07grIS350

- The 458's are burning up left and right, so I don't think that is a real performce threat to the LFA, biased or not. What if Ferrari had to detune the car due some design defects? Also, isn't that car's exterior design is almost an exact copy of an Acura prototype? It appears that too many short cuts were taken in getting it to production.
- About the ML/nav system in the LFA, I don't think that can weight a couple hundred pounds? So where is the luxury weight coming from? ML is the only item that I did not delete from my order.

LexFather

^^^^^ From my reading the ML system is very light. As a matter of fact its something like 30% lighter yet 300% more powerful or something like that. The system was designed for lightness and power. Not sure of its weight.

Some info here
http://www.harman.com/EN-US/Newscent...sSupercar.aspx

Mister Two

^^But surely the weight of the 12 speakers must amount to something wouldn't it?

07grIS350

Thanks again 1 for the info on ML system. I love ML systems on my cars, so that is a must have for me, but then again with the V10 sounding so good maybe I should delete it? I am just thinking out loud... Perhaps Lexus should send cars without the lux goodies for performance testings. The lighter LFA's would then set some serious performance bench marks for bragging rights

05RollaXRS

Oh jeez!!! This is not good. It is painful to watch. LFA will have to be a 12 second car to lose to the SLS AMG like that.

How could LFA lose to the SLS AMG like this? AutoZeitung found LFA to be neck and neck uptil 125 mph and it was faster on the high speed sectors at the high speeds.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/fastest-car-video/

This is completely biased and idiotic. Look at how LFA starts reeling back the SLS AMG and suddenly the LFA nose dives and it fall behind. Just one bad thing keeps coming after another. Someone should show this to Lexus NA.

Tee

This comparo was see thru all the way, I'm with you this was some str8 BS!!!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

none of the recent reviews on the lfa look good.

Mister Two

AutoZeitung's website has been updated with the full article of the LFA vs. SLS AMG comparo.

http://www.autozeitung.de/node/387931

Here's the poor Google translation:

FASZINATION AUTO MERCEDES SLS AMG AND LEXUS LFA
MERCEDES AMG AND LEXUS LFA SLS IN THE TRACK TEST

From AUTO ZEITUNG 17/2010

Two exclusive dream cars in the tough duel: Lexus LFA and AMG Mercedes SLS fight on the circuit at every tenth of a second

On paper, both only separated nuances, details. The layout is the same: front mid-engine, steel tube tunnel (torque tube) to the transaxle gearbox, rear wheel drive, even the performance of 560 hp and 571 differs from not big different. The biggest difference is the material used for the chassis construction: Lexus LFA used in a specially woven structure made of carbon fibers, donated the Mercedes AMG SLS against a space-frame structure made of aluminum. 100 kg weight savings promised, the team of LFA-Chief Engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi by the combination of carbon-fiber chassis and aluminum sub-frame compared to a pure metal construction. The view of the scale but shows amazing: The LFA weighs 1609 kg with only 65 kg less than the SLS AMG. Perfect, however, is the weight of the Japanese. Between the front and rear, there is a difference of three pounds, at the Mercedes after all weigh nearly 100 kg in the rear.

Acceleration DUEL
Thanks launch control function for the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox of the SLS shoots reproducible in 3.8 seconds with minimal slippage at the rear wheels at 100 km / After 11.4 seconds, he is twice as fast. At the Lexus test car can activate the launch Conrol not everything depends on the sensitivity of the driver. 3.9 seconds for the sprint to 100 km / h is therefore the end of the road, about two tenths of the work is acknowledged. To 200 km / h, it is but a par with the SLS. The same takes place at the brake test: The Kaltbremswerte from 100 km / h are almost identical (LFA: 33.5 m / SLS: 33.4 m), under heavy load - ten full braking from 100 km / h to standstill works are Lexus of an average advantage of one meter out (LFA: 32.3 m / SLS: 33.4 m).

Pricing to lose a word about the unnecessary, given the already sold-out mini-series of 500 hand-made Lexus LFA. Start of production of customer cars in December. 14 LFA go to a German buyer. The SLS AMG also sells gorgeous, not compared to the Lexus, with an annual production of over 3500 units but already regarded as a commodity.

Impressive POWER PLANTS
A look under the hood of the Mercedes reveals the far center of the vehicle lying down position of the sonorous V8 by 92 horsepower per liter. The internally called M159 engine weighs 205 kg and develops 650 Nm of torque. The response to gas commands is always spontaneous, the enormous power in the low engine speed - in fact at any speed. This engine is seemingly never out of breath. The installation position of the Lexus-72-degree V10 is elected as far back. It weighs only 200 kg and makes 117 hp per liter displacement. With 480 Nm of torque, it has a disadvantage compared to the force Meier of Germany. However, responsiveness and smoothness of the engine screams at 9000 tours SLS engine outdo it.

A perfect fit within the workplace of the Lexus also offers. Steering wheel and seats can customize virtually any stature. With ***** on the cockpit side, you can activate the Sport mode and shorter switching times. The individually programmable TFT display is now a white-backed and coarse scaled tachometer dar. Shortly before reaching the maximum speed he warns flashing red to upshift to the fixed paddles. More settings does not exist.

