What the LFA has suffered from is a little snobbery from the old guard. It may not have a prancing livestock emblem on the bonnet but if the only criticism is that its ‘a bit expensive for a Toyota’ then, in a money no object world, what Lexus have created is a perfect supercar.
I confess to being a little biased. I have followed the progress of the LFA since the first LF-A concept premiered at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2005 and lusted after one ever since.
The initial expectation that it would be the replacement for the Mark IV Toyota Supra was surpassed when it was revealed that it would have a V10 finely tuned by Yamaha to break champagne glasses.
The LFA has all the elements and drama of a European supercar but with the addition of Japanese gadgetry that make other supercars look like outdated word processors.
Discovering one was on our doorstep right here in Dubai, I sneaked out of the office and headed over to the Lexus showroom. This was not a sanctioned crankandpiston mission.
This was just a petrol-head sneaking off work to go catch a rare glimpse of a dream car that I may never get a chance to drive and extremely unlikely to own.
They are just too damn expensive!
Sayonara LFA. I wish we had more time together.
Hat-tip to Tariq Ahmad
Lexus LFA | |
---|---|
Engine: | V10 / 4,805cc |
Location: | Front-Mid-Engined |
Power: | 552bhp @ 8700rpm |
Torque: | 354lb ft @ 6800rpm |
Transmission: | six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox |
Brakes: | Two-piece Carbon Ceramic Material (CCM) brake discs / six-piston callipers front / four-piston callipers rear |
Wheels: | 20in front and rear |
Tyres: | 265/35 ZR20 front / 305/30 ZR20 rear / Bridgestone asymmetric tyres |
Weight (kerb) | 1480kg |
Power-to-weight: | 343bhp/ton |
0-100kph: | 3.7 |
Top speed: | 325kph |
Basic price: | $375,000 |