Wohoo SLS takes on the Lexus LF-A

[Mr Robert]

It is not so with the Koenigsegg. The Koenigsegg is a cold, clinical and straight-laced machine born out of a single-minded obsession with raw numbers rather than the desire to make a car that is as beautiful to drive as it is to look at.

It seems like the people over at Toyota went for the opposite route. A car where looks does not matter at all.

Exactly the same can be said of the LFA. Certainly, it does lack the pedigree and heritage - especially when taking that astronomical pricetag into account - of the established supercar order. BUT, it's not like this is some start-up company.

Exactly. The LF-A fails in the same way the Koenigsegg did, neither way is in the real world, but in the mind of the potentioal buyer.

The fact that it is not a start-up company just adds to this. Oh, I take that back. That is highly dependant on what company is behind the product. Koeningsegg had the lack of pedigree, image and whatnot against it, the LF-A must add the burden of the anti-sport image of Toyota and Lexus. Even harder.

 

[martinbo]

^^^ Ahh, the good Doctor D. Trust a lawyer to use my words against me. ^^^

Looks? Subjective, and, I for one think it looks fantastic for a Japanese supercar. This car has "Land-of-the-Rising Sun" all over it (not to be confused with "Ricer") and you either like that feature or you don't. As this is a German car forum I expect the sentiment to be the latter.

Anti-sport image of Toyota? Hmmm... that's perhaps true in the current context but Toyota certainly do have a heritage of sporty car manufacture over the past 20 years. Lexus, ok, the IS-F can't hold a candle to an M3 but it's a good start. And here's the point: every car maker is entitled to make a start (or restart for that matter) and, provided the necessary impetus was applied deliver a superb driving machine that properly differentiates itself from the rest. The LFA, clearly, does this admirably.

 

[Mr Robert]

I could not resist

I appreciate that the LF-A is a landmark in Japanese motoring and the fact that it has a very unique design further adds to this. It is simply not to everyones liking, it is not a safe way to go and I admire that.

The anti-sporty image is still very much a reality here in Europe as this never seems to have been a market of priority for Toyota/Lexus. The IS-F is a good step on the way, but they are about as rare as Koenigseggs here in Sweden.

The LF-A is the piece of machinery that could tell us that Toyota can do if they want to.

 

[Guibo]

Zonda got a beating for trying to beat Ferrari.

The Koeningsegg and the company were ridiculed for years before they appeared on Top Gear. It was said that they lacked knowledge, pedigree and racing history.

I don't recall Zonda getting a beating for trying to beat Ferrari. I'm not even sure that they were even trying to beat Ferrari. Most certainly not in terms of production volume. No regular production Ferrari at that time had a CF monocoque chassis; the F50 completed its sales run years before. The response from forums and car mags alike was positive; Evo Mag, for example, gave the original C12 the full 5-star rating. The major complaint listed in The Knowledge is that it's too wide to fit in their garage. Nothing about price vs pedigree.
If that was said about Koenigsegg in a ridiculing manner, I hadn't read it here or on other forums. Perhaps in Swedish forums, but I would guess that for every Swedish detractor, there's a Swedish defender who's proud that his country can produce a car of that caliber. Here on these forums, the Koenigsegg was criticized for its wayward handling and relative lack of reliability compared to the Zonda; not so much, if anything, was made about its lack of pedigree for such a high price.
In either case, hardly anyone is harping on the price nearly as much as they are doing for the Lexus. This goes for both forums and the car mags. Evo Magazine asking if the LFA is 6 times better than a GT-R, TopGear asking if it's 6 times faster...I mean, who has ever held any other exotic to such a standard?

Unlike Koenigsegg and Pagani, Toyota/Lexus do have knowledge and racing history. Although they may lack the same pedigree of certain Italian marques, they have a different kind of pedigree which can appeal to a different kind of buyer. Which I'm guessing is why some people are buying it because it is a Lexus; they are are familiar with the brand and can reasonably assume it will be built to the same high standards (or even higher) with appropriate backing, service, and customer support.

 

[Mr Robert]

Unlike Koenigsegg and Pagani, Toyota/Lexus do have knowledge and racing history. Although they may lack the same pedigree of certain Italian marques, they have a different kind of pedigree which can appeal to a different kind of buyer. Which I'm guessing is why some people are buying it because it is a Lexus; they are are familiar with the brand and can reasonably assume it will be built to the same high standards (or even higher) with appropriate backing, service, and customer support.

Yes, a different kind of pedigree, a different history and a not so different product (technological landmarks like that CF frame aside, because that seems very important...). That is why this is harder for Toyota than for Ferrari or Lamgorghini, because the latter are what is expected. The LF-A is something new and like with everything else that is new, it takes time to adjust.