LFA on the cover of Autoweek and review
01-24-11, 08:57 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
LFA on the cover of Autoweek and review
Well the cover pic is an original press pic they PS'd in yellow. They state it maybe the most stable supercar and surely easiest to own. They love the engine sound and Pruett states he shifts at 9400 and 9500 RPM and its glorious (redline is 9200).
Pruett has covered 6,000-7,000 miles in the LFA all on the track. Pruett loves the brakes.
They talk about sales figures some saying now 60 more are available in the USA as demand in other countries dropped. The other negative was the shifter and AW felt it takes longer than others.
What I did notice was their weight of the LFA, 3,263 lbs which is the lightest I've seen and they comment how its lighter than most supercars.
Its not online yet, its the 1/24/11 issue
Pruett has covered 6,000-7,000 miles in the LFA all on the track. Pruett loves the brakes.
They talk about sales figures some saying now 60 more are available in the USA as demand in other countries dropped. The other negative was the shifter and AW felt it takes longer than others.
What I did notice was their weight of the LFA, 3,263 lbs which is the lightest I've seen and they comment how its lighter than most supercars.
Its not online yet, its the 1/24/11 issue
01-24-11, 09:31 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
There was a video on exactly that review with Scott Pruett doing burn outs and then a few hotlaps. Unfortunately, it got removed. 
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/6055647-post43.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/6055647-post43.html
01-25-11, 01:08 AM
#5
Lexus Champion
There was a user that said he knows for a fact the pre-production cars had fiberglass bodies, not CF. If true, that could explain the weight difference (if they have an LFA).
01-25-11, 05:01 AM
#6
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 3,370
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When used as body panels the difference between fiberglass and CF is fairly insignificant in terms of weight.
01-25-11, 08:56 AM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
. Not sure. They mentioned they had the interest but some of the people that said they wanted one are not writing the check and backing out. Going to be interesting.
Trending Topics
01-25-11, 10:17 AM
#8
Yeah there was talk about these new 60 cars available but they didn't say is it on top of the 170 in the USA for a total of 230 available here. Not sure.
They mentioned they had the interest but some of the people that said they wanted one are not writing the check and backing out. Going to be interesting.
. Not sure. They mentioned they had the interest but some of the people that said they wanted one are not writing the check and backing out. Going to be interesting.
i can see how people were so reluctant on writing the check, seeing that they were going to be tied down with the car for good 2 yrs and not able to sell it. we shall see if that rule still exists
01-25-11, 10:33 AM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
It has to be the US 60 from the 171. No other market. Then there is the 20 left number floating around as well.
Lexus could sell those 60 LFAs in other markets in a matter of minutes, if they were not so hell bent on selling all of them in the US.
Lexus could sell those 60 LFAs in other markets in a matter of minutes, if they were not so hell bent on selling all of them in the US.
01-25-11, 11:22 AM
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
So then it is 171-60? They are saying 111 are sold and 60 are available? They didn't go into specifics and I thought it was odd they opened the article with this point and ended it with the same point.
Another thought is to stretch production to 3 years instead of 2 as the economy should be better then.
Another thought is to stretch production to 3 years instead of 2 as the economy should be better then.
01-25-11, 11:42 AM
#11
We have been overly concerned with the number sold.
Anything not taken up by customers will be grabbed by the stealerships.
Besides, the car is just getting out there. Once a production version gets tested by xyz publications, David Beckham (my prediction) drives his around LA and it is seen in some movie with Pitt Brad (or equivalent), the story will build for the car.
Plus a few will get wrecked by rich, bad drivers and replacements will be needed.
I can't see Toyota expanding production to three years. From a bean counting perspective, you have blown your efficiency for the facility. If anything the cars will roll off the floor faster than the 24 month run target. Someday they can use the facility and those super skilled staff to build something else fun.
Anything not taken up by customers will be grabbed by the stealerships.
