Friday 4th June 2010

Video: Lexus LFA Shatters Wine Glass

New US ad spot is suitably silly for Friday entertainment

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Don't drink and drive - you may spill it!

It's not rocket science, but it is fun. The exhaust note of that new Lexus LFA you've just ordered will shatter a champagne flute at 170mph, and there's a video to prove it.

It's the latest TV ad from Lexus in the US, who claim the unique sound of 552hp engine shatters the glass without the use of CGI or camera tricks.

We're told the car company employed a renowned physicist from a leading university to help determine which type of champagne glasses have the same frequency as the LFA's revving engine. (The pitch of the glass needed to precisely match the pitch of the engine in order for the flute to shatter.)

Racing car driver Scott Pruett then "drove" on the dynamometer until the engine revved to 7,000-9,000 rpm, creating the right frequency of vibration to break the glass.

Given the cost and rarity of the LFA, and the likelihood that some cars will end up in collectors' living rooms, we'd like to think there's just a chance that somebody will try this at home...

Click 'play' to watch:

[TangoR34]

That's one expensive... vocal.

[RebelRed]

4.1 mpg @ 172 mph, excellent!

[Garlick]

I love the way that LFA sounds. Say what you like about the car or it's price, but you can't dislike that noise.

[ZesPak]

Garlick said:

I love the way that LFA sounds. Say what you like about the car or it's price, but you can't dislike that noise.

Being a fan of Japanese cars, I have loved following this car to production.
Loved the bit on it on TG too.

Silly high price makes for exclusivity tough, and there are a lot of people willing to pay for that...

[AndrewW-G]

Meh!

Stick a champagne glass behind any car doing 170 on a dyno and it will break, most likely from the amount of wind \ air movement generated

[soad]

So why the glass was empty then?!

[IanO]

The problem with exclusivity is having to explain it

"So what you driving now?"

"A Lexus... but a really exclusive one"

[R66STU]

do it with a pint glass at 200 then i will be impressed.

but very good and you cant fault the car imo.

sounds fantastic

[nickpan]

Fantastic advert - they should have filled the glass with Crystal to add to the "luxury" element.

[ZesPak]

IanO said:

The problem with exclusivity is having to explain it

"So what you driving now?"

"A Lexus... but a really exclusive one"

Bullox, anybody who ever asked me "what are you driving now" actually knows about cars.

[Marf]

IanO said:

The problem with exclusivity is having to explain it

"So what you driving now?"

"A Lexus... but a really exclusive one"

If you care about that kind of thing then a Lexus isn't the car for you.

[AUDIHenry]

Cool advertisement, but it broke against the speaker thing, not from vibration. And I'm not sure the vibration was real, even if the breaking of it was.

[RB Will]

AndrewW-G said:

Meh!

Stick a champagne glass behind any car doing 170 on a dyno and it will break, most likely from the amount of wind \ air movement generated

Did you actually watch the video? Glass was infront of the car.

[Race Face]

What a fail, the mileage goes from 5887 to 5891 to 5889, but what a sound

[Fartgalen]

RB Will said:

AndrewW-G said:

Meh!

Stick a champagne glass behind any car doing 170 on a dyno and it will break, most likely from the amount of wind \ air movement generated

Did you actually watch the video? Glass was infront of the car.

Yes, but a microphone was behind the car recording the exhaust, and the glass was placed by the speaker.

[sootyrumble]

I know so many people bag this car as just a Lexus but i absolutely love it, one of the best super cars at the moment i would buy it straight away for that engine alone come on the lottery.

PS Love the advert too, everyone knows its fast etc, so just doing something silly is pretty cool

[Scott330ci]

Race Face said:

What a fail, the mileage goes from 5887 to 5891 to 5889, but what a sound

He was using reverse.

[Oddball RS]

And it wouldn't have broken if had had any liquid in it, well not short of an English Electric Lightning anyway

[Deranged Granny]

Race Face said:

What a fail, the mileage goes from 5887 to 5891 to 5889, but what a sound

Hahaha nice spot! Ahh the irony in a video about "perfection"!

[Mr Gearchange]

AndrewW-G said:

Meh!

Stick a champagne glass behind any car doing 170 on a dyno and it will break, most likely from the amount of wind \ air movement generated

What wind/air movement is there when the car is strapped down and stationary?