Good grief. The endless wait for the world’s teasingest supercar is finally… nearly… over. The 500bhp Lexus LF-A will arrive at this October’s Tokyo show. That’s almost four years since they showed the concept.
The car will be special and rare. It has a 4.9-litre naturally-aspirated V10 making a mighty 500bhp at dizzying rpms. The transmission is a flappy-paddle unit – we’re pretty sure it’s a twin-clutch, and we’re pretty sure it has seven speeds. At least. The bodywork will use carbonfibre and aluminium.
The brakes will be carbonfibre, and for even more stability near to the 200mph top speed, there’s an automatic rear wing. Lexus has been radical in getting the packaging and weight distribution just-so. For instance, not only is the gearbox rear-mounted (not so unusual in a front-engined car like this), but so are the radiators.
The way we hear it, this thing is going to be mighty pricey. Like, far more pricey than Japan’s other supercar, the GT-R. Blimey. Part of the justification will come from the interior, where Lexus will throw all its craftsmanship and luxury.
You might be wondering why the LF-A has finally got the nod, especially in the middle of the current industry carmageddon. After all, Toyota cancelled the car once, and this is a company that normally sticks to its decisions.
Well, in couple of weeks Toyota will have a new boss. Akio Toyoda is a member of the founding family. But he’s not just a man in a grey suit. He’s also a man in a Nomex suit. Yup, Toyoda, entering under the pseudonym of Morizo, took stints at the wheel of one of the LF-A prototypes in last weekend’s Nurburgring 24 hours.
OK, neither LF-A did very well (one came fourth in class behind an Aston, an Audi RS4 and a Lexus IS-F, and the other didn’t finish), but even so if the new boss is behind the car in this way, no-one else is going to stand in his way.
Rumours are that another thing that tipped the scales in the LF-A’s favour. Earlier this year things were so bad for the Japanese car industry that almost unthinkably the Tokyo Motor Show was nearly cancelled.
But the show organisers strong-armed each of the manufacturers to bring something new to the table. In a typical act of Japan Inc solidarity, they did. The LF-A, we understand, is Toyota’s contribution.
Atlast the wait is almost over this lexus is the best thing they have done
I was wondering who could change their name to “Morizo” for that whole day. I thought it was someone who legally changed his entire name to a single name. Like the “Stig.”
YES!! No more waiting for Toyota F1 to win! They’ve got a hell of a weight on their shoulders now though; after waiting this long, it needs to be very good.
So 500bhp, SuperLuxe interior, DCT, is this going to be priced to compete with DBS’s and 612 Scagliettis? Tough crowd, especially as Japanese cars are frequently criticised for having no soul, something it’s rivals are brimming with.
It looks great though. Well, we’ve had long enough to get used to the looks…
That’s beyond Lexus’s limits!!! love it
If the BMW M6 was de-limited, I can imagine it getting pretty close, if not to 200MPH. And the figures between this Japanese Supercar and BMWs GT car are very similar, they both have near enough 5.0 litre V10s, both develop around 500BHP, both are coupes and both are mightily fast (although no-one’s driven the LF-A, it doesn’t take a genious to figure out it’s fast). Also I think the M6 is slightly better looking, It’s more muscular and got prescence, while this is just too curvy and shaped.
It will be crap
I don’t mean to brag, but what did I tell you?
I’ve got a boner
I’m sure it will be very fast, very well made and very popular with those beLexed.. I can not imagine why anyone looking to buy a fezza or an aston would buy one but some nouveau riche 911 owners might be tempted for nouveau niche eLeFz.. too bad it’s just a suped up supra with a silver “L” on the grill..:D looks very very good though”
It seems quite promising..
Great news. The wait is almost over. As an isf owner, im sure this is going to be a blast.
I just heard that that Toyota R&D was able to tweek a few more hp out of their V10 and mucked with the aerodynamics to raise the top speed to 220MPH! In case you’re not aware, thats faster than an Enzo…
I like the LF-A its very tidy looking and Im guessing its gonna be bloody fast probally have a V6 or a V8 cant wait. I hope JC mentions it on the new series of TG.