Besides, the car is just getting out there. Once a production version gets tested by xyz publications, David Beckham (my prediction) drives his around LA and it is seen in some movie with Pitt Brad (or equivalent), the story will build for the car.
Plus a few will get wrecked by rich, bad drivers and replacements will be needed.
I can't see Toyota expanding production to three years. From a bean counting perspective, you have blown your efficiency for the facility. If anything the cars will roll off the floor faster than the 24 month run target. Someday they can use the facility and those super skilled staff to build something else fun.
01-25-11, 12:30 PM
#12
Lead Lap
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ontario
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good points. I think the problem might be Lexus USA unwilling to give up its allocation of LFA's. I think at some point Lexus Corporate will ****** back those unsold units and sell them elsewhere.
01-25-11, 01:21 PM
#14
So then it is 171-60? They are saying 111 are sold and 60 are available? They didn't go into specifics and I thought it was odd they opened the article with this point and ended it with the same point.
Another thought is to stretch production to 3 years instead of 2 as the economy should be better then.
Another thought is to stretch production to 3 years instead of 2 as the economy should be better then.
We have been overly concerned with the number sold.
Anything not taken up by customers will be grabbed by the stealerships.
Besides, the car is just getting out there. Once a production version gets tested by xyz publications, David Beckham (my prediction) drives his around LA and it is seen in some movie with Pitt Brad (or equivalent), the story will build for the car.
Plus a few will get wrecked by rich, bad drivers and replacements will be needed.
I can't see Toyota expanding production to three years. From a bean counting perspective, you have blown your efficiency for the facility. If anything the cars will roll off the floor faster than the 24 month run target. Someday they can use the facility and those super skilled staff to build something else fun.
Anything not taken up by customers will be grabbed by the stealerships.
Besides, the car is just getting out there. Once a production version gets tested by xyz publications, David Beckham (my prediction) drives his around LA and it is seen in some movie with Pitt Brad (or equivalent), the story will build for the car.
Plus a few will get wrecked by rich, bad drivers and replacements will be needed.
I can't see Toyota expanding production to three years. From a bean counting perspective, you have blown your efficiency for the facility. If anything the cars will roll off the floor faster than the 24 month run target. Someday they can use the facility and those super skilled staff to build something else fun.
the number to me has been pretty interesting (i guess everyone can tell) because it can potentially represent a whole new group of owners, especially if it's 500 claimed (or whatever here in the US) by lexus, which is a pretty big number. but as things settle, it seems like it's not really that different
hahaha, any info that we are supposed to know? i surely want to know why lexus isn't shifting allocation to somewhere else, if demand is there and obviously they are asking for buyers here. the US market is far from one of the brightest out there at 400k
01-25-11, 02:31 PM
#15
finally got a chance to read the whole article. in a sense, i find it pretty interesting. it doesn't get into too many details about the car or throw out a lot of numbers. rather, as mentioned in the article, it seems like they are doing it for lexus. out of the 4 pages (minus all the pictures), one was about the sales, one about the "spec", and the rest mainly on scott's perspective on the car.
one thing i am glad is they were able to get scott to drive the car again. i think most would agree that he probably knows a lot more about what the car is capable of with the numerous hours and miles in the car, on the track. i think he hit it when he commented on how balance the car is. in fact, he said that the lfa is a fast, fun car that you can drive every day, so it seems like the lfa is a very balanced car, making it "safe" to drive. and he also pointed out strongly again that the brakes are the most impressive thing about the car
i was pleasantly surprised to see his criticism on the car as well. he thinks the car shifts a bit slow. my feeling is it has to do with the tranny not being dct. although on paper it takes 0.2s to shift, but i guess that transition provides the kind of feedback scott experiences. he also doesn't like how the shifter are placed on the column instead of the steering wheel. i wonder what's lexus reason behind this too. i would think it does make more sense to have the shifter mounted with the wheel so it sort of turn as well with the steering wheel (driver shouldn't have to change the hand position when driving). these two criticisms are from scott himself, not anyone from autoweek.