ZEITENJAGD
A warm-up lap is sufficient, the CAA immediately instills confidence a lot, the VSC (ESP) offers a Sport mode, large enough to travel with safety margins. The chicane after the start / finish requires Targeted give in at around 140 km / h. The LFA is stirring not even know the body sways minimal. Early on the gas, full speed up to the hairpin. Tempo 204 shows to the GPS system, brakes and down to 47 km / h - no problem. Precise braking is achieved with the LFA round after round. The front axle willingly directs the 180-degree turn in, but not hectic. Hardly noticeable slip at the rear wheels under acceleration out, the grip is amazing, the fine metering of engine power causes no problems. The transmission hammers in 0.2 seconds, the short course a blow in with. Due to the fast sections of the course of the LFA flies completely unspectacular, even the relaying of a right-in a left turn at 155 km / h anxiety does not bring in the landing gear. In the last sector of the then Japanese shows his true ability. The cornering speeds in the narrow, last chicane to set standards and help him to a top time of 1:35,66 minutes.

In the cockpit of the Mercedes AMG SLS settings can also be desired no. Here are the shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel, however, and turn with it. by turning **** to "sport plus" are shifting strategy, now own the SLS changes the course - almost perfectly adapted to the driving situation. The ESP keeps the Mercedes in an emergency on course. the stress of AMG performance suspension equipped with, it goes onto the track. In the fast first chicane of the SLS staggers noticeably more direct but still an almost toxic. Before the hairpin is the Mercedes already faster, but requires a previous braking point. The speed in the hairpin is less than the Lexus. Now, he rages at first light quergehend the long straight road. Short braking at 221 km / h, then reacting to the medium-speed links: The SLS is working hard alternating between slight under-and oversteer clear under load. By the end of the second sector, he is only two tenths behind. After that he has the extreme stability of the LFA little to counter. Results: 1:37,50 minutes, almost two seconds slower than the Japanese. The SLS requires extremely sensitive throttle and steering. The CAA can give drivers early on the spurs of the, in the SLS is due to the brutal little nudge. Like a NASCAR race car chases he roared through the course. The LFA dominated him in the way of a precise formula-racer.

Holger Eckhardt

DeTomaso

Well in the end it is Lexus who is to blame for this by sending in LFA's for testing that aren't up to full production standards (proper LC, spoiler tilting, tyres, what else?). They could have known those cars would end up in high performance comparisons...and for the price it should put up some competitive numbers. I also don't think those test models are made from an alu frame but come with the production carbon body.
I can only see/hope lexus tweaking the aerodynamics and launch control+adding the LFA specific tyres for the production model, rest will be the same as those tested.

Mister Two

^In the Google-translated AutoZeitung article it says "At the Lexus test car can activate the launch Conrol not everything depends on the sensitivity of the driver." Does that mean the LFA prototype has LC or not? Anyone who can read German here?

DeTomaso

I didn't read the original German AutoZeitung test but it presumably is the same red LFA as tested by Sport Auto and they claimed it had Launch Control equipped.
Weird though that with the same car, AZ manages 11.4 secs to 200 km/h and Sport Auto only 12.5 .
Also in the Autocar test the SLS pulls away from the Lexus while it should not, given the numbers AutoZeitung provided.

Edit: i read the German article after clicking on the provided link and it clearly states that 'On the LFA the launch control could not be activated, therefore everything comes down to the driver's finesse'. So looks they got those times without LC.
The licence plates of the red AutoZeitung car and the red Sport Auto car are also different but the interior finish is an exact match, so guess this is the same car.
Maybe this means AutoZeitung thought the LC was broken and did not use it for the acceleration testing, and that SA did try the LC out and found it to be not functioning well.

LexusMan77

Concerning the weight issue, I thought it was reported earlier that these LFA prototypes were not made of carbon fiber, but were made out of aluminum instead. Maybe that explains the heavy weight of these LFA prototypes in these tests? Can anyone elaborate on this?

DeTomaso

No test so far mentions the test mules being made of alu instead of carbon. No way they would look over that. Don't forget a 458 italia weights 3500 lbs too with a full fuel tank and some luxuries. Maybe we were expecting too much in the weight department. The Sport Auto article however also states that lexus is preparing a weight optimised Nürburgring version. It costs nearly 100k $ more, so it should probably have even more carbon fiber.
That this not automatically implies better performance the GTR V-spec proved , so lexus still has work to do.

05RollaXRS

Where did you read that?? Is there some way you can quote the source??

At this point, being the biggest LFA fanboi, even I am just baffled at what Lexus' strategy is? I am very puzzled. They are randomly giving these prototypes to every publication out there when the first customer has not even received his LFA yet who most likely must be seeing or receiving news of tests like these.

What kind of impression is Lexus creating in the mind of people who dished out $400,000 to Lexus for what Lexus promised an "Outstanding performer that goes head to head with the world's best supercars". Is this what they should feel "warm and fuzzy" about?

All Lexus is doing is shooting themselves in the foot, becoming a laughing stock of haters and creating confusion amongst the owners/stakeholders that LFA is underperforming in tests. Looks like Lexus tried to accomplish way too many things with just one supercar.

gengar

I've never read anything (other than wild speculation on forums) that suggests the protoypes of the current-gen LFA are or were made of aluminum.


The Nür edition is old news - there is actually very little performance improvement (e.g., almost no weight reduction that wouldn't be achieved on the base model with delete options). Nearly all of the additional perks in the package are Nür training and access programs and it follows that most of the additional cost goes towards those benefits as well.



You really think we're going anywhere?