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Car & Driver Video: Lexus LFA & Ferrari 599 HGTE

Posted by Kevin on October 21st, 2010

Car & Driver has posted a video featuring the Lexus LFA & a Ferrari 599 HGTE driving through Wales:

The video’s all well and good, but what’s with this quote?:

[The LFA] has got a fantastic chassis, great steering that’s Ferrari-like, chassis is really well balanced, tons of grip, tons of downforce, fantastic carbon-ceramic brakes, I mean, it is the real deal — it’s just that the thing you can’t get your head around is…it’s a Lexus, and it’s a supercar. They’re supposed to be granddad cars, slow, boring, soft, comfortable, not particularly exciting — but this thing is a rocketship.

We’ve seen this kind of thinking time and again — this car is great, but it’s still a Lexus. Too many journalists are reading from the same script, and it’s getting old.

Let’s look at this realistically: Not only is this a supercar backed by Lexus’ (battered but undeniable) reliability, customer service, and attention to detail, but it’s also the crown-jewel of Toyota, the world’s largest automobile manufacturer and the pride & joy of its CEO, Akio Toyoda. Why the people behind the LFA would ever be held up as a bad thing, I have no idea — it’s bias with no basis.

The question shouldn’t be Why does this car exist?, but Why didn’t this car exist sooner?

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Comments
krew
8-)
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@krew: LOL I can't believe you posted that! Thanks for posting this! Now I gotta watch it! aha
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    RDS
  • October 21, 2010
I'd go for a Lexus , because Lexus doesn't have optional flame to get ... :)
J
The second video, the exhaust note from the LFA was ripping. I was really worried about the sheep though!
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    Crux
  • October 21, 2010
2nd video, good that engine and the noise it makes. Will never ever EVER get old I can play this on loop all day. Yamaha, you guys are insane for this one!
T
Sorry, but I think a lot of Lexus-bashing is just a version of Japan-bashing. What is behind a lot of cracks like that clown from Car and Driver made is a serious bigotry that believes the only way the Japanese got to the top was by "cheating". That they really are NOT as good as they look. Of course, because an LS is objectively a LOT better than an S-class Mercedes in any situation that is not a race track or less than 100 mph, these guys are forced to invent "flaws" to deny what is obvious. The absolute ugliest charge is that the silence, build quality, and other manifestations of precision show that Lexus has no "soul."
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    Pete
  • October 22, 2010
Let the haters hate. We all know the reality: Lexus built a car that kicks Euro-Butt. Remember, Lexus is the new kid on the block when it comes to supercars....but i don't see anything rookie about the LF-A. It is a serious machine. Thumbs up Lexus.8-)
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    Eljay
  • October 22, 2010
Techno,that was very well put and I think you're absolutely right. If I may permit myself an intentionally naive mindset;one would think that auto scribes would be delighted to see something new and fresh in the supercar category,that they'd be doing cart wheels over Lexus doing something so uncompromisingly driver oriented and devoid of the kind of discretion and political correctness that they recent other Lexus models for. You just can't win with some people,I guess.
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    Wunko
  • October 22, 2010
When the car functions great for what it is, the last thing they resort to is attacking the brand.
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    RollaXRS
  • October 22, 2010
Wunko wrote:When the car functions great for what it is, the last thing they resort to is attacking the brand.
They are not attacking the brand. They are just only saying that Lexus has been typically associated with a sterile driving experience and then Lexus suddenly drops this bombshell which completely goes on other side of being a luxury extreme track racer.
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    Evn
  • October 22, 2010
I'd take an LFA over a 599 HGTE anyday. Much more beautiful/elegant interior in the Lexus and the sound is matched only by the Carrera GT. As for the Ferrari's today, they all sound so buzzy and crude, a lot of sputtering in my opinion.
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    Enthusiast
  • October 23, 2010
You are so right about the cliche comments from these supposed professional reviewers. It's gotten to the point to where it's almost child-like. Have they completly run out of ideas for their articles? The Car and Driver quote is almost exactly what Richard Hammond said (worded a little differently) on Top Gear.
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    Enthusiast
  • October 23, 2010
And another thing; I was never a fan of the LFA nose, but the Ferrari looks completely boring next to the LFA. Do you have the audio for the Ferrari? I'm sure that's another area the LFA will win.
W
@Enthusiast: Here is the audio for the 599. The 599 in my city gets around now and then, and I often miss it. It's red... but it just plain conservative, and that's no good for a supercar.
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    05RollaXRS
  • October 23, 2010
Enthusiast wrote:And another thing; I was never a fan of the LFA nose, but the Ferrari looks completely boring next to the LFA.Do you have the audio for the Ferrari? I’m sure that’s another area the LFA will win.
The third video posted is of the 599 GTB and yes it does sound very bland compared to the phenomenal race car sound of the LFA.
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    enthusiast
  • October 24, 2010
Thanks worldofluxury! While I wouldn't mind if my car sounded like the Ferrari, the 599 HGTE definitely doesn't compare to the Lexus.
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    Travis
  • October 24, 2010
I LOVE the 599... but it looks so boring and normal around the LFA... the LFA exhaust notes out shines the Ferrais V12... LFA FTW ~ I want one soo bad : ( The comment about Lexus being slow and boring... WTF is that guy talking about? Lexus cars have never been slow... their not boring and they are more then comfortable... he is a idiot. He must drive a rocketship for DD. And the LFA tranmsiton.. lexus put that to make the driver get a raw feel of the car.. more connection with the car... but I guess he wouldn't understand that now would he. I never get when people say its a Lexus.. cant get my head around. WTF is wrong with a Lexus... they make nice ass car... I would understand if the car was a Saturn then his comment would make sense.. but a Lexus is a fine well built automobile.
W
@Travis: Yeah... the 290 hp and 300Lb-ft of torque of the naturally-aspirated V8 in my 1998 LS 400 makes it no sloucher, and the drivers with their tuned Civics and Scions get really angry when losing to such an amazing, stock car. :-)
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    Travis
  • October 24, 2010
N if any brand is a "Granddad" brand... look Benz..look "Caddy" He sounds like he is shocked that the LFA is so good... Toyota has a long history of Motorsports... Did he expect a company who has all the resources and money and knowledge.. that when they put all that together in a car.. its goin to be crap? He said "it's actually fast".. 550+ hp.. lightweight.. V10. What else would someone expect that to be... but fast? He is a Complete fail.
W
@Travis: If only all the money, resources, and knowledge could help the Toyota F1 team...
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    Travis
  • October 27, 2010
It comes down to the driver...

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