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One of the largest multinational automobile manufacturers, the Japan-based Toyota, known for its reliability and durability, made a car that shattered expectations for its luxury division: The Lexus LFA Supercar. After being in development for nine years and debuting in 2012, the Lexus LFA’s chassis was edgy and sporty; the coupe exhibited aggressive racing characteristics from its hood scoops to its wing. However, despite pouring a tremendous amount of effort into its creation, it was a financial flop.
Toyota produced only five hundred cars and lost money on each one sold. Yet, the Lexus LFA’s rarity and distinctiveness seem to have only garnered substantial attention after its initial run. Based on the cars’ lack of financial success, what motivated Toyota to manufacture it — and compared to other notable supercars, what makes the Lexus LFA so unique?
The Lexus LFA Supercar (2010-2012)
It is important to understand that Toyota, as with any story, wanted to position itself in the middle of all the popular supercar manufacturers such as Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. (( Parker, Garrett. “Remembering the Short Lived Lexus LFA.” Money Inc, 2 Dec. 2018. Accessed 20 Apr. 2023. )) Rather than produce the car in order to become richer, they intended to showcase their expertise in the automobile industry.
For instance, the car’s original aluminum chassis was scrapped for carbon fiber, which is more expensive but lightweight and durable. Carbon fiber (( “What Is Carbon Fiber.” Innovative Composite Engineering, 15 Jan. 2015. )) is made of thin, strong crystalline filaments of carbon and in the Lexus LFA, it is gray and black — not to mention, it lends the car an air of sporty luxury. Although this is only one characteristic out of many that illustrates Toyota’s dedication and commitment, it is nonetheless a very impressive one.
There are mixed feelings about the Lexus LFA — as with any other sports car. There are those who say it is the best Japanese sports car ever made and that it represents a bargain considering how well it performs, as well as those who say it is overrated and does not resemble anything Lexus-related.
In “Edmunds,” (( 2012 Lexus LFA. (2013). Edmunds. )) the 2012 Lexus LFA is analyzed in terms of its pros and cons. The pros include:
- “ferocious and melodious V10,”
- “rapid agility,”
- and “high customization,”
while the cons include:
- “shockingly expensive,”
- “single-clutch transmissions are outdated,”
- and “lacks the prestige of other exotic sports cars.”
It should be noted, however, that this was not the only occasion when Toyota manufacturers wanted to demonstrate to the world that their cars were capable of performing beyond the typical daily driver, and for a complete understanding of the Lexus LFA Supercar, it is essential to begin from the beginning.
“The Sports Car That Started It All” — Toyota 2000GT (1965)
The Toyota 2000GT, which debuted in 1965, is a great example of Toyota’s automobile expertise that changed the course of automotive history. The car’s long nose and sleek lines, along with a fusion of Toyota and Yamaha engines, broke the world’s perception of the Toyota brand and what a Japanese sports car could be. (( “The Greatest Car EVER Made… No One Bought.” Youtube, uploaded by Ideal Media, 28 Jan. 2022. )) Arguably, it was considered the greatest sports car Toyota ever made by many due to its success and influence, causing the Japanese sports market to boom.
As a result of its success, one may find it difficult to believe that Toyota took three decades to develop something as exceptional as the 2000GT by putting itself in a pit with all the other supercar manufacturers. Despite Toyota funding the project, Haruhiko Tanahashi was the true visionary behind it.
Haruhiko Tanahashi’s “Dream Team”
Haruhiko Tanahashi had been working with Toyota since 1978 and became a chief engineer for the Lexus department in 2001. During the 2000s, Tanahashi was inspired to drive on the Shibetsu proving ground which incorporates “road surfaces from around the world, high-speed test tracks, a high-speed bowl, and an electronic monitoring system, the facility stirred the imaginations of the engineers privileged to work there.” (( Clifford, Joe. “Untold History of the Lexus LFA.” Lexus UK Magazine, 7 Oct. 2019 ))
Tanahashi told a few of his colleagues his idea of a supercar and they scribbled their ideas on table napkins. Later on, Tanahashi asked the chief test driver and chief test engineer Hiromu Naruse for guidance.
Naruse is considered a legendary race car driver and had been with the company for decades before passing away in 2010. Naruse made a huge impact throughout his career; he was part of the upbringing of the 2000GT and other notable cars like the MR2 and Supra, and not only was he masterful in driving, but he also had prestige knowledge of what makes a car worthy.
