Manufacturing

Automobile Magazine has more on the Lexus LFA buying process:

What I want to talk about is how a person might go about purchasing an LFA. Buying an exotic car, especially one in high demand, like most Ferraris, can be a very taxing experience even for the most battle-hardened business person. How do I get on the list? How do I know I’m being treated fairly? Do only people who are special friends of the dealer get one? Lexus is trying to make the process of buying an LFA a little less mysterious.

Once a potential buyer is approved, they’ll be hooked up with a dealer and one of fifteen specialized Lexus sales consultants, who will help them spec out their car and take their $10,000 deposit.

All in all, the process looks to be straightforward—also interesting to point out that the LFA allotment for the USA is “undetermined” and will depend on interest in other parts of the world.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

As time goes on, we’re going to find the process of selling the Lexus LFA will almost be as interesting as the car itself—case in point, the Toronto Star has published some background information for potential Canadian buyers:

For the first time in mainstream automotive memory, a car is being brought to market that drivers cannot buy outright. Initially, the LFA will only be available on a two-year lease.

There will be no lottery to select who gets the LFA. Toyota Canada will handpick the winners. It was suggested to Di Felice that that sounded a lot like a popularity contest likely to be won by rock stars and boldface names.

“No, I don’t see why if you’re, say, a dentist and you can afford a $375,000 car and you really have a passion for Lexus technology and Lexus engineering, you can’t end up in one of these cars,” [Director of external affairs, Sandy] Di Felice said. “I think what you’re asking me is are we going to bump people for somebody better, and the answer is ‘No’.”

I’ve also read that Lexus is more interested in locating people who will drive the car, as opposed to speculators and collectors.

And what if you’re selected by Lexus to purchase an LFA? Club Lexus member ViperVern received an invitation by mail to attend a special event in the USA:

[Source: Toronto Star & Club Lexus]

Here’s a video that shows the machine responsible for the Lexus LFA’s dual-carbon fiber A-pillars:

Called a rotary weaver, this machine is of only two such devices in existence, and is used expressly for the creation of the carbon fiber components of the LFA. Hard to imagine what else this machine will create—the possibilities are endless and may end up justifying the LFA’s cost all on its own.

Update: The video has been pulled by Lexus, will update once another source is found.

Update 2: Found a version of the video on Youtube, and have updated the post.

[Via: Jalopnik]

After look at the present & future of the Lexus SC, I thought it might be interesting to look back at the model’s history—the following video is a dealership introduction for the first-generation SC 400, and is an important look back at what Lexus was trying to achieve with their first sports coupe:

Amazing when you consider that after this video was made, the SC 300/400 won the 1992 Motor Trend Import Car of the Year, and then, with only minor changes, placed on Car & Driver’s Ten Best list for seven years in a row.

No question, this was a truly special car, and one of the fundamental building blocks for Lexus’ success in the US. I wonder then, why such the huge break when the second-generation SC 430 was introduced? Was it a desire to change directions? It also makes me wonder—will the next SC build on any existing design cues, or will it be something completely different once again?

(Quick note: If you have any knowledge of similar videos to this one, please let me know.)

In order to keep up with the Japanese demand for the HS 250h, Lexus will be tripling production of the new hybrid.

As reported by the Nikkei (by way of The Green Car Congress), even after producing 2,000 units in July, there are still 8,600 pre-orders for the hybrid sedan. This is seventeen times the expected monthly sales estimates of 500 units, and can only be consider good news for the brand in its home country.

There’s no telling how sales will be in North America, but there’s a similar level of demand, Lexus may have to increase production even further.

[Source: Nikkei via The Green Car Congress]

The Lexus IS-C is off to a booming start in the US, with dealerships selling the new convertible faster than Lexus’s Kyushu plant in Japan can make them. Wards has the story:

The facility is ramping up to produce at least 225 IS-C models a month just for the Northeast region of the U.S., Scott Wracher, general manager of the Lexus’s eastern area, says at a press conference here.

The overall build rate will allow Lexus to sell 1,200 units per month nationally. “I don’t think we’re going to outstrip demand with our build rate,” he says, adding, “There’s a lot of value in the IS (models) compared to our competition.”

Wracher says it’s too early in the sales cycle to estimate the average transaction price for the new convertibles, although he believes all units will be sold at the base price. He also predicts sales of the new models will break 85% for the 250C and 15% for the 350C.

The IS-C is coming on the market just as the convertible season starts, and with that good timing comes a huge surge in demand. No doubt that sales will slow down once the weather gets colder, but until then, the IS-C is a hot commodity.

[Source: Wards Auto via Club Lexus]