Lexus LFA Review
When Toyota sold their last sports coupe in 1998 we never thought it would take over a decade to finalize the Lexus LFA specs. Akio Toyoda asked his engineers to use the latest in composites and engine technology to shock the world. Planning began in early 2000 using the codename P280. Testing began at tracks around the world in 2003.
Along the way, advancements made by competitors kept Lexus busy. What first began as an aluminum body and spaceframe evolved into a carbon fiber body and composite chassis. The amount of money and time would culminate in the 2012 production version. Only 500 examples were built, which history might view as a costly error in terms of its contemporaries. Lexus LFA specs the last 50 cars were the Nürburgring Package. Designed for the world-famous track, it allowed the car to set a
Nürburgring lap time of 7:14.64 around the .
Lexus LFA Engine
If you need the power of a V12 with the weight of a V8, the V10 is a rare compromise in the automotive world. Starting from a clean sheet, engineers from Toyota’s F1 program joined forces with Yamaha for a 72-degree masterpiece. It is internally balanced thanks to an even firing order, using titanium internals to reach 9,500 rpm. Each cylinder has its own throttle body, allowing it to leap from idle to redline in 0.6 seconds. The Lexus LFA horsepower is 552 horsepower at 8,700 rpm, its V10 engine sound evokes memories of the early 90’s F1 races. Other Lexus LFA specs are 354 lb-ft of torque, with 90% of it offered at only 3,700 rpm. The titanium exhaust has two chambers and three exhaust ports. This creates a symphony of resonance at several points on the tachometer. It sounds like nothing else on earth, and it does so without forced induction.
Lexus LFA Transmission
For the ultimate gearbox, Toyota leaned on their longtime partners at Aisin. To keep the weight at an optimal balance, the clutch and flywheel were mounted at the engine. This incorporates a gear reduction before the carbon fiber torque tube. Not only does this eliminate driveline harmonics, but it also allows the tube to be smaller and lighter. Just ahead of the rear wheels is a six-speed automatic transmission. This might seem odd in an era of dual-clutch exotics, but it is one of the lightest trans-axles ever produced. The dry clutch has a billet aluminum pressure plate that allows the LFA 0-60 to be a consistent 3.6 seconds.
Lexus LFA Brakes:
Toyota was the first to market with electronic brakes. Instead of the pedal compressing fluid, a computer uses the pedal as an input. Then it takes into consideration your cornering angle and wheel slip to apply just the right amount of force to each rotor. Speaking of the fancy discs, Brembo designed 15.4″ front and 14.2″ rear carbon ceramic rotors. All calipers are monoblocks with 6 pistons on the front and four on the rear. Controlling your rotation through each corner is determined by which but it also the stability control system is in. As one of the world’s most advanced brake systems, it easily stops the forged BBS wheels. They are 20×10.4″ front and 20×12″ rear for maximum grip in all situations. It needed such a system because the LFA top speed is 203 mph.
Lexus LFA Design
Staying true to form, the 2012 Lexus LFA arrived very similar to the concepts. We first saw the exterior in 2005. It was forward thinking and sleek, while still maintaining a common Lexus front end of that era. Continual improvements yielded another concept in 2007. This one has much larger intakes in the rear quarter panels along with an evolution of their L-Finesse styling language. The rear bumper was tucked in for better aerodynamics, and the taillights transformed into sharp arrowheads. A roadster was shown on the lawn at Pebble Beach, but it was too much for 2008 to handle. By 2009, the production car was finalized and shown at the Tokyo Motor Show. Another 3 years were spent in refining everything underneath.
2012 Lexus LFA Specs (Nürburgring Package)
- Price: $445,000
- Engine: 4.8-liter V10
- Transmission: Six Speed Automatc
- Horsepower: 563 hp
- Torque: 354 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds
- Top Speed: 203 mph
Lexus LFA Price
When the first production cars arrived in the US, set the Lexus LFA price was $375,000. Adjusted for inflation the price would be over $430,000 in 2019. Dealers were swamped by collectors and flippers who paid much more than Lexus LFA for the but it also cars. The final 50 examples were the Nürburgring Edition. They arrived with most of the same aerodynamic components as the race cars from the famous 24-hour race. They had a starting price of $445,000, and they have been sold for seven figures at auctions. Greedy dealers kept showroom examples priced very high which left unsold examples in new condition for years. Low-mileage examples usually sell for what they were new thanks to owners who understand their rarity.
Lexus LFA Interior:
You can’t build such a wild exterior with a boring cockpit. So the Lexus LFA specs include 2 seats, machined aluminum, and a few acres of leather. Their unique Remote Touch controller acts like a computer mouse. Sitting atop the center console, it has haptic feedback to easily navigate the car’s functions without taking your eyes off the road. Mark Levinson supplied a dozen speakers for an incredible audio system.
They were designed with weight-saving materials to not hinder the car’s abilities. Lexus LFA specs include two tuned resonators that run through the firewall to the intake manifold. Unlike the cheesy fake engine noise found in Ford and BMW models, you get to hear all 10 cylinders react to your commands. The V10 engine sound purrs like a kitten or shrieks like a witch, it is pure entertainment. Aside from the power window switches, you won’t find many interior parts shared with another Lexus. The LFA interior should be used as a benchmark by the industry.
Lexus Standout Features:
Being one of the most unconventional cars in recent history, it would be easy to compile a list of the Lexus LFA specs that are normal. If you really need to know the standout features, they all begin with the car’s development. NASA’s Saturn V rocket went from an idea to the moon in half the time it took Lexus to bring the LFA to market. Akio and his skunkworks team tested each component to destruction. The concept cars were also used to motivate designers and even assembly line workers. It was a tool to make the company remember how fun a sports car really is. It wasn’t built for a profit, especially considering a dozen years of labor. Several patents were given to the unique carbon fiber weaving and in the attachment points between the cockpit and subframes. Of the Lexus LFA engine is one of the best ever produced, and that level of quality can be found throughout each car.
