Official LF-A(II) thread (Will debut at Tokyo Auto Show, Lexus details Oct 20th, 8pm)
05-12-09, 03:18 PM
#1936
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After a fairly lengthy hiatus, it looks as though Toyota has resumed development of its Lexus LF-A supercar. The LF-A hasn’t been spied in over a year, but the two-door coupe returned to Germany’s famed Nürburgring race track on Tuesday.
The global economic downturn reportedly hasn’t taken its toll on Toyota’s LF-A program, so it remains possible we could finally see a production version of the Lexus supercar later this year at the Tokyo Motor Show. However, Lexus plans on campaigning the LF-A later this month in the 24 hour Nürburgring race, so it remains possible that this prototype is simply a racecar variant.
Whatever the case, the car spotted today is using Toyota’s new 4.8L V10, tuned to produce at least 500 horsepower. Power is sent to the rear-wheels — size 305/30/20 – via a paddle-shifted transmission.
Toyota has stated the LF-A won’t enter production until it can best the 7 minute 30 second mark around the ‘Ring, so the May 23rd race could give us an indication of how close the LF-A is to production.
The global economic downturn reportedly hasn’t taken its toll on Toyota’s LF-A program, so it remains possible we could finally see a production version of the Lexus supercar later this year at the Tokyo Motor Show. However, Lexus plans on campaigning the LF-A later this month in the 24 hour Nürburgring race, so it remains possible that this prototype is simply a racecar variant.
Whatever the case, the car spotted today is using Toyota’s new 4.8L V10, tuned to produce at least 500 horsepower. Power is sent to the rear-wheels — size 305/30/20 – via a paddle-shifted transmission.
Toyota has stated the LF-A won’t enter production until it can best the 7 minute 30 second mark around the ‘Ring, so the May 23rd race could give us an indication of how close the LF-A is to production.
HUH?
1-
Dec 2007
A Lexus LF-A mule has unofficially recorded a lap time on the Nordschleife of 7 minutes, 24 seconds. This is not in dispute. What is in dispute is how many seconds faster the LF-A's lap time is than that of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2, the previous "King of the 'Ring" record holder. Wikipedia notes that the fastest 911 GT2 driven around the Ring posted a lap time of 7 minutes, 32 seconds and was driven by Walter Röhrl, Porsche's company test driver and accomplished WRC driver and road racing pilot. Porsche was so proud of the feat that it produced a snazzy video of the run that you can watch here. AutoExpress, however, which reported on the LF-A's remarkable lap time, claims that the fastest 911 GT2 lap time on the Nurburgring is 7 minutes, 25 seconds, but we could find no evidence on the web of a stock 911 GT2 ever posting a time that fast. Also note that a handful of other cars have posted lap times, but all are either tuner cars or limited production boutique cars like the Pagani Zonda F.
A Lexus LF-A mule has unofficially recorded a lap time on the Nordschleife of 7 minutes, 24 seconds. This is not in dispute. What is in dispute is how many seconds faster the LF-A's lap time is than that of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2, the previous "King of the 'Ring" record holder. Wikipedia notes that the fastest 911 GT2 driven around the Ring posted a lap time of 7 minutes, 32 seconds and was driven by Walter Röhrl, Porsche's company test driver and accomplished WRC driver and road racing pilot. Porsche was so proud of the feat that it produced a snazzy video of the run that you can watch here. AutoExpress, however, which reported on the LF-A's remarkable lap time, claims that the fastest 911 GT2 lap time on the Nurburgring is 7 minutes, 25 seconds, but we could find no evidence on the web of a stock 911 GT2 ever posting a time that fast. Also note that a handful of other cars have posted lap times, but all are either tuner cars or limited production boutique cars like the Pagani Zonda F.
2- The 24 hours of the Ring does not use the same layout on whichh cars are tested. It uses the ring plus the adjacent F1 track, which add a significant amount of distance (read:time) to a lap.
05-12-09, 03:53 PM
#1937
If you guys looked closely at the crystal LF-A, it had a LOT of cues that this new production LF-A has, mainly the lower bumper and the rear taillamps. You can make out how the headlamps look like in the crystal LF-A as well.
PS Sad they decided to use LF-A I's tail design and not the immensely sexy LF-A II's.
PS Sad they decided to use LF-A I's tail design and not the immensely sexy LF-A II's.
05-17-09, 08:53 PM
#1938
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Also notice that the upper side intakes have been redesigned into a more sleeker, smoother and aggressive shape. Plus, they've put the rear diffuser on the car, where as with the Motor Authority pics we saw the car with the diffuser off.
The Nurburgring pics are misleading, because you are seeing the suspension under full compression which does not accurately show wheel fitment. Look at the Motor Authority pics when the car is standing still for a better indication of wheel fitment.
I don't know how aggressive people expect wheel fitment to be. The fitment is actually no less aggressive than on a stock Ferrari Enzo.
Also looking at the lap times during the 4 hour ADAC race at the 'Ring (which uses the full layout of the track including the F1 section) the LF-A's best lap was an improvement over last year. The best lap at this year's 4 hour race was equivalent to the lap times that Porsche GT3 Cup cars were posting. In that 4 hour race, I think the only two cars that posted faster lap times were a GT3 RSR and a modified Viper. Considering the LF-A ran in nearly stock production trim in the race, posting lap times as fast as a GT3 Cup is very promising.
The upcoming 24 hour race should prove very interesting.
Huh? That's pretty much impossible. The LF-A I's tails mostly stretched across the rear decklid. The tails on this latest prototype clearly curve around the side of the car (like the LF-A II) and also likely curve slightly around the radiators (like the LF-A II). The tails cannot be of the LF-A I design since there are some small winglets in the way of where LF-A I style tails would be situated.
Last edited by TRDFantasy; 05-17-09 at 08:58 PM.
05-18-09, 06:20 PM
#1941
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05-18-09, 06:24 PM
#1942
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05-20-09, 12:32 PM
#1946
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Certainly was an Evora. Consider that the Evora is a very good handling car, and can do 0-60 under 5 sec, yet in the video the LF-A flew past the Evora like it was nothing 
. It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.
. It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.
05-20-09, 12:43 PM
#1947
Lexus Test Driver
Certainly was an Evora. Consider that the Evora is a very good handling car, and can do 0-60 under 5 sec, yet in the video the LF-A flew past the Evora like it was nothing . It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.
. It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.
2010/11 should be an interesting year... Ferrari F450, Porsche 998 Turbo/GT2 from the top of my head... Also you got a Gallardo and R8. It should be fun seeing these all being tested against the LF-A on Top Gear
*keeps dreaming* **** why not put it up against a AM DBS V12
Last edited by JessePS; 05-20-09 at 12:54 PM.
05-20-09, 01:24 PM
#1948
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Certainly was an Evora. Consider that the Evora is a very good handling car, and can do 0-60 under 5 sec, yet in the video the LF-A flew past the Evora like it was nothing . It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.
. It's quite obvious that the LF-A will have a 0-60 time well under 4 seconds, likely around 3 seconds flat. That along with some extremely well-balanced handling and monumental braking ability.Engine sounds as sexy as ever though...a bit more guttural even
05-20-09, 01:45 PM
#1949
Huh? That's pretty much impossible. The LF-A I's tails mostly stretched across the rear decklid. The tails on this latest prototype clearly curve around the side of the car (like the LF-A II) and also likely curve slightly around the radiators (like the LF-A II). The tails cannot be of the LF-A I design since there are some small winglets in the way of where LF-A I style tails would be situated.
