battery-electric drivetrain. It sounds like what we saw in December 2021 more closely foreshadowed the hybrid supercar than the electric one; its design will change over the next eight plus years. It had a maximum driving range of more than 430 miles and could accelerate quickly from a halt to 60 mph. It’s interesting to note that the Electrified Sport may employ solid-state batteries in the same study. Although that technology isn’t quite ready, Lexus has plenty of time to perfect it.
Can a brand-new LFA still be purchased?
The Lexus LFA is regarded by many as one of the best supercars ever produced. I imagined that since Lexus only produced 500 units, they were immediately consumed. I was mistaken. Despite the fact that Lexus stopped producing the LFA in 2012, Carscoops reports that there are still seven brand-new LFA supercars available for purchase in the United States.
Lexus had stated that it still had 12 LFAs on hand. Five of the automobiles have now been sold. Seven vehicles are still on dealer lots across the nation.
When it was released in 2011, the LFA was a revelation. It took a very, very long time to arrive, but when it did, it astounded many in the automotive press and customers.
That being said, it cost $400,000 to purchase. Potential customers might have found that to be too much. The car is currently available for approximately $350,000, with some excellent models apparently costing as much as $500,000.
All things considered, the LFA featured one of the best V8 engines ever created by a Japanese carmaker. The 4.8-liter V8 produced 352 lb-ft of torque and 552 horsepower. It had a free-revving engine with a chill-inducing exhaust noise.
These cars probably won’t be worth as much as they did when they were first purchased. They’ll probably become collectible cars. However, it appears that not many people are currently prepared to pay for the car. You can pick one of seven cars if you’re one of the few who are willing.
What number of LFA remain?
According to the listing, the owner of the dealership, Arlington Lexus in Palatine, Illinois, bought the vehicle after it was delivered to the business. However, according to the listing, it has only 72 miles on the odometer and has spent the most of the last nine years on display in the dealership’s showroom. The LFA’s final sale price of $808,000 reflects a profit of $433,000 over its initial sticker price of $375,000 plus any initial dealer discount. Sometimes it makes sense to keep a brand-new car for almost ten years.
Many dealerships kept their LFAs as showcase items to draw customers into their showrooms. The final LFA car arrived in the United States in December 2012, when production of the vehicle terminated. As of January 2020, five brand-new, unregistered vehicles were still on the market in the States as of February 2013.
The carbon-fiber-bodied LFA was intended to be a halo vehicle for Lexus, elevating the company’s reputation while leveraging some of parent Toyota’s Formula One expertise.
A 5.2-liter V-10 with a 9,000-rpm redline and 552 horsepower and 334 lb-ft of torque powers the vehicle. An automatic manual transmission with six speeds and a single clutch is attached to the high-revving engine.
Despite that magnificent V-10, many people have trouble grasping the concept of a Lexus supercar. In comparison to the rest of the Lexus series, the $375,000 base price appeared absurd. That could help to explain why even the modest 500-unit production run was difficult for Lexus to sell.
According to the listing, this vehicle is one of just five Pearl Yellow versions made for the American market. Though sources disagree on the precise number, less than 200 automobiles were imported into the United States.
Even more than other recent LFA sales, the sale price was high. A brown LFA was posted for sale at a dealership in January with an asking price of $680,000, while a silver LFA sold for $720,000 at an auction earlier this year.
The LFA won’t ever return.
According to one Japanese publication, one of Japan’s current supercar icons could make a comeback in 2025, but say goodbye to the roaring Yamaha V10 engine. According to a Japanese magazine, the storied Lexus LFA supercar could return in 2025 with plug-in hybrid propulsion and around 1000 horsepower.
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Is the LFA coming back?
According to the Japanese publication Best Car, Lexus will bring back the LFA supercar in 2025 with a brand-new model.
The engine will still be a V8, but it will now be a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 engine that works in conjunction with a plug-in hybrid system to provide a total of 940 horsepower. This new supercar would maintain the braided carbon fiber body of the LFA heritage.
(As for the rumor’s veracity, who can say? If this 2025 schedule is accurate, a new supercar from Lexus wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise, but we would have to witness some sort of prototype testing soon.)
Who is a Lexus LFA owner?
Only 50 of the even more rare Lexus LFA Nrburgring models left the Motomachi production line, and Pasin Lathouras is the proud owner of one. When visiting the UK, Pasin, who is based in Thailand, drives the LFA on a regular basis. We spoke with him to learn more about what it’s like to drive and own this storied supercar.
The Uniqueness
The LFA is more than just a typical supercar, despite the fact that it does so obviously. Both the exterior and interior appear to be completely custom-made. Since every single car was totally handcrafted in Japan by a small group of workers known as takumi, the attention to detail is astounding. There’s a slim possibility that you’ll see two LFAs, much less one, at a supercar meet as just 500 of these vehicles were produced.
The Engineering
In addition to having a small number of units produced, the LFA is a marvel of engineering. The first LF-A concept car was unveiled at NAIAS in 2005, but the car’s development actually started back in 2000.
A few years before manufacturing, the development came to an end after continuing continuously for some time. The LFA’s planned aluminum body would be excessively heavy, thus CFRP was chosen instead. It only weights 1480 kg as a result, and when combined with the 552 hp of the 4.8 L V10, you get a vehicle that can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 326 km/h (203 MPH). Yes, that does seem impressive, but not really. But how it delivers that power is what really stands out about it. Which brings up the next point.
The Sound
The LFA is arguably best known for its instantly recognizable, distinctive, and high-pitched sound. It’s frequently compared to an F1 car because of this. The engine’s relatively small displacement need higher engine revs in order to produce adequate power. As a result, the redline can reach 9000 rpm.