The LFA, the first of a series of 20 models, serves as evidence of just how outlandish and fantastical the power outputs of naturally aspirated vehicles have become in recent years.
The LFA’s engine is one of the best ever made, even though its 552 horsepower may put it on par with Ferrari’s softest car, the turbocharged California T.
At 8,700 rpm, the 4.8-liter V10 reaches its peak power and begins to scream with what the LFA’s head engineer referred to as “the roar of an angel.”
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How powerful is the Lexus LFA’s engine?
Power for the Lexus LFA comes from a 72-degree bank angle. A 4,805 cc (4.8 L; 293.2 cu in) V10 engine with Dual VVT-i and the model number 1LR-GUE can produce up to 412 kW (560 PS; 553 horsepower) at 8,700 rpm. At 6,800 rpm, it can produce 480 Nm (354 lbft) of maximum torque, 90 percent of which is accessible at 3,700 rpm. The engine’s redline is set at 9,000 rpm, although it has a fuel cutoff set at 9,500 rpm [56] and is built with forged titanium connecting rods, solid titanium valves, and aluminum pistons. The LFA’s V-10 engine’s V-angle is tuned to 72 degrees to perfectly balance the pistons’ firing force. Without the need for a split-journal crankshaft, this 72-degree angle enables equal firing from the pistons, increasing engine performance and reducing total weight. Dry sump lubrication lowers the center of gravity of the engine and minimizes oil starvation through sharp turns at high speeds. Direct air intake from below the hood is made possible by a visible slit. Air then travels via a dual-stage variable intake manifold, ten separate throttle bodies, and a dual-stage titanium muffler before leaving the vehicle.
The LFA’s developers chose a V10 engine over a V8 engine of equal displacement because it could be revved up higher[46] and over a V12 engine because it had a smaller reciprocating mass[19][46] and could respond more quickly. An analog tachometer needle could not reliably measure the LFA’s changes in engine speeds, according to Lexus, who claimed that their engine could rev from idle to its redline in 0.6 seconds. This called for the installation of a digital tachometer, which can show engine speed right away. [57] According to reports, the engine is lighter than the 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 engine produced by the firm. While retaining dependability and vibration control, engineers tried to make the engine sound like one from a Formula One car at high rpm. Toyota had created its own F1 engines and chassis designs, along with other manufacturers like Ferrari. [18] Toyota engineers have referred to the exhaust sounds as the “roar of an angel”[58], and a subsequent US television commercial exploited resonance frequency to cause a champagne glass to shatter. [59]
Why did the Lexus LFA not succeed?
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 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 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.
The quickest Lexus is which?
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.
Does turbo have an advantage over naturally aspirated?
Contrarily, NA is simpler and therefore more reliable than a turbo because it has fewer pieces that could malfunction. Due to this, the turbo requires a little more maintenance than NA engines.
Power | Turbo Vs NA Engine
Since we all know where this is going, let’s be honest. Turbochargers are designed to give engines more power, and they much outperform NA in terms of power. Compared to NA, they are able to produce more power from smaller engines.
While not quite on par with turbochargers, new technologies are allowing NA to increase its torque without falling behind. Despite the latter’s ongoing testing, Mazda’s SkyActiv and SkyActiv-X turbocharged engines offer practically identical performance numbers.
While using a smaller engine, turbos can occasionally be more potent than NA until we see more from Mazda.
Is there a better engine to choose from these two?
No, in all honesty. Even though turbo is dominating the global auto industry, some manufacturers, such Aston Martin and Mazda, are developing new technology that can compete with turbo.
What does the acronym Lexus LFA mean?
Lexus F-Sports Apex, or LFA, is the abbreviation for the “Apex” of the Lexus premium sports-blended “F” series. Apex refers to the top. Additionally, the Lexus Future Advance initials serve as the name of the concept version of this vehicle.
Are LFA trustworthy?
Like you would expect from a Lexus, the vehicle is incredibly dependable. I’ve never had any significant problems with it. Simply put, because of the car’s rarity, it needs to be serviced by specialists who have received specialized training.
The number of LFA produced.
Because Lexus only produced 500 LFAs in total, with about 190 of those being manufactured in a US version, a significant factor in the LFA’s legendary and bespoke status was its limited production.
It really is the best illustration of what years of hard work and dedication can produce for Lexus. The fact that they are not made in quantities equivalent to those of other supercars, let alone your typical family saloon car, also demonstrates why the vehicle is so distinctive and totally customisable.
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.
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.
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.