Lexus LFA Nurburgring Track Experience: Article and videos
09-01-11, 04:27 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
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Lexus LFA Nurburgring Track Experience: Article and videos
The expressions on this guy are priceless (guy seems both scared and overcome by adrenaline rush and excitement):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ph-Y...layer_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tzCt...layer_embedded
Translated from Dutch > English
Autoweek NL
He is about 70,000 euros more expensive than 'normal' Lexus LFA, but then you have about 7 seconds faster on the Nürburgring. We drive the hardcore LFA at the place which he named.
Rattle your fillings LFA in the ordinary manner of speaking can choose from five angles, the Nürburgring version you have already lost after a curve. Boy, this thing is fast! He's another ten millimeters lower, and the damping is adjusted. A key to comfort you seek in vain; maximum focus and ditto performance is at issue in this razor-sharp Japanese about, therefore will not be compromised. That's especially true for the regular version of the Nurburgring package - of which 50 are built - so completely. If you are looking supercar with greater ease of daily use goes shopping for another brand, so is the message.
Thanks to a splitter at the front and a prominent, fixed rear wing has thirty percent more downforce available. Please add more to the standard semi-slicks, and the LFA has Nürburgring - how incredibly well - noticeably gained even more traction, and feel even a fraction of high-speed cornering stability.
Engine Violence
Remained the overwhelming force motor. The chilling whine when you pull the V10 through to 9,000 rpm, is indescribable, as in a previous era to an F1 engine have sounded from behind the wheel.
The 4.8-liter, 11 hp at 571 now and has been head comes negligible. In fact, it is necessary to compensate for the increased downforce. The straight figures are also unchanged: 0-100 km / h in 3.7 seconds, top 325 km / h. No less impressive, of course.
Although no official lap times will be given trusted spiritual father Haruhiko Tanahashi me in a candid conversation that, overall, about seven seconds profits are made on the Nordschleife, and that this über- Lexus the legendary circuit afraffelt in 7.19 minutes, a time comparable to that of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the Corvette ZR1.
So do not rap I drive around, but it still almost inhuman crunch, I realize good when I post the rough cut of the video to see we got fired. When I watch the speedometer in the various sections fast bend frequent moves between 150 and 200 km / h, and how the LFA on the straights accelerates to 285 km / h, breaking a sweat me ...
Behind the wheel are potential anxiety for the always lurking barriers of the Green Hell, however, pushed away by the confidence that the car gives me. If you sample and respectful "to give the right input, he rewards you with a very transparent and predictable behavior. The beautiful balance, the unprecedented reactivity, the linear motor character, the high-speed transmission, the faster it goes, the more all components merge into a homogeneous, completely spectacular. If he got his extra cost is worth, I do not even ask it. Before this experience unique.
From Friday September 2 you can see the dramatic video of the LFA Nurburgring viewed on this site. A detailed driving impressions will follow later in the magazine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ph-Y...layer_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tzCt...layer_embedded
Translated from Dutch > English
Autoweek NL
He is about 70,000 euros more expensive than 'normal' Lexus LFA, but then you have about 7 seconds faster on the Nürburgring. We drive the hardcore LFA at the place which he named.
Rattle your fillings LFA in the ordinary manner of speaking can choose from five angles, the Nürburgring version you have already lost after a curve. Boy, this thing is fast! He's another ten millimeters lower, and the damping is adjusted. A key to comfort you seek in vain; maximum focus and ditto performance is at issue in this razor-sharp Japanese about, therefore will not be compromised. That's especially true for the regular version of the Nurburgring package - of which 50 are built - so completely. If you are looking supercar with greater ease of daily use goes shopping for another brand, so is the message.
Thanks to a splitter at the front and a prominent, fixed rear wing has thirty percent more downforce available. Please add more to the standard semi-slicks, and the LFA has Nürburgring - how incredibly well - noticeably gained even more traction, and feel even a fraction of high-speed cornering stability.
Engine Violence
Remained the overwhelming force motor. The chilling whine when you pull the V10 through to 9,000 rpm, is indescribable, as in a previous era to an F1 engine have sounded from behind the wheel.
The 4.8-liter, 11 hp at 571 now and has been head comes negligible. In fact, it is necessary to compensate for the increased downforce. The straight figures are also unchanged: 0-100 km / h in 3.7 seconds, top 325 km / h. No less impressive, of course.
Although no official lap times will be given trusted spiritual father Haruhiko Tanahashi me in a candid conversation that, overall, about seven seconds profits are made on the Nordschleife, and that this über- Lexus the legendary circuit afraffelt in 7.19 minutes, a time comparable to that of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the Corvette ZR1.
