LFA [Official] Lexus LF-A Supercar (Production Version)
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Nur Edition photoshop in Red
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Laguna Seca lap records - FastestLaps.com
Lexus LFA: 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender
Lexus LFA - 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has a chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving as well as racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2012 LEXUS LFA
The culmination of a decade of development, the Lexus LFA is the brand's performance halo car, designed to elevate its status to the ranks of the world's elite. The hand-built, F1-inspired V-10 engine revs to its 9000-rpm limit so fast that only a digital tachometer could keep up. The LFA features a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tub and bodywork to minimize weight, parts of which are woven together using proprietary methods developed from Toyota's textile operations. Features include one throttle body per cylinder, a rear-mounted single-clutch automated manual transmission, and a rear wing that deploys automatically at speed.
RANDY'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "Well, that's quite a machine. That's really obvious. It's on a pretty fine edge the whole time you're driving. I have a good sense of control, but it also keeps me from throwing care to the wind and just flying, you know. When I think a car is really handling the way I want it to, when I go the fastest on a racetrack, I don't have to think about driving it. I go down to the corner, crank the wheel, carry the speed in there, and it just lays in there and does its thing. The Lexus is almost there. A little bit more finicky, though. A little bit more finicky."
On the transmission... "Transmission, in full manual mode, is not shifting very fast. In fact, it feels like forever compared to some of the better transmissions. I'm really amazed. It just seems like it's a long time you're not accelerating."
On the brakes... "Braking was real strong, but holy crap, get your braking done before you get light 'cause the pedal gets hard and the car just doesn't wanna stop. On top of the Corkscrew, 'cause you go up that Corkscrew and the braking felt really good on the first couple of brake zones and I was pretty aggressive with it. I braked a little bit up on the uphill and hard pedaled at crest and the car just did not want to stop. Missed the apex pretty bad on my outlap, so I was braking earlier on purpose the next couple laps, maybe a bit too conservative there, but I don't think so."
On the steering... "Steering is fabulous. The car does have a really nice feel of being balanced, but it snaps loose easier than I prefer. I felt a little bit of mid-corner push sometimes, not bad. I actually like the car better at higher speeds than at lower speeds. The turn 4 sweeper, I just felt more confident about the car there than I did here in the hairpin or around turn 1."
On the engine... "The engine is amazingly smooth. The exhaust note, the engine sound, way better outside the car than inside. Inside, I didn't really like it that much. It's kind of a lower coarse sound. It's kind of an unusual sound. Boy, I'd love to hear that scream. That would be very satisfying."
Overall... "It was like work. You know, it's kinda like when you have a beautiful girlfriend who's kinda high-maintenance. The Lexus was a little bit like that. It is on kind of a fine line. It's not a good-time car in a relaxed, casual way. It's a good-time car in a serious work way. You know, I think this is a little bit like flying an airplane. You know, in flying an airplane you can get killed real easy, so you gotta be really on it. And that's how driving the Lexus is. You've gotta be really on it, right on your game, all the time. And for me, that's less enjoyable than something I can just haul ass in."
TURN NOTES
Turn 3: "Strong brake, immediate action. Accepted throttle well, but applied power with care. Exhaust/engine note much better outside than inside. Coarse inside. Outside: million-dollar sound."
Turn 6: "Stuck well mid-corner, accepted big bump there well. Needs more torque up the hill."
Turn 8: "Danger - ABS takes brakes away over the crest. Very quick into tight corner, no understeer. Quick transfer of weight in transition [during mid-corner]."
Watch the video to find out how fast the Lexus LFA went around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Check back tomorrow for the next Motor Trend Best Driver's Car contender, then come back to MotorTrend.com on Monday, September 12, for the full story and a special video.
ALL ABOUT RANDY
Randy Pobst is one of the most accomplished American race car drivers on the road today. His career includes two overall wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, four World Challenge GT Class championships, five Sports Car Challenge championships, and nine SCCA national championships. He currently drives for KPAX Racing in the World Challenge series.
Lexus LFA: 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender
Lexus LFA - 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Contender - Motor Trend
ABOUT BEST DRIVER'S CAR
What makes a great driver's car? Is it brute performance? Or gut-wrenching grip? What about balance and finesse, and the quality of the interaction between man and machine? We argue that a great driver's car has a chassis and powertrain and brakes and steering that enable the enthusiast driver to confidently explore the limits of its performance envelope, as well as his own. On top of all that, the best one also contains an X factor, a little something extra that elevates the breed.
Best Driver's Car is not a race. Numbers aren't everything. To get the fullest picture possible for each competing vehicle, we perform our normal battery of performance testing and real-world driving as well as racetrack performance. Yet, while on-track performance is just one piece of a larger puzzle, it's without question the most fun. Join us each day as we introduce the contenders, with track results and impressions by master driver Randy Pobst, all leading up to the crowning of the 2011 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car.
