The LFA is the long awaited first Lexus supercar. Six years in the making, and subject to the mid-major rethinking of development, LFA faced considerable hope. However, in the end clearly justifies the statistics paper super billing. A bespoke 4.8-liter V10 that produces 552bhp and revving to 9000rpm. An automatic transaxle six-speed sequential gearbox. Carbonfibre extensive use of reinforced plastic for the construction chassis and body panels. Conventional rear wheel, and no hybrid drives. The LFA also comes with a super price tag € 375,000 (£ 343,000).
At first very Lexus like. The styling is very out there, but the attention to detail, and the production is absolutely first rate. Open the door, hat or boots and you'll find carbonfibre exposed, but the carbon is so beautiful finished you find yourself starring in it. Similarly, the interior is very well done, with a mix of leather, carbon, aluminum and super high-tech TFT screen rev-counter. Even the best detail is quite beautiful pedal - each one part of the forged aluminum. So Lexus virtue and improvement of the quality characteristic is very much intact even in this case, the most extreme model.
The impression did not change when you first turn the key and press the wheel conventional installed starter button. Machines like catching a little flare, but then settles into an idle smooth and quiet as any other Lexus. Prod gas, though, and the character of LFA clues about the Lexus as far removed from what you imagine is possible. Engine revs up and down so fast and with a sharp timbre like a pure race engines. While the numbers ft torque, 354 pounds might seem a little thin with the machine next to rival the larger capacity, or forced induction, there is no shortage of straight-line performance.
Lexus claims 0-62mph in 3.7sec and a top speed of 202mph was really believable. You just need to keep the revs up to get the most from the engine. That's not something you would mind doing, because of the engine 6000rpm onwards resulted in one of the best from each record sold a car engine. This is similar to the V10 BMW M5, but the high-pitched and far more loudly, more like the Carrera GT.
It is at this point you see the cars of people in the Lexus (or Toyota) have been produced before and began to wonder where in the world derived LFA. Very raw, intense and manic. What's more, the gearbox is no different. Lexus engines because they want to spin with minimal inertia, he chose to single clutch gearbox, which is also believed to give a sense of involvement that is greater than double clutch gearbox. In the most extreme mode (there are four maps, and seven-speed shifting) it worked very well at full speed upshifts at or near the limiter, and of course faster, but at something less than it was a bit too involved. In less extreme mode, slow changes and less physical, but still not smooth, and the slowest mode, it can feel like a slip clutch. The entire gearbox is one of only two things I'm not so sure about the LFA.
The other is the steering, which was unusual for a supercar is electrically assisted. Although super-precise, and very quickly takes some getting used to, mainly because of very light. There is a reasonable flow of information from the wheel, and the movement away from the front straight is progressive, but not LFA males as intuitive as the best sportscars.
A small question mark on the wheel side, dealing with bright LFA. With the extensive use of carbonfibre LFA is a) light enough for a front-engineed the 1480kg supercar, and b) very stiff. And in the street, you can feel the light and strength in the LFA's willingness to change direction, with little roll and zero flex. As there is very little engine inertia, combined (on a dry road at least) with a mass of lateral grip. Brakes, carbon ceramic monumental strong, but also appropriate.
At first very Lexus like. The styling is very out there, but the attention to detail, and the production is absolutely first rate. Open the door, hat or boots and you'll find carbonfibre exposed, but the carbon is so beautiful finished you find yourself starring in it. Similarly, the interior is very well done, with a mix of leather, carbon, aluminum and super high-tech TFT screen rev-counter. Even the best detail is quite beautiful pedal - each one part of the forged aluminum. So Lexus virtue and improvement of the quality characteristic is very much intact even in this case, the most extreme model.
The impression did not change when you first turn the key and press the wheel conventional installed starter button. Machines like catching a little flare, but then settles into an idle smooth and quiet as any other Lexus. Prod gas, though, and the character of LFA clues about the Lexus as far removed from what you imagine is possible. Engine revs up and down so fast and with a sharp timbre like a pure race engines. While the numbers ft torque, 354 pounds might seem a little thin with the machine next to rival the larger capacity, or forced induction, there is no shortage of straight-line performance.
Lexus claims 0-62mph in 3.7sec and a top speed of 202mph was really believable. You just need to keep the revs up to get the most from the engine. That's not something you would mind doing, because of the engine 6000rpm onwards resulted in one of the best from each record sold a car engine. This is similar to the V10 BMW M5, but the high-pitched and far more loudly, more like the Carrera GT.
It is at this point you see the cars of people in the Lexus (or Toyota) have been produced before and began to wonder where in the world derived LFA. Very raw, intense and manic. What's more, the gearbox is no different. Lexus engines because they want to spin with minimal inertia, he chose to single clutch gearbox, which is also believed to give a sense of involvement that is greater than double clutch gearbox. In the most extreme mode (there are four maps, and seven-speed shifting) it worked very well at full speed upshifts at or near the limiter, and of course faster, but at something less than it was a bit too involved. In less extreme mode, slow changes and less physical, but still not smooth, and the slowest mode, it can feel like a slip clutch. The entire gearbox is one of only two things I'm not so sure about the LFA.
The other is the steering, which was unusual for a supercar is electrically assisted. Although super-precise, and very quickly takes some getting used to, mainly because of very light. There is a reasonable flow of information from the wheel, and the movement away from the front straight is progressive, but not LFA males as intuitive as the best sportscars.
A small question mark on the wheel side, dealing with bright LFA. With the extensive use of carbonfibre LFA is a) light enough for a front-engineed the 1480kg supercar, and b) very stiff. And in the street, you can feel the light and strength in the LFA's willingness to change direction, with little roll and zero flex. As there is very little engine inertia, combined (on a dry road at least) with a mass of lateral grip. Brakes, carbon ceramic monumental strong, but also appropriate.