So do not rap I drive around, but it still almost inhuman crunch, I realize good when I post the rough cut of the video to see we got fired. When I watch the speedometer in the various sections fast bend frequent moves between 150 and 200 km / h, and how the LFA on the straights accelerates to 285 km / h, breaking a sweat me ...
Behind the wheel are potential anxiety for the always lurking barriers of the Green Hell, however, pushed away by the confidence that the car gives me. If you sample and respectful "to give the right input, he rewards you with a very transparent and predictable behavior. The beautiful balance, the unprecedented reactivity, the linear motor character, the high-speed transmission, the faster it goes, the more all components merge into a homogeneous, completely spectacular. If he got his extra cost is worth, I do not even ask it. Before this experience unique.
From Friday September 2 you can see the dramatic video of the LFA Nurburgring viewed on this site. A detailed driving impressions will follow later in the magazine.
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; 09-01-11 at 04:36 PM.
09-01-11, 04:37 PM
#3
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Awesome... So 7:19 with a passenger... and 7:14 without, I assume? Can't wait for the 7:14 one! 
EDIT: NVM, just realized the 7:19 lap is just a record they set much earlier on, most likely with no passenger.
EDIT: NVM, just realized the 7:19 lap is just a record they set much earlier on, most likely with no passenger.
Last edited by ydooby; 09-01-11 at 05:55 PM.
09-01-11, 07:16 PM
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In the following video the guy who rode the car in second video above gets to drive the car by himself...behind the IS-F as a safety car. Look at how easy it is for him, supposedly a non-professional, to keep up with the IS-F.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gOhBho9KLU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gOhBho9KLU
Last edited by ydooby; 09-01-11 at 07:30 PM.
09-01-11, 10:24 PM
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09-02-11, 06:47 AM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
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LOL. That is hilarious.
09-02-11, 05:06 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
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Trending Topics
09-02-11, 05:07 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...ackage/258962/
"Lexus LF-A 4.8 Nurburgring package First Drive
Test date 30 August 2011
Price as tested £330,000
This limited-edition Lexus LFA will set you back an estimated £403,000. Ouch
What is it?
It is, of course, now de rigueur for almost every manufacturer to namecheck the Nürburgring when they’ve a new sports car to sell. But Lexus has more justification than most for doing so, because its LFA supercar has won its class in the Nürburgring 24 Hours three years running.
Which is all the excuse it needs to bequeath ‘Nürburgring Package’ upon 10 per cent of the 500 LFAs that it will build. Visually, said package includes a bigger front spoiler with added winglets, more effective side skirts and a fixed carbonfibre rear wing. Together, they help to produce a third more downforce than the standard car.
But with downforce comes drag, so the 4.8-litre V10 engine has been tickled up 11bhp to 562bhp to allow claimed performance to remain unchanged. Lowered suspension, track-day tyres, different wheels and a carbon and Alcantara interior complete the picture. All told, it adds £63,600 (nearly a 911) to the £339,500 list price of the standard car.
What’s it like?
No prizes for guessing where I drove it. A sighting lap in a standard LFA provided a useful reference point before climbing into the great orange beast and heading off around the Nordschleife to try my luck.
Much will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the LFA’s fortunes of late.
It’s artillery shell quick in a straight line, makes Desert-Island-Disc-grade noise at 9000rpm and stops so fast it hurts. What the ’Ring package does most notably, apart from making the car an unspecified number of seconds quicker, is to make it easier to drive.
You notice the extra grip, but it’s mainly mechanical and down to the new suspension and tyres. The downforce is not the kind that lets you drive upside down; it just makes the car feel more settled on its springs, less tippy-toed into the ’Ring’s many fast, bumpy curves. The extra pace comes in part from the car but mainly from a driver made more confident to push it hard.
Should I buy one
Of course, the money is insane but, at this rate, only one or two will come to the UK. So if the price doesn’t matter and you want a car to make Veyrons look common, once you drive it, it’ll pretty much sell itself.
Andrew Frankel"
"Lexus LF-A 4.8 Nurburgring package First Drive
Test date 30 August 2011
Price as tested £330,000
This limited-edition Lexus LFA will set you back an estimated £403,000. Ouch
What is it?
It is, of course, now de rigueur for almost every manufacturer to namecheck the Nürburgring when they’ve a new sports car to sell. But Lexus has more justification than most for doing so, because its LFA supercar has won its class in the Nürburgring 24 Hours three years running.