My fiance reminded me of a car advert the other day and i cant for the life of me remember what car it was. It was the ad where the car acts like a dog the owner opens the garage door and it wags its tail which is its rear windscreen wiper and “runs” round in circles around the yard. Being the type of person that hates giving up (and a bit of a sore loser). Please please can someone tell me what car it was cause i cant find it on the interweb either thanx
This car is certainly faster than a lot of things. I wonder where it will go on the Lap Times.
who will buy it ?? It is a nice toyota but at close to fezza prices ??? Who ? who ? who ?.. we know an evo can put the squeeze on even a lambo..even Jezza managed to keep up on one of the shows but simon cowell still bought a Lambo.. at the level of prestige this thing is supposed to debut it simply has no chance!! regardless the looks, the speed and the hand sewn hide on the seats.. it IS still a TOYOTA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
first thought : dubai ! the ultimate estate chavster. did any of u see what they’ve done to the front ??? what a shame, t’was such a pretty profile… Lexus have done what they do best, take a very good base and totally over do it, yet again.. it’s just chav/
..and there are hints of avensis and celica every where to remind you that you’ve actually bought a toyota for the price of a real soul snatcher
P.U. A Lexus… yuck, yuck, yuck! Toyota go home, you do not know how to make cars, only soulless boxes on wheels. And that’s the main reason they don’t brake. Because it’s a box, it has no place to brake.
Not very original. I’ll stick with Mercedes SLS Gullwing. There’s no way I’m buing this over the Gullwing!
delmonti1, that was the Renault Scenic advert.
I will buy it considering its limited production
of 500 units globaly total exclusivity from lexus.
loving the three exaust thing at the back
nomally lexus’s are for fat japanese bankers but this, i think… skinny japanese playboys. i like.(the car, that is. not the playboys)
to delmontil. i think the ad is for peogeot family cars. it used to be on endlesly in the cimemas. dunno if it still is…
I bet it weighs more than my dad’s truck.
Overly Lavish interiors = heavy = crap handling.
Even if they engineer the living daylights out of the suspension my guess is this will not come close to japan’s current king the GT-R. (and that thing is serious heavy as well.
yep but the damm car will last forever
ur all forgettin the brilliant toyota 2000gt… japanese tech n reliability beats euro crap any day!
that looks quite ugly from the front
From the front it looks just like the Mazda Rx-8. Disappointing.
@28 get back to your PS and keep low !
@14.. It was for the Renault Scenic….
About time the new Lexus was out, though I’m curious.. Wouldn’t it already be outdated when it’s launched?? Looks amazing though…
you eurotrash tw!ts are gonna look really silly when this thing comes out. A couple of years ago bystanders timed this thing at 7:24 on the ‘Ring, and later less than 7:20. Its gonna r@pe any other super car on the road. Hail the new king!!! Pity Honda killed the NSX…..
@33. speed is not everything, ask your girlfriend…
About time Toyota gets its spine back.
Seriously good looking car. Me likey it very much.Hope it goes as fast as it looks,corners well, and its quality is up there too.(looks at least twice as quick as the GT-R
What happen to Supra?..
about time toyota got a boss who is a car nut, now maybe toyota will make some more interesting cars now.
Looks like it’ll be better than the GT-R by quite a long way, but I didn’t think you could get a 4.9 engine…?
Fast, good looking, and, being a Lexus, it’ll be nice inside and probably fairly reliable.
The problem is, none of these amazing concepts ever go into production, so it’s about time a good concept is made (hopefully it will be)
did we reaaaally have to know that wellOiled(comment 8)?
I love this car. But I do think Toyota have missed a trick, they should have made it the new Supra & made it a hell of a lot cheaper (closer to the gtr). There is no way it will be able to compete with the aston, ferrari & lambo badges…..Premiership footballers love the snob value of these cars!!!
The current Toyota range is as dull as dishwater & they need a sports car (such as a new supra). By all means develop these eco cars, but for the love of god……..pleeeeeeeease give us our Supra!!!!