the remaining part on sales, it got me thinking a bit. first of all, i think it's clear that lexus is hurting for sales on the lfa. first sign is there are still cars around, some 60 of them. second, it doesn't seem like anyone is "looking" for the car anymore, as in how it all started by lexus accepting applications. it's dry to the point that lexus is doing anothr round of car loans to magazines, basically to boost the exposure of the car (this is written in the article). article also pointed out how the hype was that all cars were spoken for and that's actually far from paid for, and seems like people backed out.
obviously, nothing is clear in the article about how many cars are sold in each region, but it did say that "parts of the world that were going to order X number of lfas asked for rain checks..." so it seems like whatever allocations left, they basically got pushed state side. it still remains pretty unclear why they chose to put the cars here, especially if demands are really that high in some other regions.
another question is how many cars are actually going to dealerships rather than to real customers. those are actually counted as "inventory" rather than sold. if they are not included in the available 60, that can be problems to lexus still.
it will be interesting to see how lexus goes from here to sell the remaining cars. they already have to do a second press push, and evidently, we see that lexus are trying to get the car to different meets / events to show it to the exotic market (where real buyers are in btw). there are also some other things going on where lexus is doing things differently (compared to how they started) trying to sell the car. their window is definitely narrowing. with newer cars coming out soon (LP700 among others), and how these exotic cars wind goes up and down quickly, lexus needs to do it the hard way.
btw, i still prefer orange over yellow
one thing i am glad is they were able to get scott to drive the car again. i think most would agree that he probably knows a lot more about what the car is capable of with the numerous hours and miles in the car, on the track. i think he hit it when he commented on how balance the car is. in fact, he said that the lfa is a fast, fun car that you can drive every day, so it seems like the lfa is a very balanced car, making it "safe" to drive. and he also pointed out strongly again that the brakes are the most impressive thing about the car
i was pleasantly surprised to see his criticism on the car as well. he thinks the car shifts a bit slow. my feeling is it has to do with the tranny not being dct. although on paper it takes 0.2s to shift, but i guess that transition provides the kind of feedback scott experiences. he also doesn't like how the shifter are placed on the column instead of the steering wheel. i wonder what's lexus reason behind this too. i would think it does make more sense to have the shifter mounted with the wheel so it sort of turn as well with the steering wheel (driver shouldn't have to change the hand position when driving). these two criticisms are from scott himself, not anyone from autoweek.
the remaining part on sales, it got me thinking a bit. first of all, i think it's clear that lexus is hurting for sales on the lfa. first sign is there are still cars around, some 60 of them. second, it doesn't seem like anyone is "looking" for the car anymore, as in how it all started by lexus accepting applications. it's dry to the point that lexus is doing anothr round of car loans to magazines, basically to boost the exposure of the car (this is written in the article). article also pointed out how the hype was that all cars were spoken for and that's actually far from paid for, and seems like people backed out.
obviously, nothing is clear in the article about how many cars are sold in each region, but it did say that "parts of the world that were going to order X number of lfas asked for rain checks..." so it seems like whatever allocations left, they basically got pushed state side. it still remains pretty unclear why they chose to put the cars here, especially if demands are really that high in some other regions.
another question is how many cars are actually going to dealerships rather than to real customers. those are actually counted as "inventory" rather than sold. if they are not included in the available 60, that can be problems to lexus still.
it will be interesting to see how lexus goes from here to sell the remaining cars. they already have to do a second press push, and evidently, we see that lexus are trying to get the car to different meets / events to show it to the exotic market (where real buyers are in btw). there are also some other things going on where lexus is doing things differently (compared to how they started) trying to sell the car. their window is definitely narrowing. with newer cars coming out soon (LP700 among others), and how these exotic cars wind goes up and down quickly, lexus needs to do it the hard way.
btw, i still prefer orange over yellow