2012 LEXUS LFA
The culmination of a decade of development, the Lexus LFA is the brand's performance halo car, designed to elevate its status to the ranks of the world's elite. The hand-built, F1-inspired V-10 engine revs to its 9000-rpm limit so fast that only a digital tachometer could keep up. The LFA features a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tub and bodywork to minimize weight, parts of which are woven together using proprietary methods developed from Toyota's textile operations. Features include one throttle body per cylinder, a rear-mounted single-clutch automated manual transmission, and a rear wing that deploys automatically at speed.
RANDY'S IMPRESSIONS
On handling... "Well, that's quite a machine. That's really obvious. It's on a pretty fine edge the whole time you're driving. I have a good sense of control, but it also keeps me from throwing care to the wind and just flying, you know. When I think a car is really handling the way I want it to, when I go the fastest on a racetrack, I don't have to think about driving it. I go down to the corner, crank the wheel, carry the speed in there, and it just lays in there and does its thing. The Lexus is almost there. A little bit more finicky, though. A little bit more finicky."
On the transmission... "Transmission, in full manual mode, is not shifting very fast. In fact, it feels like forever compared to some of the better transmissions. I'm really amazed. It just seems like it's a long time you're not accelerating."
On the brakes... "Braking was real strong, but holy crap, get your braking done before you get light 'cause the pedal gets hard and the car just doesn't wanna stop. On top of the Corkscrew, 'cause you go up that Corkscrew and the braking felt really good on the first couple of brake zones and I was pretty aggressive with it. I braked a little bit up on the uphill and hard pedaled at crest and the car just did not want to stop. Missed the apex pretty bad on my outlap, so I was braking earlier on purpose the next couple laps, maybe a bit too conservative there, but I don't think so."
On the steering... "Steering is fabulous. The car does have a really nice feel of being balanced, but it snaps loose easier than I prefer. I felt a little bit of mid-corner push sometimes, not bad. I actually like the car better at higher speeds than at lower speeds. The turn 4 sweeper, I just felt more confident about the car there than I did here in the hairpin or around turn 1."
On the engine... "The engine is amazingly smooth. The exhaust note, the engine sound, way better outside the car than inside. Inside, I didn't really like it that much. It's kind of a lower coarse sound. It's kind of an unusual sound. Boy, I'd love to hear that scream. That would be very satisfying."
Overall... "It was like work. You know, it's kinda like when you have a beautiful girlfriend who's kinda high-maintenance. The Lexus was a little bit like that. It is on kind of a fine line. It's not a good-time car in a relaxed, casual way. It's a good-time car in a serious work way. You know, I think this is a little bit like flying an airplane. You know, in flying an airplane you can get killed real easy, so you gotta be really on it. And that's how driving the Lexus is. You've gotta be really on it, right on your game, all the time. And for me, that's less enjoyable than something I can just haul ass in."
TURN NOTES
Turn 3: "Strong brake, immediate action. Accepted throttle well, but applied power with care. Exhaust/engine note much better outside than inside. Coarse inside. Outside: million-dollar sound."
Turn 6: "Stuck well mid-corner, accepted big bump there well. Needs more torque up the hill."
Turn 8: "Danger - ABS takes brakes away over the crest. Very quick into tight corner, no understeer. Quick transfer of weight in transition [during mid-corner]."
Watch the video to find out how fast the Lexus LFA went around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Check back tomorrow for the next Motor Trend Best Driver's Car contender, then come back to MotorTrend.com on Monday, September 12, for the full story and a special video.
ALL ABOUT RANDY
Randy Pobst is one of the most accomplished American race car drivers on the road today. His career includes two overall wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, four World Challenge GT Class championships, five Sports Car Challenge championships, and nine SCCA national championships. He currently drives for KPAX Racing in the World Challenge series.
Attachments
I could tell by watching the video that Pobst would comment about the transmission. In some shots where his hands and the tachometer are both visible, the downshifts look delayed, not nearly as instantaneous as with Justing Bell driving at Infineon.
If they are saving the best for last, then this is not looking good for the LFA. My guess is that, if they're included, the Cayman R or perhaps R8 GT will be his favorite; he's picked a regular version of each as past winners, and for good reason. They seem to be more progressive in their breakaway characteristics. Will be interesting to see how fast one of the Corvettes on MPSCs will be.
If they are saving the best for last, then this is not looking good for the LFA. My guess is that, if they're included, the Cayman R or perhaps R8 GT will be his favorite; he's picked a regular version of each as past winners, and for good reason. They seem to be more progressive in their breakaway characteristics. Will be interesting to see how fast one of the Corvettes on MPSCs will be.
Yeah, I wonder why would that be for downshifts?? Any guesses?? The upshifts I was noticing were completing even before Randy's fingers were leaving the paddle. Still, a very impressive lap time, he put down.
I do remember back in 2008, when he drove the M-DCT M3 around Laguna Seca, he said "I will take a 6 speed manual over this anyday. I am old fashioned". Something to that effect.
