The 4.8-liter V10 engine in the Lexus LFA is based on a racing engine used in Formula 1 vehicles. The track-bred engine produces 354 pound-feet of torque at 6,800 rpm and 552 horsepower at 8,700 rpm. The LFA uses a six-speed single-clutch automated-manual transmission to send power to the rear wheels.
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The Lexus LFA is a supercar, right?
Early in the decade of the 2010s, Lexus created the legendary LFA sports vehicle. With a starting price more in line with a Ferrari, it was costly for a Lexus. There were only 500 produced overall by the brand. The LFA, which has a 4.8-liter V10 engine and is naturally aspirated, is recognized as one of the best-sounding road cars ever created. Prime used examples can now sell for more than $1 million on the market.
It just so happens that the LFA is making a comeback, although in a slightly unexpected form: as an electric vehicle, after years of rumors hinting to its resurrection. Lexus stated they are developing a new battery-electric sports car with the “driving taste” and “secret sauce” of the LFA during Toyota’s EV ambitions announcement. There hasn’t been any news yet on the noise, but hey, speakers these days are amazing.
It can take some time until the LFA is electric in production. The RZ, Lexus’ first EV, won’t go on sale until the middle of 2022. There have been reports coming out of Japan that Lexus will release a new LFA in 2025. However, the same rumors claim that the new LFA will come equipped with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and a plug-in hybrid. The release of the final version may not occur until 2030, according to certain predictions.
The new electric supercar will have a quick 0-60 mph pace of under two seconds, according to Lexus. Additionally, they stated that the intended range is 435 miles, though to be fair, if the stricter EPA criteria rather than those used in Japan are utilized, the number may be lower.
The next sports car might make use of solid-state battery technology, according to Lexus. These solid-state batteries, which Toyota is purportedly developing, would be safer, more resilient, and more energy-dense than current EV batteries.
What are solid state batteries’ main advantages? With a battery pack of the same size, you can travel further. Therefore, manufacturers may either increase the range of current EVs or maintain the same range while significantly reducing vehicle weight. Charges are another significant advantage. A conventional battery would not be able to charge as quickly as a solid-state battery could.
A halo vehicle like the forthcoming electric LFA might be a good place to introduce such technology initially if it is pricey to begin with. Although Toyota has promised to put its first solid-state battery on the road by 2025, sources indicate that it’s more likely to be in a hybrid than a fully electric vehicle.
What is the LFA’s shift rate?
The transmission shifts about as quickly as you do on a good day in its slowest setting (Wet). The gearbox shifts with paddle selection and rev matching at its fastest (Sport) in roughly 200 milliseconds. Comparatively, a human involuntary blink lasts for roughly 150 milliseconds.
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. Five brand-new, unregistered LFA vehicles were still available as of January 2020, even though production on the model finished in December 2012 and the final vehicle arrived in the United States in 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 failed, why?
Last but not least, the price tag of this supercar was the main factor in its failure. The LFA debuted in 2011 with a windscreen sticker that read $400,000 on the market. It cost almost twice as much as a Ferrari 599, the same model.
What Lexus is the quickest?
Discover the most potent car that Lexus has ever produced. The Lexus GS F flawlessly mixes power, style, and grace into one ideal performance vehicle, with an amazing 467 horsepower and top track speed of 168 MPH.
How unusual is LFA?
The LFA could very well be the best car to ever carry the Lexus name. The Japanese manufacturer aimed to create a vehicle that could go head-to-head with the best that Europe has to offer. The car’s development started in the early 2000s, and by the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, it was finished. The LFA was all of that and more, with a stunning body created by Kengo Matsumoto and a racing-derived engine constructed with Yamaha’s assistance.
Sadly, it would take some time for the rest of the globe to catch on, by which time the vehicle’s manufacture, which lasted from 2010 to 2012, had stopped. Only 190 of the 500 automobiles produced at the time were exported to the US.
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.
Will the LFA ever resurface?
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.
Why wasn’t the LFA purchased?
Lexus eventually released the LFA after a decade of development and thorough testing, but nobody bought it.
The Lexus LFA is not only an excellent sports vehicle, but it is also an engineering marvel and a stunning work of art. The LFA, the Millau Viaduct in France, and the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland would be among the top 10 structures ever created if engineering were to someday be considered an art form.
Creating the LFA wasn’t simple. Everyone is already familiar with the tale. Over the course of six years, Toyota engineered and designed the vehicle, and just as it was about to be completed, an engineer questioned whether carbon fiber would make for a better body. After undergoing a revision, it took another four years before the car was unveiled at the 2010 Frankfurt Motor Show in its final production form. Toyota famously lost money on each and every one of the 500 LFAs it made despite selling them for an eye-watering $375,000 each. Although the LFA was seen as a commercial failure, its popularity has grown over the past few years to the point where used cars now fetch double or even more than the MSRP.
Therefore, even if it is extremely improbable that the majority of car aficionados ever drive, let alone see, an LFA, we can still daydream about it and enjoy its heavenly engine sound online. The LexusLFA is the most underestimated supercar ever created for the following ten reasons.
Has the Lexus LFA a turbo?
The LFA permanently altered public perceptions of Lexus. We believed that the Japanese brand had gone crazy when it was first unveiled. It charged $375,000 for each automobile, which was a wise investment. Nowadays, everyone is willing to pay more than $1 million for an LFAexcept when it’s covered in chrome.
The LFA’s replacement is on the way, but as an EV. Until we learned that Lexus might sell the all-new LFA in two flavorsEV and ICEthis news severely dented our spirits. However, from where would this ICE engine originate?
An earlier story made reference to a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with hybrid support, but it did not specify where the help would come from.
The solution has been right in front of us the entire time, claims the Japanese website and publication Mag-X. The Lexus LC endurance racer, which has been eclipsed by Toyota’s ongoing dominance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, will provide the engine.
For the LC racer, Lexus created a brand-new twin-turbo V8 to fight with its German rivals. The public initially learned about this in 2020, however the excitement rapidly subsided as Lexus abandoned its efforts due to the pandemic a few months later.
At the time, Lexus said that additional information about its twin-turbo V8 would be revealed later and that it would eventually be used in a sports car.
When the news first surfaced, it was commonly assumed that the engine was being held back for an LC version that would be faster. Even though the LC has a stunning appearance, its 5.0-liter naturally aspirated engine has never had the speed to compete with rivals like the 911 and BMW 8 Series.
If this report is accurate, the all-new LFA will compete against full-fat supercars while the LC will remain a player in the grand touring market.
At the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Lexus Electrified Sport Concept, widely rumored to be the next-generation LFA, will make its American debut. Since 190 of the initial LFA’s 500 units were sold in the USA, it is possible that the company will wish to make the significant announcement there.