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.
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The Lexus LFA’s demise: 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.
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 production, the development came to an end after continuing steadily 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 number of Lexus LFAs is what?
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 is the Lexus LFA forbidden in America?
Is Toyota becoming more like Apple? You’re being sold a product, but they’re telling you how to use it?
The Lexus LFA supercar’s buying regulations may be loosening up a touch for American buyers.
When Lexus unveiled the LFA last year, the Japanese automaker stated that only American customers on lease would be able to purchase one. The decision was made because Lexus didn’t want consumers to profitably sell the limited series car to another client. The car could only be purchased outright after the two-year lease period.
Recently, Lexus published new, more rigorous terms while reversing course (a bit). Customers in the United States can buy the car, but they are only permitted to return it to the dealer for the sticker price or its fair market value, whichever is lesser, for the following two years. The dealer is owed the sale’s profit plus legal fees if the owner sells the LFA privately without first providing the dealer the buyback option. Ouch!
With its first entry into the supercar market, where it will compete with names like Ferrari and Lamborghini, does Lexus really want to hurt itself? Evidently so.
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.
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.
LFA sounds fantastic, but why?
Putting exclusivity aside, the LFA is now a favorite with Youtube users because of the unmatched audio performance of its specialized 1LR-GUE 4.8-liter V10 engine. Together with Yamaha, who also assisted in fine-tuning the exhaust system’s acoustics, this unusual engine was created. According to Lexus, the 1LR-GUE produces a decent 553 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque when cranked all the way up to 9,000 rpm.
This V10 was created by Lexus with an emphasis on reaction rather than power. Although the team had the option of pursuing a V8 engine with a comparable displacement or a V12, the V10 design ended up providing the best response because of its little reciprocating mass. Lexus made the infamous claim that the LFA’s V10 could rev from idle to redline in only 0.6 seconds, necessitating the use of the distinctive digital gauge cluster.
Dyno results of 531 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque are impressive in today’s context for a tweaked VW GTI rather than a specialized supercar. However, the LFA’s major focus is on fostering engagement rather than power, making it a special product that will undoubtedly stay in demand for years to come.
Why is LFA so well-liked?
The LFA has a gorgeous appearance that pays homage to both Toyota and Lexus. A decision was made to replace the bodywork’s aluminum with an advanced carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) in order to reduce the car’s weight. In addition to making it lighter, the CFRP material offers excellent impact protection in the event of an accident. Additionally, shaping the body was made simple for designers by the material.
The Lexus LFA has a wheelbase that is 102.6 inches long and is 177.4 inches in length, 74.6 inches wide, and 48.0 inches tall.
The interior of the Lexus LFA is futuristic, unlike anything you may see in a sports vehicle from the early 2010s. The ergonomics of the two-seater sports car’s cabin are designed with the driver in mind. Fine leather and Alcantara are used to cover the seats, which offer the ideal level of support and comfort. The LCD display panel of the Lexus LFA’s interior, which notably includes a color thin film transistor, is its most appealing component (TFT).
Which car is the most uncommon?
The 25 Most Expensive Cars in the World
- Ferrari’s 250 GT California SWB Spider from 1961. Price or estimated value: $17.2 million.
- Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita from 2009.
- Lamborghini Veneno from 2013.
- Pagani Huayra BC from 2017.
- Oldsmobile F-88 from 1954.
- Ford GT40 from 1964.
- Icona Vulcano Titanium, 2016.
- Pagani Zonda Revolucion from 2013.
Can I still purchase an LFA?
With a reported price of $680,000, the dealership Hyper Voitures is selling a 2012 Lexus LFA in an unusual hue.
Only 178 of the 500 supercars produced by Lexus were exported to the US. Even among that exclusive group, this car stands out thanks to its Pearl Brown Metallic paint job and orange leather interior.
The original price for the LFA was an astounding $375,000 when it was brand-new, so this lightly-used model with 1,073 miles on the odometer offers a sizable markup.
Any LFA is unquestionably uncommon and collectible, but as of January 2020, five brand-new, unregistered LFAs are still available. Some dealerships kept their LFAs as showcase vehicles to increase showroom traffic because the vehicle did not sell quickly when it was first introduced. The last LFA arrived in the United States in February 2013 after LFA production came to a stop in December 2012.
The LFA was designed to represent Lexus as a brand and bring some of Toyota’s Formula One expertise to the road. It has a 4.8-liter V-10 engine with a 9,000-rpm redline and 552 horsepower and 334 pound-feet of torque. Although the LFA’s carbon fiber exterior and powertrain still appear to be cutting-edge, the vehicle’s outdated 6-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission is a dead giveaway.
The LFA was never followed up by Lexus. The more opulent LC is currently the brand’s flagship model, having been produced in the same Japanese plant as the Toyota Mirai fuel-cell car. Still a possibility is a hotter LC F performance variant, but this time with a twin-turbo V-8 rather than a roaring normally aspirated V-10.
What was Lexus’s loss on the LFA?
Fuel efficiency, production costs, and profit margins are now all defining features in modern automobile mass production, and this is true of the majority of modern cars.
The CEO of a car firm occasionally introduces a vehicle that is only driven by the desire to create the greatest vehicle possible. And one illustrative example of this was the Lexus LFA.
Akio Toyoda, the great-grandson of the company’s founder, took over as CEO of Toyota in 2009 and vowed to stop Toyota from producing uninteresting automobiles, as noted by Autoweek.
A complexly engineered supercar that would serve as the brand’s halo model was essential to establishing the tone for the direction he planned to drive Toyota and its premium division, Lexus, in.
The LFA concept first appeared in 2005 after the LFA development got underway in the early 2000s. However, the real model would not make its appearance until the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
Evo claims that the corporation actually lost money on each of the 500 LFAs it sold, despite the fact that they had a list price of about $400,000 when they were brand-new.
Although the LFA was thought to be pricey and underpowered in comparison to its rivals, time has been kind to it. Its well-aged design, flawless construction, and in particular its completely exciting engine have elevated it to the status of a very collectible contemporary classic. And its value has only increased. What exactly is its unique engine made of then?