The Lexus LFA (Japanese: レクサス・LFA) is a two-door sports car produced between 2010 and 2012 by the Japanese carmaker Toyota under its luxury marque, Lexus. Lexus built 500 units over its production span of two years.
The development of the LFA, codenamed TXS, began in early 2000. The first prototype was completed in June 2003, with regular testing at the Nürburgring starting in October 2004. Over the decade, numerous concept cars were unveiled at various motor shows and the first concept appeared in January 2005 at the North American International Auto Show as a design study. In January 2007, a more aerodynamic design was introduced, and in January 2008, a roadster version was showcased. The production version of the LFA debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009—commemorating Lexus's 20th anniversary—and the official manufacture of the car began on 15 December 2010 at the Motomachi production facility in Toyota, Aichi. Production ended in 2012.
The 4.8 L 1LR-GUE V10 engine built by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha, as fitted to the LFA, produces a power output of 412 kW and 480 Nm, sufficient to give the car a 0–97 kph of 3.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 325 kph. The LFA's body mass is composed of sixty-five percent carbon fibre-reinforced polymer, and incorporates various lightweight materials such as aluminium, titanium and magnesium. Lexus ended production of the LFA on 17 December 2012, two years and two days after it commenced. The LFA has received awards including Road & Tracks "Best of the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show" and Top Gears "5 Greatest Supercars of the Year".
Development
2000–2004
The LF-A sports car began development with a codename of TXS, which was intended to showcase the performance capabilities of Toyota Motor Corporation and its Lexus marque.[4][5] The first prototype was completed during June 2003. Prototypes of the LF-A were spotted regularly undergoing testing at the Nürburgring, the famous motorsport race track in Nürburg, Germany,[6] since October 2004.[7] Numerous test vehicles had been equipped with automatic retractable rear spoilers, and carbon ceramic brake discs.[8]
2005–2006
Production
Lexus began taking orders for the LFA on 23 October 2009. Buyers were selectively chosen by Lexus in the second quarter of 2010.[35] Production began in December 2010. Only 500 total cars were made for worldwide markets, with only 20 produced each month with a base price of $375,000 (£340,000). Each car had to be custom ordered to the customer's specifications. Following the LFA's Introduction at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus unveiled a website with an 'LFA configurator', which allowed users to select exterior and interior colours, brake caliper colours, seats, steering wheel leather, and other interior designs.[36][37] In total, there were over 30 billion possible combinations.[37] Each LFA was hand-built by a dedicated production team of engineers and specialists at Toyota's Motomatchi plant in Aichi, Japan.[38][39]
Overview
Engine
The Lexus LFA is powered by a 72-degree bank angle 4805 cc V10 engine equipped with Dual VVT-i carrying the 1LR-GUE designation with a maximum output of 412 kW delivered at 8,700 rpm. It was developed in partnership with Yamaha Motor Company, incorporating engine technologies such as a cylinder head derived from racing applications, as well as acoustic engineering from Yamaha. Its maximum torque output of 354 lbft arrives at 6,800 rpm, 90 percent of which is available from 3,700 rpm. The engine redlines at 9,000 rpm, but with a fuel cutoff set at 9,500 rpm,[46] and is constructed using forged aluminum pistons, forged titanium connecting rods, and solid titanium valves. The V-angle of the LFA's V-10 engine is set to 72-degrees, which allows for even firing from the pistons without the use of a split-journal crankshaft, thus improving engine efficiency as well as lowering the overall weight. Dry sump lubrication prevents engine oil starvation through high-speed corners and lowers the engine's center of mass. Air is fed directly from beneath the hood through a visible slit passing into a dual-stage variable intake manifold and then into ten individual throttle bodies before finally exiting from a dual-stage titanium muffler.
Tokyo Motor Show Edition
At the 2011 Tokyo Motor show, a special edition of the LFA was released called the Tokyo Motor Show Edition. This edition has an exposed carbon fibre roof and carbon fibre rear spoiler. A total of 9 units have been produced.[67][68]
Nürburgring package
On 15 March 2010, Lexus detailed the circuit-tuned variant of the LFA, plans for which were first disclosed at the LFA official press launch the previous October.[69] The variant is officially known as the LFA Nürburgring Package in reference to the similar setup employed on the LFA race cars at the 24 Hours Nürburgring.
The package features an extra 7.4 kW from its V10 engine, bringing the total to 420 kW. It also features a re-calibrated transmission with gear shifts made faster by 0.05 seconds, a front splitter, stiffer and more adjustable suspension, lightweight magnesium wheels by BBS wrapped in high performance street tyres, aerodynamic canards at the sides of the front bumper, and a large fixed rear wing, which increases downforce by 33% over the standard car.[70][71][72]
The LFA with the Nürburgring Package is a competition-focused variant and was available in four exterior colours, namely glossy black, matte black, race yellow, and whitest white.[72]
Specifications
Manufacturer
Official specifications and performance figures for the Lexus LFA are as follows:[61]
Performance
Tested performance specifications for the Lexus LFA from Car and Driver†, Motor Trend‡, Road & Track†† and Insideline††† are as follows:
Edmunds' Insideline managed to acquire an LFA from Lexus for one week and tested the LFA on the track including an impromptu grudge match on the drag strip. Both cars won 2 races each making it a draw.
