Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Motor Show: Lexus LF-A

Concept gets its first UK airing

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The Lexus LF-A concept - a car that has been around so long it must be due for a facelift - has made its first UK appearance at the Motor Show. The car was unveiled in 2005 and has since been shown around the world and has even competed in the Nurburgring 24 Hours race.

The LF-A is powered by a high-revving V10 front mid-mounted engine producing more than 500bhp, giving it a top speed of more than 200mph. Elsewhere on the Lexus stand was the new IS F M3-challenger. The car has 417bhp and can accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds.

[Neomagic]

I just don’t get this car, is it the “New Supra Replacement” will it make production. Who knows because I certainly don’t?

[Tahiti]

I like that a lot.

[minisloth]

Bit unsure about the black mesh looking thing under the rear lights but I like the rest.

[endorium]

this is not a replacement for the supra. It is meant to compete with italy's finest. I would think price will be over £100,000.
Very nice looking and the sound of the engine is fantastic. It is going into production as test mules have been sited round the ring

[DrRazzle]

Is everyone else bored by this thing turning up every 6 months with a new paint job with or without roof? Build it or bin it.

[Pony]

i don't dislike what they're trying to achieve but that looks awful

[OJ]

Are they waiting for the F1 team to get their first win before they release this? They'll be Ice Skating with Stalin by the time that happens

[DeadMeat_UK]

They don't do "nimble looking" for their sportscars do they.

[Mark-C]

DrRazzle said:

Is everyone else bored by this thing turning up every 6 months with a new paint job with or without roof? Build it or bin it.

Let's having something new if this isn't going to happen

[dazsmith69]

front looks like the veiside fortune supra



like the car though, does seem based on the old supra though

[Neomagic]

endorium said:

this is not a replacement for the supra. It is meant to compete with italy's finest. I would think price will be over £100,000.
Very nice looking and the sound of the engine is fantastic. It is going into production as test mules have been sited round the ring

Would I be wrong in my thinking to think that the original Supra despite being to contender to the skyline was a form of super car in its own right? Thus making it a competitor on at least a performance level with Italy’s finest?

[cvegas]

Why is it taking so long to bring this to the market? Looks light years ahead of the styling of the R8, for example.

[Stig]

The only thing that an LF-A and a Supra have in common, are that they both have 4 wheels and an engine.

The LF-A, developed as a concept (but is now basically production ready), has been sadly mis-timed in terms of it's marketability. Lexus (with Hybrid Drive) are flag waving in terms of environmental credentials (ableit with a performance bias) as a USP; selling the LF-A goes against that ethos somewhat (then again, it didn't stop them from producing the IS-F did it?).

The real issue is getting enough people to part with 6 figures for a Lexus. More likely to succeed in the USA than Europe/RoW and given the economic situation over there at the mo - I expect TMC management have cold feet.

I agree that they should pee or get off the pot (so to speak), in terms of production though. There's only so many times you can wheel out a concept (credibly) and get away with it.

[ZesPak]

Stig said:

...The real issue is getting enough people to part with 6 figures for a Lexus. More likely to succeed in the USA than Europe/RoW and given the economic situation over there at the mo ...

You're right about the US part. Lexus is very high regarded in the US (on an equal, if not higher, base than Merc or BMW).
A +100k car is never going to sell in great numbers, but I think Lexus can ship quite a few.

For me, this works. If the money was there I'd have a second thought on a GTR (or two for that money).

[Tinohead]

endorium said:

It is going into production as test mules have been sited round the ring

They were testing that round the ring when I was there last summer, at the same time Ferrari were still testing the 430 Scuderia. Why's it taking so long?!

[Lexual Feeling]

..all good things come to those who....

[tomTVR]

Have to agree this thing is taking for ever. Honda need to hurry up with their NSX replacement too.

Edited by tomTVR on Wednesday 23 July 20:00

[tomTVR]

Edited by tomTVR on Wednesday 23 July 20:00

[PhilLL]

Hmm I wonder if the success of the GTR has set Honda and Lexus back while they wonder how they can compete?

[ridds]

I'd heard a rumour that it was ready for lauch a good 6-12 months ago but Lexus got a whiff of what else was emerging and the engineers were told to go back to the drawing board and make it fatser.

A shas been said, sounds great but didn't afer too well at the N24 race this year.