Official: Lexus Releases Video of 7:14.64 LFA Nürburgring Lap

Posted by Kevin on September 7th, 2011

We knew it was coming — here is the official video (with telemetry) of Akira Iida’s 7:14.64 lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition:

With this ultra-quick time, the Lexus LFA Nürburgring edition is now the fourth fastest production car to run the ‘Ring, and the fastest-ever from a mainstream manufacturer. Some details from the press release:

LFA test driver and professional racer Akira Iida recorded a lap time of 7:14.64 in a fully road-legal car, running on standard specification Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres.

The result, posted on 31 August during a performance test, demonstrates Lexus’s success in honing its two-seater supercar for track-focused handling, by introducing a range of aerodynamic features and fine-tuning the car’s suspension.

Commenting on the result, Iida said: “We are delighted with this achievement. Our on-going development of the LFA and our recent outings at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race have enabled us to continue to tune the vehicle. The result with the LFA Nürburgring Package shows the car’s ultimate performance and agility. This is a first activity of its type for Lexus and the constant effort of the team has brought this fantastic result.”

Haruhiko Tanahashi, LFA Chief Engineer, said: “The LFA Nürburgring Package is the culmination of our extensive testing programme and we have appreciated the opportunities to use the Nürburgring Nordschleife to strengthen and develop the LFA into the vehicle it is today. The development team’s obsession, Iida-san’s concentration and good course conditions all led to our achieving this record.”

An amazing result, and something for everyone at Lexus to be proud of — congratulations to both Iida-san & the LFA development team!

Just a note: There’s some confusion as to the cars ahead of the LFA — according to Wikipedia, this would be:

  1. Radical SR8 LM at 6:48
  2. Radical SR8 at 6:55
  3. Gumpert Apollo Sport at 7:11.57

However, according to the Nürburgring enthusiast website Bridge to Gantry, the list would be:

  1. Pagoni Zonda-R at 6:47.5
  2. Radical SR8LM at 6:48
  3. Ferrari 599XX at 6:58.1
  4. Gumpert Apollo at 7:11.5

What’s notable is that every one of these models, regardless of list (with the exception of the Ferrari 599XX, which is not actually for sale), stretch the definition of what it means to be a production model, particularly when it comes to whether the car is actually road-legal. I’m not going to get into the particular conditions & caveats, but I do recommend taking a look at this list at Bridge to Gantry for the full details.

