In addition to the GTR’s attributes and ability to drive. 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.
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What ever become of the Lexus LFA?
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.
[6]
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.
[13]
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]
A failure, was the Lexus LFA?
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 car, 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 ever 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.
Did Lexus experience a loss on the LFA?
The Lexus LFA had a ten-year gestation period, which contributed to its high production costs. Even with a steep $375,000 asking price, Lexus lost money on each LFA that was sold. But well, people who pay get wonderful things. (I assume that is the saying.)
If Lexus decided to reenter the supercar market, might it repeat the same error?
Yoshihiro Sawa, president of Lexus, reacted with both sides of his brain when asked by Autocar if his firm would like to try it all over again with an LFA replacement, effectively replying, “Sure, but probably not right now,” presumably to the relief of his accountants.
Although it’s necessary to have dreams, Sawa stated, “For the time being, it’s a really complicated scenario. I truly want to do an LFA successor. We now have other objectives, which reportedly include the impending UX compact crossover and a three-row, Range Rover-baiting RX, so I’m not going to try to answer that issue as well as I would like to. (Man, you’re killing us.)
The Lexus LFA, with its monstrously atmospheric, 552-hp, 4.8-liter V-10, roared to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and reached a high speed of 202 mph. Today, the breathtakingly attractive LC coupe is put together at the former LFA plant in Motomachi. Although the production-spec LFA has been around for eight years (nearly to the day), we think a modern LFA 2.0 would include electrification and a much bigger predator grille. Which is really darn seductive.
How many Lexus LFAs are there?
Despite the Lexus LFA’s seven-year hiatus from manufacturing, the luxury manufacturer still sold three brand-new copies of the supercar in 2019.
Even more astonishing, with two sold in 2018, that translates to a 50% rise in LFA sales year over year. Only 178 of the 500 LFAs that Lexus produced for sale in the United States.
On Friday, Lexus released its annual sales figures for 2019. The sale of three LFAs was obscured by the numbers. How? It’s simple to explain that.
The LFA had a startling $375,000 retail price when it was brand-new, and that’s assuming a dealership didn’t mark it up. Numerous LFAs went unsold for a variety of reasons, including the outrageous pricing and the fact that some dealers added absurd markups. The cars may then serve as showpieces to get customers into their showrooms, which may have benefited the dealers.
It’s simple to understand why people are interested in the LFA. Toyota’s Formula One program provided technologies that Lexus utilised to create a road vehicle. It is propelled by a 4.8-liter V-10 engine that produces 334 pound-feet of torque and 552 horsepower. The 9,000-rpm redline and Yamaha-tuned exhaust tone are what make this engine wonderful, not that portion. A vintage 6-speed single-clutch automatic manual transmission delivers power to the rear wheels. The car’s body was made of carbon fiber by Lexus, which is the key factor in the exorbitant asking price.
Will the LFA ever resurface?
According to one Japanese magazine, one of Japan’s modern supercar icons could make a comeback in 2025, but say goodbye to the roaring Yamaha V10 engine.
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.
LFA: Did it perform well on the market?
The production crew, who had spent the better part of a decade developing the final product, breathed a sigh of relief when the LFA was eventually released in December of 2010. With only 500 units ever produced, the automobile was extremely rare.
Although manufacture of the LFA ended seven years earlier, U.S. Lexus dealers reportedly sold three brand-new cars in 2019. This suggests that the LFA didn’t exactly do as well as anticipated.
Is the LFA the top vehicle?
One of the world’s best-sounding vehicles is the LFA, in my opinion. It took more time to develop and polish, which contributes to its flawless sound. It has an eargasmic 4.8-liter V10 engine with naturally aspirated displacement that was created with Yamaha and can reach 9,000 rpm.
The triple exhaust gives it a natural and audible rumble. Additionally, the LFA sports distinctive manifold cover ribs that enhance the auditory impacts while refining the engine’s sound. In order to match the performance of the LFA, Lexus worked with Yamaha to create a growl.
Who designed the LFA engine?
Yamaha Motor has built a number of car engines for Toyota Motor Corp. under contract over the years. One of the most expensive projects among them was the 1LR-GUE 4.8L V10 engine for the Lexus LFA, the company’s flagship supercar. Its performance, when paired with a 6-speed automatic sequential transmission, could propel the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds. With Yamaha Corporation’s assistance, the exhaust tone of the car, which sounded like the roar of an angel, was also tweaked. Yamaha modified its cell production method to assemble one engine per day to meet the high quality requirements for this engine, with only 500 of these cars to be produced over roughly two years. Each engine has an aluminum plate bearing the name of the craftsman who hand-assembled the unit to serve as evidence of the high-level work performed.
- Type of engine: 4,805cm3 liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, V10
- 1,480 kilograms
- Power output maximum: 412.0 kW (560 PS)/8,700 r/min
- 6-speed transmission
- Torque maximum: 480Nm (48.9 kgfm)/5,000 rpm
- Overall dimensions are 4, 5050 mm, 1, 895 mm, and 1, 220 mm.
*All numbers, stats, etc. in a model’s specifications or description are from the time the model was first offered.
*The car on show is a development prototype that differs from the final product.
How recently was an LFA produced?
The LFA was manufactured by Lexus from 2010 to 2012, and 500 units were made in total. 50 of them had the Nurburgring package, which included an extra 10 horsepower, some carbon fiber, and changes to the gearbox, while the other 450 had the normal car. Even though the Lexus LFA was a fantastic vehicle in and of itself, Lexus was unable to sell them all. The business reported that there were only 12 left in 2017. Three examples were sold in that year, two more were sold in 2018, and three more were sold in 2019. This announcement sparked a sales frenzy. Accordingly, there are currently four brand-new Lexus LFA vehicles available for purchase in dealerships across the nation.
The Uniqueness
The LFA is more than just a typical supercar, despite the fact that it does so obviously. The exterior and interior appear really unique and personalized. 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.