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By Chris Chilton
21 October 2009 00:33
So, Toyota has finally made a new Supra, a car to take the Nissan GT-R down a peg or two?Supra? This is the new Lexus LFA supercar, although I see what you mean. And don’t mention that impossibly quick, incredibly good value, front-engined Japanese supercar, the GT-R. Lexus claims that the new LFA is a proper supercar, a machine to be compared with the greatest Ferraris and Lamborghinis. It certainly is comparable on price: you’ll need £325,000 to buy one.Three hundred and twenty-five grand! Has Japan suffered some kind of Zimbabwean hyperinflation and bread is now £40k a loaf?No, but Lexus did get a bit carried away with the carbonfibre, developing its own type of composite for the chassis tub and building a brand new V10 engine. The project’s been so long in gestation that when Lexus started, they decided to use a V10 to stress the link to F1 – which switched over to V8s in 2006. The 4.8-litre dry-sumped unit puts out 552bhp at 8700rpm, 354lb ft at 6800rpm and spins to 9000rpm. Promising.For that price, the Lexus LFA supercar ought to be ballistically quick...It’s certainly rapid, though probably not as rapid as you’d hope. Sixty-two rocks up in 3.7sec (helped by its four-wheel drive system, the Nissan GT-R needs just 3.5sec) and the top speed is 202mph. But the Lexus V10 spins to that 9000rpm redline in one linear push and sounds incredible, emitting a hard yowl throughout the entire journey.And it’s not just quick on the straights. The LFA turns in swiftly and understeers very little thanks to a 48:52 front:rear weight distribution made possible by tucking the engine up close to the front bulkhead and mounting the gearbox over the rear wheels. Scythe into a corner and you can feel the outside rear tyre loading up, and initially this can make you think the handling a little edgy. But you soon learn to trust the chassis, keep the pressure on and not back off the power. From there you can either keep it neat or ride out an enormous slide, M3-style. The ultra-precise, two-turns lock-to-lock steering is realistically weighted and race-car accurate, meaning it’s as good for gathering those slides as it is picking a perfect line through a corner. It’s the best fully electric steering system yet, if still lacking the feel of a fully hydraulic steering system.>> Click 'Next' to read more of CAR's Lexus LF-A first drive review
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Lexus LFA (2009): the supercar review
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kkirkou says
RE: Lexus LFA (2009): the supercar review
For 325.000 GBP I wouldn't buy it even if it had been handcrafted by 100 teen virgin geishas.
02 December 2009 13:28
stuski65 says
Well, I would say it was a ripoff if I didn't have first hand experience working for an exotic car maker and owning an exotic while also being the original owner of a 1992 Toyota Celica All Trac Turbo. My all trac you might say has nothing in common with the LFA. But look at it, hood slots on each side, Torsen drivetrain. I have 80,000 accident free miles on my car, but each drive no less than 40 miles. HARD driven miles after warmed up. I brought the car to a dealer for struts, and yes even its first timing belt in 16 yrs. original NEVER BROKE , new struts, new clutch,THE WORKS.Tranny, Engine no need for anything. I did some industry analyis of the proper shop, mechanic. I was given a loaner for a total of 6 months, a NEW Toyota loaner. My car was meticulously updated. It never leaked prior nor after. I stuck a new set of bfgoodrich g-force sports on it. And off I go, for another 16 yrs. I never owned a car that needed nothing, I now have a owned a rare Homologation driven hard with zero problems. You can spend the money now, or later . Later with a Ferrari... in repairs, or now, and need nothing for decades. I prefer an untouched car, untouched by mechanics tinkering or my time wasted going to and from dealer repair shops or having others do it for me. But the price is kind of steep. BUT, a 2000GT was overpriced for its time as well, and now is a collectors item.
31 October 2009 01:01
KoenigseggBG says
Why are you so sceptical about paying 300k for a Toyota? It's a pretty good car and if you have to judge it by the price, you may have to take a look at other type of cars. The look is awesome, interior is very nice for a Yota, sounds is well, montaged (which is lame) but I suspect it will be a successful car. Peace out! ;)
30 October 2009 19:54
seant says
RE: Lexus LF-A (2009): the supercar review
ElephantStomp. I’m sure he’s big enough to defend himself if he chooses but, if being generally civilised and supportive to other contributors, even when you don’t agree with them, and maybe having a tendency to go floridly off-topic sometimes is a fault on this site, then count me in with the ‘windbags’ and ‘sycophants’. The alternative seems to be being one of the ‘alpha-males’, as another worthwhile contributor to this site rather generously called some of the front-page boys. Though I think tap-tapping angrily on our keyboards on a motor car website in order to get some catharsis from the frustration of having to act decently to people in the real world wouldn’t impress David Attenborough much. More like a bunch of hammy professional wrestlers grunting away and playing tough. By the way, ES, only the first bit was really directed at you, though you’re welcome to ‘call me out’ anytime - but where shall we meet, behind the virtual bikesheds or down by the cyber-swings?
25 October 2009 13:15
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