Which is all the excuse it needs to bequeath ‘Nürburgring Package’ upon 10 per cent of the 500 LFAs that it will build. Visually, said package includes a bigger front spoiler with added winglets, more effective side skirts and a fixed carbonfibre rear wing. Together, they help to produce a third more downforce than the standard car.
But with downforce comes drag, so the 4.8-litre V10 engine has been tickled up 11bhp to 562bhp to allow claimed performance to remain unchanged. Lowered suspension, track-day tyres, different wheels and a carbon and Alcantara interior complete the picture. All told, it adds £63,600 (nearly a 911) to the £339,500 list price of the standard car.
What’s it like?
No prizes for guessing where I drove it. A sighting lap in a standard LFA provided a useful reference point before climbing into the great orange beast and heading off around the Nordschleife to try my luck.
Much will come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the LFA’s fortunes of late.
It’s artillery shell quick in a straight line, makes Desert-Island-Disc-grade noise at 9000rpm and stops so fast it hurts. What the ’Ring package does most notably, apart from making the car an unspecified number of seconds quicker, is to make it easier to drive.
You notice the extra grip, but it’s mainly mechanical and down to the new suspension and tyres. The downforce is not the kind that lets you drive upside down; it just makes the car feel more settled on its springs, less tippy-toed into the ’Ring’s many fast, bumpy curves. The extra pace comes in part from the car but mainly from a driver made more confident to push it hard.
Should I buy one
Of course, the money is insane but, at this rate, only one or two will come to the UK. So if the price doesn’t matter and you want a car to make Veyrons look common, once you drive it, it’ll pretty much sell itself.
Andrew Frankel"
09-02-11, 05:12 PM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
http://www.carsguide.com.au/site/new...edition_review
Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition.
There are just a handful of Lexus LFA supercars running around in Australia but already, the Japanese luxury car maker has launched a performance-enhanced model named after the legendary Nurburgring race track in Germany. It's called the LFA Nurburgring Edition and is a more track-focused version of the LFA -- if that's possible. Only 50 will be made.
TECHNOLOGY
Where the standard LFA runs a 412kW/480Nm, 4.8-litre V10 engine, the Nurburgring model is pumped up to 420kW with the same torque output. The compact, dry sump V10, hand-built in two days at motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha by one of four engine builders, features cylinder heads by Yamaha and a block from Toyota.
Yamaha has a long association with Toyota, Lexus' parent company. The LFA engine uses high quality forged pistons, valves and conrods and has direct fuel injection among a raft of high tech' features. It's fitted front/midships and is connected, transaxle style, to the rear-mounted six- speed automated manual transmission by a carbon fibre torque tube. This gives the rear drive LFA an ideal 48/52 balance front to rear. Engine redline is 9000rpm.
Both the standard and Nurburgring models are capable of despatching a 0-100kmh dash in around 3.7 seconds and top out at 325kmh. This is slap bang in supercar territory and up with the latest from Ferrari and Lamborghini.
DESIGN
The fully kitted standard model weighs in at 1580kg, the Nurburgring model is 100 kegs less. It has more down force courtesy of a large, fixed, rear carbon fibre wing, winglets on the front bumper, larger front spoiler, low 100mm ride height and carbon fibre interior trim.
The double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension has been slightly retuned with stiffer responses. Lexus didn't hold back on quality components for LFA equipping it with carbon ceramic front discs of 390mm diameter with six piston calipers. The rears are slightly smaller with four pistons. Forged alloy 20-inch wheels run Bridgestone high performance rubber and the KYB dampers feature remote reservoirs for superior and consistent performance. Buyers score race tuition and a year's pass to drive the Nordscheleife (Northern Loop) of the Nurburgring.
LFA is an incredible car from a technical standpoint because apart from the mind boggling engine with arguably the best exhaust note in existence, it is 65 per cent carbon fibre with the majority of the chassis and body in the stuff. The rest is aluminium. Lexus attaches the two materials to each other with aluminium brackets baked into the carbon fibre.
Special carbon fibre ovens and techniques to handle it were developed during the 10 year LFA program which started in 2001. Initially, the car was to be all aluminium but this was changed in 2005 to carbon fibre. Lexus makes 20 LFAs a month with total production amounting to only 500 units. It is a loss making enterprise for Lexus which obviously places greater value on the publicity and new perceptions LFA will generate.
