The all-new Lexus LFA supercar isn’t set to go into production until this fall, but it’s already a big winner for the company in the buzz department, with demand far outpacing the expected supply of just 500 available units. In fact, as part of its plan to prevent people from profiting off the car’s scarcity, North American buyers will only be able to lease the LFA, not actually buy it at first. The idea is that this will prevent “scalpers” from purchasing the lightning-quick Lexus at its $375,000 MSRP and then immediately selling it for a big-time premium. Exclusivity has its price, Lexus Dealer Maryland says.
The car looks like it will be a winner on the road, too: It packs a monster V10 engine that develops 552 hp, enough to rocket the LFA from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and push it to a top speed of 202 mph. And speaking of looks, the Lexus wears a sleek skin that includes some particularly intriguing design elements. These include stylized cooling vents just aft of the car’s B pillars and a distinctive, aggressive headlamp setup. Notably, Lexus engineers also made extensive use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic throughout the LFA, including its cabin, to keep weight down.
But with all this going for it, the LFA has had one particular trouble spot: The Nurburgring. The German race track, known as the most-demanding road course in the world, has long provided both a testing ground and boasting rights for the world’s best high-performance vehicles, far better than used cars. Richmond VA automobile enthusiasts agree that the LFA prototype, which Lexus campaigned in the ‘Ring’s 24-hour endurance race in both 2008 and 2009, came a cropper both times. Two years ago, the LFA crashed out and finished 120th, while in 2009, the results included an in-car fire and a 87th-place finish.
Hoping the third time’s the charm, Lexus is bringing the LFA back to the ‘Ring this year, but with a difference. Toyota’s luxury division will campaign two production-spec LFAs—tuned for the event by Gazoo Racing—in May’s grueling 24-hour competition.
It will be one situation in which Toyota’s new-found penchant for acceleration just may be an advantage. However, despite the road-going LFA’s performance and good looks, a Nissan GT-R Seattle WA dealer says that ‘Godzilla’ offers similar performance for hundreds of thousands of dollars less, so is the LFA worth the extra dough or just hype? I guess it will have to prove itself on the ‘Ring.
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