With Tanahashi and Naruse’s brainstorming, a blueprint for the supercar was developed. With five hundred of Naruse’s points of what a Japanese supercar should have, the Lexus LFA concept was getting more and more serious. But, their brilliant idea was not yet official, so they looked to Akio Toyoda to bring it to life. Despite serving as Toyota’s director of China at the time, his standing within the Toyoda family earned him significant respect and wielded considerable influence.
Not only that, he was a talented businessman and car enthusiast. Although Toyoda felt like the concept did not fit in with Toyota’s car franchise, he was eager. Tanahashi, Naruse, and Toyoda all proceeded to test drive supercars to get a better sense of what makes a car “super.”
At last, Toyoda saw the vision of the supercar and could see how it could potentially fit into Lexus. Even if it was different, he realized its uniqueness could influence and bring success to the brand. With this, the Lexus LFA was funded and Tanahashi became the chief engineer for the project; at last, after nine years in development, the Lexus LFA was officially released.
Lexus LFA Supercar’s Cosmetics (2010-2012)
The Lexus LFA has a 4.8 L V10 engine that brings the car to 533 horsepower. The noise of the V10 engine has car enthusiasts saying that it is the best-sounding sports car of all time. Toyota collaborated with Yamaha, a company known for their motorized products and instruments, for the engine. ((Atadero, Julybien. “Here’s Why the Lexus LFA’s V10 Engine Is an Engineering Marvel.” HotCars, 8 Dec. 2022. )) With the focus of tuning the engine and exhaust engine to sound as grand as possible, they achieved their goal of mimicking F1 cars in the 2000s. (( Banik, Sourav. “Here’s Why the Lexus LFA’s Screaming V10 Sounds so Good.” HotCars, 1 Nov. 2022. ))
The car’s sound can be described as soulful, symphonic, and high-pitched. Many people find the sound super unique and distinctive compared to other supercars even if they have similar V10 engines. Though a supercar, it is not impressively fast even though its weight is on the lower side. But how the car handles power is more important than that in order to stay in control and the Lexus LFA does incredibly due to its almost perfect front and rear balance.
There is also another version of the LFA which is the Nurburgring edition. It is even rarer because there are only fifty of them. It performs somewhat better than the normal Lexus LFA when it comes to tackling the track due to its additional aerodynamic and performance improvements, which include a bigger wing, improved tires, and increased ten horsepower.
What Prevented The Lexus LFA From Being A Success?
Despite the hard work and dedication put into it over the years, the Lexus LFA was not a significant success in the market. Its high price point made it difficult for most consumers to purchase, especially since it was nearly as expensive as more established supercars, and many felt that it was a risky purchase because it was not an affordable vehicle.
In fact, when it was released in 2012, the Lexus LFA cost around $375,000. In today’s market, the average sale price is around $800,000; if one can even get their hands on one in the first place. (The Nurburgring edition comes with an even heftier price tag, increasing the price from the original Lexus LFA model by around $70,000.)
What Is The Future Of The Lexus LFA?
Due to popularity and demand, many popular cars have successors. However, you may be wondering if the Lexus LFA has one due to its fame despite its initial financial failure… as of now, it is in progress, and people are unsure of when it will be completed.
We do know one thing about it, and after years of rumors circulating about a return of the Lexus LFA, it may or may not come as a surprise to fans that it will be an electric vehicle. The batteries for the car are planned to be solid-state batteries, which are safer and more durable than current EV batteries. (( Duffy, Tyler. “The New Lexus LFA: What You Need to Know about the Future Electric Supercar.” Gear Patrol, 12 Aug. 2022. Accessed 20 Apr. 2023. ))
Notably, it will have a low two-second 0-60 mph time. Reports have suggested that the electric Lexus LFA supercar will not be fully electric, but rather a hybrid model. Still, the rise of electric car reworks disappointed car enthusiasts worldwide because it is not exactly the same car they fell in love with.
The roar and authenticity of an engine arguably will never be the same as an electric impersonation. Though details of how the electric supercar sounds are yet to be revealed, it will be riveting if it manages to sound close to the Toyota and Yamaha collaboration engine.
The Longevity Of The Lexus LFA
It is clear that The Lexus LFA Supercar is a truly iconic automobile in many aspects, especially when it is becoming more popular after its initial run which was considered a financial failure. (It is also expected to make a triumphant return with a new electric model.) However, The Lexus LFA’s one-of-a-kind engine and legendary handling will continue to hold a place in countless car enthusiasts’ hearts.
You might say they no longer produce cars like it, and, if they do, as Toyota demonstrated, it may be several decades before another is produced like it. Yet — no matter what, the Lexus LFA will remain a renowned one-of-a-kind marvel for a long time to come.