DRIVING
Marking the arrival of the Nurburgring Edition was a special test week held at the Nurburgring to which we were invited and allowed five unfettered laps of the 21km Nordschleife. It was like a bucket-list tick off for anyone with benzene in their veins - a supercar drive at the world's most demanding race track with 140 plus corners and a fearsome reputation. With a degree of trepidation, we sprung out of pit lane in the orange projectile for a pilot lap behind a Nurburgring specialist leading in a Lexus ISF.
This 'sighting' lap took around 9 minutes and then it was over to us. The LFA is near perfect weapon for the Nordschleife because it has almost endless power and torque, controlled and responsive dynamics and brakes that never go away. We would be ripping up to a tight turn at warp speed and simply stab the brakes, flick the wheel a touch and the LFA was around and the right foot was (re) planted to the firewall.
It steers with such precision and has such prodigious grip that an accompanying Lexus ISF race car looked like a bucking dray. But that's not fair, the LFA is a tame race car built to impeccable standards while the ISF is a weighty, sports luxury sedan. It's intersting that none of the owners of the first run of LFAs has taken it on a race track. Shame, but word has it that some of the 10 Aussie LFA owners will break the cycle - here's to them.
PRICE
Standard car is $750,000, but add $80k for Nurburgring Edition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlElC...layer_embedded
Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition.
There are just a handful of Lexus LFA supercars running around in Australia but already, the Japanese luxury car maker has launched a performance-enhanced model named after the legendary Nurburgring race track in Germany. It's called the LFA Nurburgring Edition and is a more track-focused version of the LFA -- if that's possible. Only 50 will be made.
TECHNOLOGY
Where the standard LFA runs a 412kW/480Nm, 4.8-litre V10 engine, the Nurburgring model is pumped up to 420kW with the same torque output. The compact, dry sump V10, hand-built in two days at motorcycle manufacturer Yamaha by one of four engine builders, features cylinder heads by Yamaha and a block from Toyota.
Yamaha has a long association with Toyota, Lexus' parent company. The LFA engine uses high quality forged pistons, valves and conrods and has direct fuel injection among a raft of high tech' features. It's fitted front/midships and is connected, transaxle style, to the rear-mounted six- speed automated manual transmission by a carbon fibre torque tube. This gives the rear drive LFA an ideal 48/52 balance front to rear. Engine redline is 9000rpm.
Both the standard and Nurburgring models are capable of despatching a 0-100kmh dash in around 3.7 seconds and top out at 325kmh. This is slap bang in supercar territory and up with the latest from Ferrari and Lamborghini.
DESIGN
The fully kitted standard model weighs in at 1580kg, the Nurburgring model is 100 kegs less. It has more down force courtesy of a large, fixed, rear carbon fibre wing, winglets on the front bumper, larger front spoiler, low 100mm ride height and carbon fibre interior trim.
The double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension has been slightly retuned with stiffer responses. Lexus didn't hold back on quality components for LFA equipping it with carbon ceramic front discs of 390mm diameter with six piston calipers. The rears are slightly smaller with four pistons. Forged alloy 20-inch wheels run Bridgestone high performance rubber and the KYB dampers feature remote reservoirs for superior and consistent performance. Buyers score race tuition and a year's pass to drive the Nordscheleife (Northern Loop) of the Nurburgring.
LFA is an incredible car from a technical standpoint because apart from the mind boggling engine with arguably the best exhaust note in existence, it is 65 per cent carbon fibre with the majority of the chassis and body in the stuff. The rest is aluminium. Lexus attaches the two materials to each other with aluminium brackets baked into the carbon fibre.
Special carbon fibre ovens and techniques to handle it were developed during the 10 year LFA program which started in 2001. Initially, the car was to be all aluminium but this was changed in 2005 to carbon fibre. Lexus makes 20 LFAs a month with total production amounting to only 500 units. It is a loss making enterprise for Lexus which obviously places greater value on the publicity and new perceptions LFA will generate.
DRIVING
Marking the arrival of the Nurburgring Edition was a special test week held at the Nurburgring to which we were invited and allowed five unfettered laps of the 21km Nordschleife. It was like a bucket-list tick off for anyone with benzene in their veins - a supercar drive at the world's most demanding race track with 140 plus corners and a fearsome reputation. With a degree of trepidation, we sprung out of pit lane in the orange projectile for a pilot lap behind a Nurburgring specialist leading in a Lexus ISF.
This 'sighting' lap took around 9 minutes and then it was over to us. The LFA is near perfect weapon for the Nordschleife because it has almost endless power and torque, controlled and responsive dynamics and brakes that never go away. We would be ripping up to a tight turn at warp speed and simply stab the brakes, flick the wheel a touch and the LFA was around and the right foot was (re) planted to the firewall.