Insideline recorded a 0 - 60 mph in 3.9 seconds without launch control system and achieved the 1/4-mile 11.6 seconds at 124 mi/h. Lexus LFA circled the skidpad in 1.02 g and achieved one of the highest slalom speeds ever recorded at 75.2 mi/h. Insideline also managed to do 3 dyno runs on a dynojet dyno on the Lexus LFA, which resulted in LFA generating a power output of 383 kW to the wheels, which after factoring in RWD drivetrain loss turned out to be substantially higher than the 412 kW at the crank factory specification.[86]
Reception
Car and Driver concluded in its review of the LFA that the sports car is "hugely expensive, hugely competent". The magazine felt that the car began to look like "something of a bargain" from the viewpoint that more expensive cars offered similar levels of technology and exclusivity.[35] In their December 2010 issue, they placed it ahead of the Ferrari 599 HGTE in a one-on-one comparison test, with the verdicts "Lexus builds a Ferrari" and "Ferrari builds a Lexus".[97]
In May 2010, Motor Trend ran the LFA through several track tests and praised its driving dynamics and engine note.[85] However, in their 2011 Best Driver's Car competition, the LFA finished ninth out of eleven cars, receiving criticism for a "nervous, twitchy chassis" that gave the judges "no confidence".[98] The car was also criticised for its transmission, ergonomics and ride quality.[98]
Motorsport
2008
A Lexus LF-A prototype was entered on 10 May 2008 on the Nürburgring 4-hour VLN endurance race. Despite being lapped 5 times and finishing 77th[107] overall among over 200 teams, it surprisingly won the over 4,000 cc class SP8,[108] as all other five class entrants, failed to finish. The best lap time of the Lexus, on the 24.4 km version used in VLN, was 9:06[108] in 3rd[109] of 23 laps, on par with old Porsche 996 GT3 Cup (class Cup3A), while the fastest SP8 cars managed 8:20s.
Lexus also took part in the 24 Hours Nürburgring[110]
Sculpture models
In April 2005, Lexus presented a sculptural model of the original LF-A concept at that year's Milan Design Week exhibition in Milan, Italy. Part of the marque's introductory display of its L-finesse design theme, the full-size LF-A model was presented next to a production Lexus GS model, in a design space produced by painter Hiroshi Senju, designer Junya Ishigami, and architect Kazuyo Sejima.[139] The sculpted LF-A model followed the first introduction of the LF-A concept at the North American International Auto Show in January of that year. In contrast with the production GS sedan it shared the display space with, the LF-A model did not have interior access.
In April 2009, Lexus presented an acrylic glass sculpture LFA model, called 'Crystallised Wind', at that year's Milan Design Week exhibition at the Museo Della Permanente art gallery in Milan. Commissioned in partnership with architect Sou Fujimoto, the full-sized LFA crystal sculpture had a transparent appearance, allowing viewers to see the engine, chassis, interior, and other internal components.[140] Although closely resembling the 2007 coupe concept, design elements on the LFA Crystallised Wind model differed from previous iterations of the coupe, with five-spoke wheels, different headlamp shapes, and other separate details. The vehicle was presented along with a collection of accessories, gadgets, and styling products all produced from the same acrylic materials used in the Crystallised Wind model.
Awards
In October 2009, the debut of the Lexus LFA was named among Road & Track's Best of the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show.[142] For his role in leading its development project, Top Gear awarded Lexus LFA chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi as one of its Men of the Year for 2009.[143] In April 2010, the LFA topped the Stiff Magazine list of the Top 5 V10 Road Cars.[144] In its 2010 test of the LFA, Car gave the vehicle the magazine's maximum rating of five stars.[145] The LFA was also named to the Top Gear 100 Sexiest Supercars of All Time list in 2010.[146] Top Gear magazine in its September 2010 edition picked "5 greatest supercars of the year" and the LFA was honored as one of the greatest sports cars of the year. All 5 cars were featured in the magazine in a side-by-side comparison and LFA was picked as the "Stig's most favorite supercar".[147]
Sales
As of September 2020, 38 LFAs have been sold in Europe.[159]
As of 2020, Lexus still had four unsold LFAs after selling three LFAs in 2019.[160][161] However, two were sold in March 2020 and another in September 2020.[162]
In June 2023, an Australian Toyota dealer purchased the final LFA, its own display car, more than a decade after production ended.[163] The "sale" circumvented new Australian vehicle standards that would have otherwise made the LFA unregistrable after July 2023. As of 2023, the vehicle remains unused and undelivered.[164]
Nameplate use for other models
Quotes
Notes
Further reading
External links
References
- Clare Dear. Supercar is a halo model for Lexus; Lexus LFA an exclusive treat The Gazette, 2 November 2009^
- Aaron Robinson. Tested: 2012 Lexus LFA Car and Driver, 26 March 2010, retrieved July 27, 2024^
- 2012 Lexus LFA Review, Pricing and Specs Car and Driver, 13 May 2019, retrieved 27 July 2024^