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Comments
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    Thejetengine
  • September 7, 2011
krew i was in tle, then i google lexus lfa and saw the 7:14 video, when i finished watching the video, i came flying in here to let you know or post the link some where,,,but you bit me to lol.. anyways awesome video.
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    BOSS
  • September 7, 2011
Been hearing complaints from other car forums about the time not being legit, well now I'm going back and telling them to pull head from ass and use it for once! We have a new king, all hail the Lexus LFA!!!
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      JVX
    • September 7, 2011
    Continual denial will only lead to internal dismay.  Time to wake up and admit the truth.  The truth will set you free :)
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Awesomeness ! Edit : Zonda is a Track-Car , same as the Radical but one of the Radical have some road-legal parts on it .
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    Richard
  • September 7, 2011
Let us have a couple moments of silence for the poor bug that is now windshield art.
    • Anonymous
    • September 7, 2011
    Amen Speaking of windshields, if it don't got one, it doesn't count in my books
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    Erich Kerner
  • September 7, 2011
Great work Lexus! Now i hope Lexus will make "the next step" and brings a "supercharged" version of the LFA into production. I just wonna say that i hope Lexus will continue "working" on this car and make it better every year. Roadster? AWD?
    M
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      Mike DeLorca
    • September 7, 2011
    Your thinking is where I think LEXUS will go with this. When I saw your post I thought well no need to comment here.....this guy just took the thoughts and words right out of me. even though LEXUS says only 500 will make production.  I hope and pray that they get around that statement somehow with future Models, Roadster, more powerful versions, etc. More of this engineering marvel needs to be exploited and brought to full Global attention in many future works of art.
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    41freakin6 hp
  • September 7, 2011
The 599XX is not street legal, right?
    B
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      BlackDynamiteMB
    • September 7, 2011
    It's about as street-legal as brass knuckles! BD
    K
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      krew
    • September 7, 2011
    Haha.
    K
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      krew
    • September 7, 2011
    The Ferrari 599XX isn't street-legal, nor is it available for sale.
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    BlackDynamiteMB
  • September 7, 2011
LFA THE ONE TRUE LORD OF THE RING!! BD
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    Jvxdriver
  • September 7, 2011
Congratulation to the LFA team!  Your hard-work and dedication really show in your product.
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    05RollaXRS
  • September 7, 2011
Lexus LFA achieved a 298 km/h speed at the final uphill climb stretch, which is one of the highest trap speeds ever achieved on that stretch. Even a ZR-1 did 292 km/h on that final stretch.
    • Anonymous
    • September 7, 2011
    Sweet! Just imagine had the LFA had a little more power just for the fun of it! :P
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      05RollaXRS
    • September 7, 2011
    Yeah, I think Lexus has been tuning the LFA with much more power, but the standard LFA is crippled by mediocre tires. The Nurburgring edition has the best street tires just below R compound racing tires you can get for dry grip, which is why it is doing fabulously well.
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      BlackDynamiteMB
    • September 8, 2011
    What's a ZR-1? BD
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 8, 2011
    Did you notice though when he tried to pull the NE LFA up after hitting 295+ kph he was right on the edge of the braking threshold for the car as the car hit the limiter in I would say about 3rd gear so Iida was walking the tight rope there I thought.
  • Anonymous
  • September 7, 2011
I'm not going to explain because people seem to get the idea. The LFA with the Nurburgring package is THE FASTEST production car IN THE WORLD!!! Those cars that are allegedly faster... they don't really count!
    W
    So many internet car enthusiasts are some where in their room balled up in a corner saying "It's just a Lexus, how, how can it be.. it's a Toyota, a Toyota"
    0
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      05RollaXRS
    • September 8, 2011
    It is a pure bred racing car built from the F1 racing technology Toyota built. It is the substance that counts. It is not a blind numbers car. It is lightweight, raw, agile, perfectly balanced and has no electronic gizmos correcting the driver's mistakes. no Awd, no trick torque vectoring differential. simply a true racing car that utilizes the driver's skills.
    • Anonymous
    • September 8, 2011
    Toyota has the money and resources. Toyota has racing pedigree. Toyota should've done well in F1; look at how Red Bull succeeded so well in multiple categories of racing!!!
    W
    Maybe if Toyoda had took control, all the F1 program needed was different management as they had the best facilities proven by the fact Ferrari used Toyota's wind tunnel to verify theirs wasn't up to standard. Timo and Jarno had some very good results (2nd & 3rd) and they are not regarded as some of the best in F1. If Toyota had managed to snap up a good quality driver they'll be still in F1 with multiple wins 
    C
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 8, 2011
    Personally I think Toyota's mistake in F-1 was trying to run it from the board room in Japan.They needed to keep it independent I think but I guess at the end of the day they were writing the cheques so I guess they can run it how they please. 
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      05RollaXRS
    • September 8, 2011
    It sounds like a pure bred F1 V10 car. Just unbelievable.
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    Max_bramante
  • September 7, 2011
And it's only a V10 4.8 liter! More faster than the shitty Aventador wich is 6.5 V12 (with an horrible noise btw, sounds like a W12 Audi, quite ridicule compared to the LFA sound).