It steers with such precision and has such prodigious grip that an accompanying Lexus ISF race car looked like a bucking dray. But that's not fair, the LFA is a tame race car built to impeccable standards while the ISF is a weighty, sports luxury sedan. It's intersting that none of the owners of the first run of LFAs has taken it on a race track. Shame, but word has it that some of the 10 Aussie LFA owners will break the cycle - here's to them.
PRICE
Standard car is $750,000, but add $80k for Nurburgring Edition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlElC...layer_embedded
09-02-11, 05:13 PM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
09-02-11, 05:15 PM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
09-02-11, 05:17 PM
#12
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Chris Harris is writing a feature on Lexus LFA:
"Aug 29
Trying to write a story in a hotel room at the 'Ring and every 5 mins an LFA yelps away from the roundabout underneath. Most distracting...
.....but, unquestionably, my favourite road car engine sound.
LFA is just stunning. Rear-mounted rads for front engined V10. Massive intakes
Sep 1
One of the Gazoo drivers from N24 did the time. Think it was the Sport Auto 'short' lap. Best road car I've driven there.
Wing's a bit yobbish. I'd have standard car, upgrade engine and spare wheels/tyres for RE 070s. Now my WANT car."
"Aug 29
Trying to write a story in a hotel room at the 'Ring and every 5 mins an LFA yelps away from the roundabout underneath. Most distracting...
.....but, unquestionably, my favourite road car engine sound.
LFA is just stunning. Rear-mounted rads for front engined V10. Massive intakes
Sep 1
One of the Gazoo drivers from N24 did the time. Think it was the Sport Auto 'short' lap. Best road car I've driven there.
Wing's a bit yobbish. I'd have standard car, upgrade engine and spare wheels/tyres for RE 070s. Now my WANT car."
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; 09-02-11 at 05:57 PM.
09-02-11, 09:11 PM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
09-02-11, 11:06 PM
#14
It's nice to see the LFA truly shine in its element.
I never understood why so many people were getting all bent out of shape about how fast the LFA was in a straight line. I could not care less how fast the LFA is in a straight line. It's "fast enough" in a straight line. I don't care what the 0 to 60 for the LFA is. It really should be a non-issue.
The LFA is a full fledged sports car, and the final acid test for a sports car is how it performs on a track.
It's easy to make a car go fast in a straight line. There are people in civics who run the quarter mile in 7 seconds. That's fine, but that's not the point of a true sports car.
I never understood why so many people were getting all bent out of shape about how fast the LFA was in a straight line. I could not care less how fast the LFA is in a straight line. It's "fast enough" in a straight line. I don't care what the 0 to 60 for the LFA is. It really should be a non-issue.
The LFA is a full fledged sports car, and the final acid test for a sports car is how it performs on a track.
It's easy to make a car go fast in a straight line. There are people in civics who run the quarter mile in 7 seconds. That's fine, but that's not the point of a true sports car.
09-02-11, 11:12 PM
#15
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Nurburgring edition LFA with proper high grip street tires will be very quick even in a straight line. The regular LFA right now is 11.4 - 11.6 seconds depending on the test.
I can bet the Nurburgring edition LFA will be closer to 11.0 - 11.2 seconds in the 1/4 mile with that velcro like grip.
I can bet the Nurburgring edition LFA will be closer to 11.0 - 11.2 seconds in the 1/4 mile with that velcro like grip.
It's nice to see the LFA truly shine in its element.
I never understood why so many people were getting all bent out of shape about how fast the LFA was in a straight line. I could not care less how fast the LFA is in a straight line. It's "fast enough" in a straight line. I don't care what the 0 to 60 for the LFA is. It really should be a non-issue.
The LFA is a full fledged sports car, and the final acid test for a sports car is how it performs on a track.
It's easy to make a car go fast in a straight line. There are people in civics who run the quarter mile in 7 seconds. That's fine, but that's not the point of a true sports car.
I never understood why so many people were getting all bent out of shape about how fast the LFA was in a straight line. I could not care less how fast the LFA is in a straight line. It's "fast enough" in a straight line. I don't care what the 0 to 60 for the LFA is. It really should be a non-issue.
The LFA is a full fledged sports car, and the final acid test for a sports car is how it performs on a track.
It's easy to make a car go fast in a straight line. There are people in civics who run the quarter mile in 7 seconds. That's fine, but that's not the point of a true sports car.