2011 Lexus LFA Debuts at Tokyo Motor Show
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
The Lexus LFA has been persistently making headlines in the automotive press for the past several years, appearing publicly in camouflaged guise and giving us mere morsels of what was to come. Speculation and wishful thinking abound, hard facts were the only things missing when it came to reporting news about the LFA. That all changed yesterday, however, as the car was officially unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Everything from complete performance specs to pricing and production numbers were finally revealed, leaving enthusiasts with enough info to fuel their automotive fantasies for weeks.
A 4.8-liter V10 sits up front, sending an astounding 560 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Helping to produce all that power is an advanced valvetrain similar to the Yamaha-designed unit found in the Lexus IS-F and a cylinder block with heavy duty internals, including titanium connecting rods and forged aluminum pistons.
Sixty-five percent of the car is slathered in lightweight carbon fiber, bringing the total vehicle weight down to just 3,263 lbs. The car achieves 0-62 mph in a scant 3.7 seconds—almost a whole second faster than the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG.
The LFA’s high performance credentials are enough to let it into the ultra-exclusive over-200-mph club, clocking a top speed of 201.94 mph. But straight line speed is nothing without control. A Torsen limited slip differential allows power to be sent to the wheel with the most grip in a turn, giving the car a sure-footed feel that only a limited-slip differential can offer.
A total of only 500 LFAs are to be produced between 2010 and 2013, making this Lexus a rare bird even among exotics. The limited production run means that the LFA carries hefty price tag. But just how hefty, nobody was ready for. Lexus dropped a dream-crushing bomb on unsuspecting automotive enthusiasts when they announced the LFA’s $375,000 starting price. While we can’t say we’d ever pay that much for a Lexus, we applaud the company for venturing so far upmarket. Lexus’s super car debut in Tokyo may have left some wishing for pricing closer to a Toyota rather than a Ferrari, but don’t expect the LFA to disappear from headlines any time soon.
