RE: Lexus will make LF-A supercar
Thursday 23rd March 2006
Lexus will make LF-A supercar
Reborn as 5.0-litre 500bhp GT500
   Lexus GT500 |
It looks as if Toyota Racing will produce the Lexus LF-A supercar concept, first previewed here on PistonHeads – see related story link below. It's due by 2008, according to Autocar, and will make its production debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2007.
The two-seater supercar is powered by what Lexus at the time called "a high-output V10 engine" and was first previewed at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. Since then, the reaction to it has been so positive that the Japanese car maker was persuaded to put it into production.
To be called the GT500, and likely to house the 500bhp 5.0-litre V10 that was in the concept, it will, at last, provide a suitable vessel into which Toyota can pour its hard- and expensively-won F1 expertise. There may also be a V8 version – the GT450 costing some £75,000 while the GT500 is likely to lighten your wallet by a whisker under £100,000.
Autocar reckons that Honda's announcement of the new NSX last year was the prod it needed to turn this concept into reality.
Discussion
Yawn.
Another unusable posemobile. Where the hell are the fun, *afforable* cars? A practical (rock minimum : a roof) 2-seater car from a major manufacturer that was light, reasonably powerful and comfortably sub-20K would sell by the warehouseful I would have thought. Why is that so impossible? Or am I missing something?
And no, hot hatches don't count.
Another unusable posemobile. Where the hell are the fun, *afforable* cars? A practical (rock minimum : a roof) 2-seater car from a major manufacturer that was light, reasonably powerful and comfortably sub-20K would sell by the warehouseful I would have thought. Why is that so impossible? Or am I missing something?
And no, hot hatches don't count.
claypigeon60 said:
Yawn.
Another unusable posemobile. Where the hell are the fun, *afforable* cars? A practical (rock minimum : a roof) 2-seater car from a major manufacturer that was light, reasonably powerful and comfortably sub-20K would sell by the warehouseful I would have thought. Why is that so impossible? Or am I missing something?
And no, hot hatches don't count.
They tried them - Celica, Hyundai Coupe, Prelude, etc. And apparently they're not popular enough. Of course, to keep it under £20k with the power you need fwd. Which restricts the appeal of a 'sports' car.
The UK, in that price bracket, has always been much more hot-hatch focused. (Although I'd agree with you)
I think its quite an interesting looking car. Hats off to Toyota for trying to break into this sector. It could be the start of something, have this car as the halo model and then bring out a range of smaller, more affordable enthusiast orientated cars. New Celica and Supra anyone? I wonder if they'll be able to use the GT500 name, what with the Shelby car and all.
havoc said:
Of course, to keep it under £20k with the power you need fwd. Which restricts the appeal of a 'sports' car.
Nah, Mazda do the MX5 and RX8 both for under 20k and RWD, its more money , less efficient and depends on a capable platform but it is doable.
Cant see this selling for 100k tho, a few quid mroe buys you an f430, you get a lot of change with an AMV8 or porker too, and the m6 as said is probably a better car.
Saying that they sold some SC430's so prehaps theres people who'll buy anything out there:/
robdickinson said:MX5 is impractical and 2-seat, not quite what I think was intended - I read it as hard-top 2+2 rear-driver, a-la Capri/MGB.
Of course, to keep it under £20k with the power you need fwd. Which restricts the appeal of a 'sports' car.
Nah, Mazda do the MX5 and RX8 both for under 20k and RWD, its more money , less efficient and depends on a capable platform but it is doable.
RX8 is £20k only in 190bhp poverty-spec. The one you want is £22-25k, depending on options. And they're not making much money on it - priced it that low because of the rotary emissions and company-car-tax rules.
havoc said:
Of course, to keep it under £20k with the power you need fwd. Which restricts the appeal of a 'sports' car.
Nah, Mazda do the MX5 and RX8 both for under 20k and RWD, its more money , less efficient and depends on a capable platform but it is doable.
RX8 is £20k only in 190bhp poverty-spec. The one you want is £22-25k, depending on options. And they're not making much money on it - priced it that low because of the rotary emissions and company-car-tax rules.
They were examples. The BMW 1 is £16k starting price, there are a few around.
Its just that its not ecconomical or practical to do RWD cars, for a family car it makes no sense to 'compromise' it in that fashion and charge extra for it, most people could care less.
ROFL @ Gazboy.
1-series under £20k? Bet it's a 116...in other words gutless.
I WOULD like to see a powerful rear-drive 2+2 coupe without any excess weight, fancy kit, or unnecessary options/details/etc. Think of it as a rwd Integra, or a FR, semi-practical Elise. But no-one wants to make them, for some reason. So I've ended up with an S2000...the soft-top is a bonus in some ways (it's a weekend car), but the lost rigidity doesn't help it's handling - it's good, but I think it could have been very good.
200SX was the last in that category, but the styling was naff on the S14, and only rectified partially on the S14a.
1-series under £20k? Bet it's a 116...in other words gutless.
I WOULD like to see a powerful rear-drive 2+2 coupe without any excess weight, fancy kit, or unnecessary options/details/etc. Think of it as a rwd Integra, or a FR, semi-practical Elise. But no-one wants to make them, for some reason. So I've ended up with an S2000...the soft-top is a bonus in some ways (it's a weekend car), but the lost rigidity doesn't help it's handling - it's good, but I think it could have been very good.
200SX was the last in that category, but the styling was naff on the S14, and only rectified partially on the S14a.
Gazboy said:
Yawn.
Another unusable posemobile. Where the hell are the fun, *afforable* cars? A practical (rock minimum : a roof) 2-seater car from a major manufacturer that was light, reasonably powerful and comfortably sub-20K would sell by the warehouseful I would have thought. Why is that so impossible? Or am I missing something?
And no, hot hatches don't count.
Ok, short version:
Toyota: We have a 2 seater 120bhp 1.6 coupe for sale, and a 150hp sc version too- from £9000!
Response: Could do with a bit more poke, the SC is too expensive so we don't want it, oh and a bigger boot and cabin please!
Toyota: Ok, we have a 2.0 with a boot and roomy cabin- 115-245bhp, from £13k....
Response: It's too big, too heavy and not as 'fun' as the old car, you should go back to basics...
Toyota: Ok, we have a 1.8 140bhp car that weighs just 50kg more than the original car, and handles even better!
Response: Love the handling, could do with more power, oh, and more luggage space please!
Toyota:off then.
well said Gazboy, too true
I cant see many people spend £100k for it rather than a F430 though. I mean, would you really ??
J.j. said:
I cant see many people spend £100k for it rather than a F430 though. I mean, would you really ??
Depends - if running costs are much cheaper than a Ferrari, or getting one inside 18 months of ordering, then yes, Lexus could do quite well out of it.
Don't be so quick to discount those with money as only being interested in only Italian exotics.
Ferrari/Lambo is not the be-all, end-all.
And with Lexus' track record for quality and customer care, that could be a big part of anyone's decision.
True.
Bumped into a guy with a fast Hyundai the other day . . . I'm trying to forget what it's called.
He said: "People, think I'm driving a Rari."
That could've shaken my world. But it didn't, it's how Joe Average in the street sees things . . . so this Lexus thingy will be a huge hit.
Bumped into a guy with a fast Hyundai the other day . . . I'm trying to forget what it's called.
He said: "People, think I'm driving a Rari."
That could've shaken my world. But it didn't, it's how Joe Average in the street sees things . . . so this Lexus thingy will be a huge hit.
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