VIDEO: Why the Lexus LFA is the Ultimate Underdog of Supercars
Now desperately sought after by collectors, the LFA cemented itself as a timeless icon through obsessive dedication for perfection.
You know how sometimes we can’t seem to appreciate something until it’s completely out of reach? That might be the most simple way to understand the Lexus LFA.
Criminally underrated and misunderstood when production began back in 2010, the LFA a decade later has reached mythical levels of praise and status amongst performance automobiles.
It is a vehicle that simply can’t be replicated even with today’s much more advanced technology. A true timeless design that will go down as one of the best vehicles ever built.
However, this vehicle wasn’t always held in such acclaim. Back in 2019, three Lexus dealers still had brand new LFAs in their showrooms, seven full years after production had concluded.
How exactly did we attain such a dramatic shift in sentiment? Well, to understand the LFA, one must first understand its story. Derek Tam-Scott from ISSIMI Official on YouTube created a beautiful cinematic to retell its legend. Let’s dive a bit deeper.
A decade of focused development
Initially, one of the chief designers at Toyota back in 2000 had the thought to create a sportscar. Once the idea had seen interest from higher ups in the company, their purpose from the get-go was always to create a flagship.
They wanted something that would stand the test of time, an icon to demonstrate the true capabilities of Toyota’s strength. Thus, Toyota “freed some of their most passionate engineers to create the ultimate driver-oriented supercar and told them that it didn’t need to make money.”
This is a key detail, as Toyota would break the traditional boundaries of financial constraint to create something remarkable. At the time, they were the largest OEM in the world, selling about 7 million cars a year.
Thus, with the freedom and flexibility of creating a truly focused product, the small team at Toyota got to work on creating the first prototypes.
See, the Japanese manufacturer didn’t just want a car that was fast, but something that truly would leave no doubt of its capabilities from any performance perspective.
Racing: the magical ingredient that makes cars better
By 2003, a working prototype was already being seen being tested. By testing we mean raced, because by 2004, the car was performing bench-marking runs at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife.
However, engineers were unhappy with the car’s overall performance, as it fell short of their desired targets due to one major issue: weight.
The LFA at 3,500 pounds wasn’t exactly light by supercar standards. That wasn’t acceptable for Toyota, as they wanted to ensure this truly was the best possible performance vehicle it could be.
Thus, to save weight, the LFA team thought of using a carbon fiber monocoque instead of the existing aluminum chassis. However, at the time Toyota had never worked with carbon fiber and doesn’t follow the standard of out-sourcing manufacturing.
They used this performance obstacle as an opportunity to advance the technology capabilities of their company. By 2007, Toyota was capable of carbon fiber mass-production thanks to resources drawn from their Formula 1 team.
This would save over 220 pounds overall from the LFA, who was now ready to be put back in its paces at its proving ground: the race track. The car would race two full seasons of the VLN series in Germany solidified by a class win in 2009. Only three months later, Toyota would finally confirm production of the long-awaited vehicle.
A technically perfect chassis with a heart of fire in its nature
Since the first concepts of the LFA it was performance-driven at its core. Rigorous testing through racing allowed the car to legitimatize its desire for performance.
This is why the car features carbon-cermanic brakes, remote-reservoir dampeners, and dry-sump lubrication for the engine. It is bred from truly aggressive conditions, where 100% performance is a requirement for hours on end.
The 1LR V10 engine, now glorified for producing one of the most intoxicating sounds ever, was truly a masterpiece in its own right. Built from scratch to have the power of a V10 with dimensions of a V8 and the weight of a V6.
That in itself is a truly stunning achievement and only just one aspect of what makes the LFA so special. Yamaha, who designed the engine, specifically built the airbox to sing a rewarding tone upon application of the throttle.
Their expertise in musical instruments displayed a symphony of sounds reminiscent of Formula 1 from the driver’s seat at every blip of the downshift.
Each completed production LFA was tested for a week straight to ensure quality, even with on-track testing before delivery.
A true icon of automotive excellence, never to be replicated
There are so many stunning details about LFA, it is surprising that it managed to all come together as one cohesive package. How could something so focused, so refined, work well in every environment?
Well, this is part of the reason we believe that the LFA was initially underappreciated. It truly wasn’t a car meant for everyday driving. It was a specialized vehicle focusing on providing the most rewarding driving experience possible.
Thus, it was easy to misunderstand its purpose and its uniqueness. Tam-Scott stated that “the pesky limitations of real-world road conditions become an irritating constraint to prevent the car from achieving its one true desire: to be let off the leash.”
It was built for a race track and quieted down for the road, but its true color always shined through. The LFA is anxious and ready to show it what it can do and do better than any other performance car.
This is why you could have bought four Nissan GTRs for the original MSRP of $375,000. Some people said it was overpriced and overvalued compared to its competition.
However, now that we are over a decade from its release and outright performance isn’t the limiting factor, we understand why the LFA is truly a standout example amongst perfectionists.
With only 500 units produced, this Lexus will undoubtedly go down as one the world’s most iconic flagships, ever. Not only has it stood the test of time, but it has made us understood why it was so special to begin with.
With prices nearly doubling within the last two years, the demand for this legend is undeniable. Tam-Scott couldn’t have said it any better, “the LFA is finally being recognized for what it is: one hell of a ride.”