The Z06 Carbon wears Michelin Cup tires OEM and was also tested and it seems it was slower than the LFA. I wonder if they would test the 458 Italia and the updated ZR-1 and GTR as well??
Ofcourse, he said LFA is "too much work" most likely because the LFA is way too responsive on the track and "twitchy" like many other reviewers have said. That makes the car feel very sensitive to inputs. The Stig loved that about the LFA, but seems like Pobst likes cars that do a lot of the work. A Nissan GTR would be a good pick for him.
I do remember back in 2008, when he drove the M-DCT M3 around Laguna Seca, he said "I will take a 6 speed manual over this anyday. I am old fashioned". Something to that effect.
The Z06 Carbon wears Michelin Cup tires OEM and was also tested and it seems it was slower than the LFA. I wonder if they would test the 458 Italia and the updated ZR-1 and GTR as well??
Ofcourse, he said LFA is "too much work" most likely because the LFA is way too responsive on the track and "twitchy" like many other reviewers have said. That makes the car feel very sensitive to inputs. The Stig loved that about the LFA, but seems like Pobst likes cars that do a lot of the work. A Nissan GTR would be a good pick for him.
We'll have to wait for the article to see which setting he was in, if it mentions it. He mentions being in a "full manual mode," but doesn't specify whether that is Sport or Normal, and which of the 7 shift speeds. What is clearly different with Bell is that he's more aggressive with his downshifts, pulling them off like riflefire with the engine high in the rpm range, whereas Pobst allows the car to coast longer with the engine revs lower. The rotational intertia and intake vacuum might affect how quickly the car's system can pull off the gearchange.
He rated the GT-R higher than average in a previous Best Handling comparo at Laguna, but did not like it with its VDC system turned off. Said it was snappish in oversteer, and was more like wrestling rather than dancing like in the R8. In his review of the '12 GT-R, Z06 Carbon, and GT500 at Streets of Willow, he seemed to prefer the Corvette even though it was a lot of work to keep the rear end from breaking away abruptly. He felt the GT-R was a bit numb by comparison.
Oh yeah, definitely the 458 would be in the running for Best Handling and maybe even fastest at Laguna.
Do you have more info on that Z06 Carbon time at Laguna Seca?
All good points. Regarding the Z06 carbon, Not a lot of details at this point other than Randy Pobst lapped the Z06 Carbon with Pilot Cup tires around Leguna Seca and the lap time was 1:37.4. A little over a second slower than the Lexus LFA.
He seems to think LFA is like "flying an airplane that can kill you, if you are not at the top of your game" in the sense he finds it scary. He got the back end out three times in the video. LOL
He seems to think LFA is like "flying an airplane that can kill you, if you are not at the top of your game" in the sense he finds it scary. He got the back end out three times in the video. LOL
MotorTrend Best Driver's car Leguna Seca lap times:
One car lap time revealed per day.
Lexus LFA w/ 560 PS : 1:36.39
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Leguna Seca edition w/ 450 PS: 1:41.06 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound tires]
Lotus Evora Sport w/ 350 PS: 1:42.49 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound Tires]
One car lap time revealed per day.
Lexus LFA w/ 560 PS : 1:36.39
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Leguna Seca edition w/ 450 PS: 1:41.06 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound tires]
Lotus Evora Sport w/ 350 PS: 1:42.49 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound Tires]
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Lexus LFA on the ring
Stopped by the ring on the way home Monday morning. It wasnt open to the public because this Lexus was hooning round. Sorry the pics are st, I cant express just how fast this passed by. I completely missed the side on pan shot...We were next to the crest and clearly heard it get air and land.
Stopped by the ring on the way home Monday morning. It wasnt open to the public because this Lexus was hooning round. Sorry the pics are st, I cant express just how fast this passed by. I completely missed the side on pan shot...We were next to the crest and clearly heard it get air and land.
MotorTrend Best Driver's car competition:
Driver: Randy Pobst
Lexus LFA w/ 560 PS : 1:36.39
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Leguna Seca edition w/ 450 PS: 1:41.06 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound tires]
Porsche Cayman R PDK w/ 340 PS: 1:41.64
Lotus Evora Sport w/ 350 PS: 1:42.49 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound Tires]
Driver: Randy Pobst
Lexus LFA w/ 560 PS : 1:36.39
Ford Mustang Boss 302 Leguna Seca edition w/ 450 PS: 1:41.06 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound tires]
Porsche Cayman R PDK w/ 340 PS: 1:41.64
Lotus Evora Sport w/ 350 PS: 1:42.49 [Pirelli Corsa R Compound Tires]
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- 8,624
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.
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.
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Lexus
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation.
Founded in 1989, the Lexus brand is marketed in over 90 countries and territories worldwide
and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan.
Its operational centers are in Brussels, Belgium, and Plano, Texas, United States.
Official website: Lexus
Official website: Lexus
