Thursday 21st May 2009

Video: Lexus LF-A On Track

Footage of will-they/won't-they supercar at the 'Ring, plus new racer pics

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Two Lexus LF-A coupes will be racing at the Nurburgring 24hrs this weekend, and Toyota has revealed the first official photos of its cars in race livery.

The pair of 500bhp V10-powered machines will be raced by a driver line-up that includes Toyota's boss Akio Toyoda, as well as several of the company's test drivers.

Last year a single LF-A competed in the Nurburgring 24hrs, running in matte black 'prototype-style' bodywork, so the launch of a two-pronged attack with properly-liveried cars this year must say something interesting about Toyota's ongong strategy for the LF-A, even if we're not quite sure what!

It's worth noting that the race car livery still masks design details like the headlamp shape, while the racing nose with its front splitter and additional lamp cut-outs also maintains a sense of mystery over exactly how the final production version will look - if we're going to get a production version, that is.

Maybe Toyoda-san hopes to make an announcement on the LF-A's future from the winner's podium - perhaps to confirm a production debut for the car at the Tokyo motorshow this autumn, in line with current speculative reports.

Meanwhile here's a link to some recent video of the LF-A in action at the 'Ring.

 

 

 

 

[MattyLloyd73]

<dribbles>

Looks good!!

[DrRazzle]

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

[Frimley111R]

DrRazzle said:

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

+1 You have to wonder WTF Toyota are doing with this, either make it or 'can it. TBH they need this because they are, after all the maker of more mind numbingly dull cars than anyone else!

[dral]

Frimley111R said:

DrRazzle said:

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

+1 You have to wonder WTF Toyota are doing with this, either make it or 'can it. TBH they need this because they are, after all the maker of more mind numbingly dull cars than anyone else!

Or wait till the development is complete, the market is ready and release the great sports car that's been missing from the Japanese manufacturers...

[anonymous-user]

dral said:

Frimley111R said:

DrRazzle said:

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

+1 You have to wonder WTF Toyota are doing with this, either make it or 'can it. TBH they need this because they are, after all the maker of more mind numbingly dull cars than anyone else!

Or wait till the development is complete, the market is ready and release the great sports car that's been missing from the Japanese manufacturers...

Like the GTR you mean?

[Adrian W]

Frimley111R said:

DrRazzle said:

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

+1 You have to wonder WTF Toyota are doing with this, either make it or 'can it. TBH they need this because they are, after all the maker of more mind numbingly dull cars than anyone else!

And guess which cars most people buy!!!

[dral]

St John Smythe said:

dral said:

Frimley111R said:

DrRazzle said:

Looks like that Toyota that came out in 2005, oh wait, it is

+1 You have to wonder WTF Toyota are doing with this, either make it or 'can it. TBH they need this because they are, after all the maker of more mind numbingly dull cars than anyone else!

Or wait till the development is complete, the market is ready and release the great sports car that's been missing from the Japanese manufacturers...

Like the GTR you mean?

Not really, that's a very accomplished technical feat and undoubtably capable, but i was thinking more of a sports car, like the NSX, S2000 maybe the classic MX-5s...(although back to reality...it is toyota...)

Edited by dral on Thursday 21st May 13:26

[Clem64]

Well i wouldn't kick it out of bed for farting

[Chris-R]

dral said:

[quote=St John Smythe
Not really, that's a very accomplished technical feat and undoubtably capable, but i was thinking more of a sports car, like the NSX, S2000 maybe the classic MX-5s...(although back to reality...it is toyota...)

Edited by dral on Thursday 21st May 13:26

Like this?

[scoobsydub]

Do Toyota make an interesting car.....Saying that I am very partial to an Avensis...Usually at 4 in the morning outside a hellish nightclub in tyhe rain. A 1.8 GLS Pleeaaaaaasssse

[Neomagic]

Toyota Supra Twin Turbo's weren’t interesting cars then?

[forzaminardi]

Toyota haven't made an interesting car since the last Celica and MR2s rolled off the line. I love the look of this LF-A thing but even if it does appear it'll cost zillions of quid. What we need is this long-rumoured Subaru joint-venture RWD coupe thing to hurry along.

[STASH1]

Neomagic said:

Toyota Supra Twin Turbo's weren’t interesting cars then?

Lets have this as a new road going Supra !

[Bladedancer]

Neomagic said:

Toyota Supra Twin Turbo's weren’t interesting cars then?

Not for badge snobs, no.

People we're looking down on Japanese sports car for ever as 'not having the pedigree' like german or italian rivals. Apparently being faster, better build and better handling isn't enough.
Funny though that Audi was accepted rather quickly to the club despite being rather new make.

As for Nissan GRT, people (like Porsche fans) don't want to accept that someone on the other side of the globe made a better car for half the money. They don't see this as healthy competition for some reason. And they are quick to point out that you can break the car via quick lauch. I wonder how many launches Ferrari 430 would survive. We tend to be more forgiving towards EU makes and expect absolute perfection from the Japanese (while calling them 'rice burners' with disdain).
People still say 'Lexus? That's just a Toyota.' but they haven't even seen a new Lexus and don't know that model line up has been different for the past few years. They are quick to praise new beemer or Audi though (again, without seeing one up close).

I for one would like to see that Lexus build and sold, just so that japanese cars could again enter the supercar world they left with the death of R34, Supra and especially NSX.

[STASH1]

Bladedancer said:

Neomagic said:

Toyota Supra Twin Turbo's weren’t interesting cars then?

Not for badge snobs, no.

People we're looking down on Japanese sports car for ever as 'not having the pedigree' like german or italian rivals. Apparently being faster, better build and better handling isn't enough.
Funny though that Audi was accepted rather quickly to the club despite being rather new make.

As for Nissan GRT, people (like Porsche fans) don't want to accept that someone on the other side of the globe made a better car for half the money. They don't see this as healthy competition for some reason. And they are quick to point out that you can break the car via quick lauch. I wonder how many launches Ferrari 430 would survive. We tend to be more forgiving towards EU makes and expect absolute perfection from the Japanese (while calling them 'rice burners' with disdain).
People still say 'Lexus? That's just a Toyota.' but they haven't even seen a new Lexus and don't know that model line up has been different for the past few years. They are quick to praise new beemer or Audi though (again, without seeing one up close).

I for one would like to see that Lexus build and sold, just so that japanese cars could again enter the supercar world they left with the death of R34, Supra and especially NSX.

Some names can stand on thee own feet Mini being a good example if they want to give this a badge with a touch of cred forget Lexus or Toyota i think the name Supra has enough cred amoung people who know to give this car prestige amoung sports car fans

[jimmyb]

Look on the bright side lexus have made money on it even if they never launch just from interest on the deposits.

When i went to lexus to enquire about the LF-A i asked what sort of deposit they would be looking for and IIRC the dealer told me they would want a £15k deposit on a car that hadnt even been confirmed or "launched" at that point about 2yrs ago.