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    உன்னை விழுங்க
  • September 7, 2011
That is great!!!!  Now we need that LFA V10 in GS-F and we are set!!!!  I'm sure with this engine in a GS-F it will break into the top 10 and be the fastest sedan in history on the Nurburing!!!!!
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    Coryn_hughes
  • September 8, 2011
Outside of the great result by Iida and Toyota/Lexus I really think theres more time to be had in this car.Iida had that car dancing in places and through some corners I just could'nt believe how early he was picking up the throttle and the car just stuck man again Iida was mightly impressive behind the wheel and if there was a lap of the gods man that was it. I don't no if alot of you noticed but the car was very understeery in places if they could some how extract better turn in grip through some of the faster corners I really think theres probably 1-3 more seconds in this lap and I really think thats the scarey part the being more time in it. Overall though I can't complain though and this puts all the BS that has been bandied around about the LFA to bed once and for all.
    W
    Imagine if they just used Slicks
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 8, 2011
    If they used a full race Slick like the GR LFA's I believe there is another 5-10 seconds in this car. The GR LFA's found 20 odd sec's in a year as there fastest Quali lap this year was in the mid to late 8 min 20's as the previous year they were in the 8.40's,of course this was round the north loop which is the normal ring lap plus the GP track which adds upto a 25 odd km lap instead of the normal 20.6 km lap. It would be intriging but at a GUESS WITH FULL RACE SLICKS I'd say a low 7 minute for the 20.6 km lap. 
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      05RollaXRS
    • September 8, 2011
    If it were the standard LFA then yes, 10 seconds with super slick R compounds are possible. However, the LFA Nurburgring tires are exceptionally good and the best street tires with very high levels of grip so stepping up to the R compound DOT competition tires, it will drop the time by maybe 5 seconds at the most.
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 8, 2011
    I'm not talking about street legal semi's I'm talking proper full race slicks. I'm guessing using my own experience with semis vs a full race slick on my Supra I found 4.5 seconds in the 3.1 km track that I use here in my country. There is a huge difference between any semi regardless of compound over a full race slick. If they went from those Bridgestone RE070's or any other R compound semi vs a Bridgestone slick that the GR LFA's use I think it'd be between.5-1.0 second per km.
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Would really love to see how a stripped down LFA would do, no stereo or AC
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 8, 2011
    Keep an eye out I really think Toyota/Lexus will target the LeMan 24 hour race with the GR LFA's but they may have to use a diferent motor though.
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    BlackDynamiteMB
  • September 8, 2011
One more thing...... If this drove on Michelin Sport Cups, it breaks 7:10, all day, every day! BD
    H
    Haha, funny~
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      BlackDynamiteMB
    • September 8, 2011
    Who was telling a joke? BD
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    David H.
  • September 8, 2011
Toyota should really consider bringing some of the LFA models (500 and beyond of course) to the FIA GT series.
    W
    And replace the aging SC430 in the SUPERGT
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    Travis
  • September 8, 2011
The Main pic is EPIC win.    Good job Lexus im happy for you
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I could watch the video all day and not get bored. It amazes me how much concentration a driver must have to drive that track. Even in Gran Turismo 5 I still make mistakes on every lap.
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      Travis
    • September 9, 2011
    The LFA seems so easy to drive at the limit even its a RWD car.. other cars are about to rip your head off or on the verge of killing you when driven like this. The LFA made gettin this time look so easy...  awesome
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QUESTION ... ... is the cage included in Nur Edition pack ?
    C
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 9, 2011
    No its not its just the fact the cars a prototype I would say i could be wrong. I thought with the carbon weave technology used gave the LFA 4 times the stiffness of aluminium hence there being no need for a cage.
    Y
    Because of the Cage ... haters said LFA's record shouldn't be counted , so I asked if the cage is came as optional or even standard stuff for LFA NE . The Cage might be there just for increase safety , if you see the Zonda R , it's also having Cage even though it's also CFRP Monocoque .
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      Coryn_hughes
    • September 9, 2011
    Typical internet haters I'm telling you all this is ,is brand hating people still can't get there heads around Lexus building a car that is as good as any hypercar on the market.If the brand was different if it were say a Porsche Ferrari Lambo Zonda Aston Martin they'd be fine with it but most don't give credit where its due and they just see this car as an overpriced Toyota.
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    Tim
  • September 9, 2011
Lexus FTW
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    Torana_pilot
  • September 12, 2011
Speaking of the LFA, have you guys seen this story? http://www.pressroom.com.au/press_release_detail.asp?clientID=3&prID=4486&navSectionID=2 1980 F1 World Champ Alan Jones driving the LFA in Australia! 
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    Coryn_hughes
  • September 15, 2011
Oh well that record didn't last long I see the ACR Viper has lowered the record to a 7.12.2 sec.'s round the Ring.I'm interested to see which rubber it was using and I to would have loved to have seen the NE LFA on these Michelins that Porsche Chevrolet and probably Chrysler used on there cars as I no judging from what i watched theres probably a little bit more in the NE LFA.

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