Faisal Sheikh
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AMS Test Result:
0 - 100 km/h (62 mph): 3.7 seconds
0 - 200 km/h (125 mph): 11.2 seconds
http://www.ams-mag.com/road-tests/lexus-lfa-test-drive-farewell-lap-in-the-v10-hero-8981942.html
0 - 100 km/h (62 mph): 3.7 seconds
0 - 200 km/h (125 mph): 11.2 seconds
http://www.ams-mag.com/road-tests/lexus-lfa-test-drive-farewell-lap-in-the-v10-hero-8981942.html
Lexus LFA test driven This stylish V10 has to leave us
There will no longer be a sports car like the Lexus LFA, at least not from the Toyota Group. So we made an appointment with the ten-cylinder, roaring 571 bhp carbon racer, for a few final laps, not in Hockenheim or in the Eifel – but rather on the Fuji Speedway!
It stands above it all, as a "holy place and a place of artistic inspiration". And can still stretch its head into the clouds, even when magnificent, perhaps even world-shaking events are happening at its feet – at least in the eyes of a perhaps somewhat old-fashioned, but unconditional car fan. In any case, Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain and the volcanic inspiration for countless poems (don't worry, we'll spare you these dear reader), lies hidden, gathering dark cumulus clouds that promise rain around its peak.
The Lexus LFA, with the aura of a gatekeeper
And rain is precisely what we don't want today. Today is all about saying a final goodbye to a unique automobile. Please don't misunderstand me: "unique" is not intended as a synonym for "the best of all time". However, in terms of specification, the LFA may well be the first and last sports car of its kind from Lexus, scratch that, from the entire, world-dominating Toyota Group.
The Lexus LFA itself on the other hand couldn't care less, rolls jovially through the gate and onto the 4.563 kilometre long race track, which is steeped in tradition, and up the slope to the car park on this side of the pit lane. The fan shop has already closed as it is late afternoon, so there's nothing with which to raise a toast. To this end we buy a cold green tea from the vending machines. Of course Sprite would also do, but not Beck's beer, as we don't drink it in Bavaria.
Illuminated in yellow, the Lexus LFA to be test driven parks beside us, by no means looking innocent, as its carbon fibre rear wing and the flaps on the front skirt, both technology-obsessed in terms of appearance, contrast with the paint job, giving the angular two-doored vehicle the aura of a gatekeeper: you're not getting in here. At least not everyone. For our farewell tale, Lexus has sent the version with the Nürburgring package as an extra bonus, with the performance-enhanced V10 engine with the bhp increased from 560 to 571 and optimised aerodynamics with a focus on output. Only ten percent of the LFA production, limited to 500 units, were supplied with the package, for an additional charge of 75,000 Euros.
Absurd base price for the Lexus LFA
The base price? 370,000 Euros, wow. And in any case no-one can buy this model, which has prototype status, regardless of how many oligarchs or sheiks wave their banknotes. Incidentally: the number 714 on the licence plate makes a subtle reference to the Nordschleife lap time of the Lexus LFA with the Nürburgring package. Here on the Fuji Speedway, a professional would take somewhere below two minutes. This should not be down to the Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres, which are of course approved for road use, as their temperature is just fine.
Mount Fuji stretches its peak further into the clouds, as if it knows what is taking place. The 4.8-litre engine barks briefly following the gentle singing of the start-up motor, and then runs vibration-free, but with a threatening deep chant in neutral, willing the almost 1.6 tonne Lexus LFA to accelerate immediately. Titanium connecting rod and valve, lightweight crankshaft, dry sump lubrication, individual throttle system, two-stage intake system – this list alone fulfils two functions: it explains the absurd purchase price, at least in part, and the personality of the LFA.
In six tenths of a second, the rev count climbs from 0 to 9,000 rpm, in words: nine thousand. To talk about response characteristics, would only be insufficiently paraphrased with the word banal, for the drive system drools, yaws and practically whimpers with each press on the accelerator, so as to convert it with an evident avarice, indeed rage, to deliver power and accelerate the sports car.
The Lexus LFA accelerates to 200 km/h in 11.2 seconds
The Lexus can manage 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, making short work of the 200 km/h mark in 11.2 seconds[Lexus LFA mit Nürburgring Package, spa0212, ] Lexus LFA NP im Supertest: Japanischer Ring-Geist (15.12.2012). This V10 never settles down, always wide awake and ready to demonstrate the brilliance of a naturally aspirated engine to its driver – both visually and audibly.
The power train thunders, trumpets, screams practically rants and rages, without emitting any vibrations worth noting in the road test report, all thanks to the 72 degree cylinder bank angle. And the power characteristics? Serving almost as a reference when it comes to the attribute of being "linear", as there are no peaks and troughs whatsoever to be found over the entire speed range, the huge power is delivered consistently, relentlessly, until it reaches 9,000 rpm, at which point the lively rev counter flashes red and yells at the driver instructing him to kindly change gear now.
It is the automated shift gearbox in the Lexus LFA that is in turn responsible for bridging the ill-fated gap to the dual clutch transmission, which actually only functions properly in a sports car, and indeed only then when there is no call for comfort when shifting gear – i.e. now.
Gear shift in 0.2 seconds
With a glorious metallic-mechanical click, the rocker switch mounted securely on the right of the steering wheel issues the command and the transmission executes it within 0.2 seconds Once again the drive system sacrifices all turbo-charged torque at the alter of high revs, ranging up the scale on the rev counter. Back at 9,000 rpm, the pistons slam through the cylinder at a speed of 25 m/s. By way of comparison: the no less brilliant V10 of the Porsche Carrera GT manage 20.3 m/s.
This level of much power has to be modulated on the Fuji Speedway, which, considering the long start-finish straight and seemingly gently curving track below, shouldn't cause any problem. Although the LFA is fast, damn fast, the grip is high and the resulting lateral acceleration must first be digested.
And the winding turns climbing up from the valley, leading into to the tight right at the start-finish, cannot simply be learned by driving past, they require concentration, a great deal of sensitivity when selecting gear and a precise point of turn.
It is best to keep the ESP on
In a moment of weakness, the right hand nonchalantly disables the traction control, the brief touch of a button is enough and there are no more safety-driven choreographic tips. However, one thing quickly becomes clear: the potential speed is too high for driving a terribly expensive prototype of this calibre around the track, so the ESP stays on. Unfortunately the electronics lack a genuinely sensitive intermediate stage, however, as soon as the V10 roars, this becomes of secondary importance. In fact, in every quickly taken corner – for example the corner opposite the start and finish line – and with every fibre of its carbon chassis, the Lexus LFA demonstrates the rigidity of its construction.
It is not only the torsional rigidity, but the rigidity about the longitudinal axis is also evident, making the Lexus LFA a precision device, no, make that a precision weapon, which fires with every step on the solid, upright pedals. This of course also applies to the powerful brake with carbon ceramic discs, which decelerates brutishly as it detects the central control unit.
The driver will want to dedicate his full attention to the V10 sounds of the Lexus LFA
The flood of feedback and information that the driver – wedged into an optimally positioned bucket seat – must process is unending and very confusing. However, all the driver will want will be to get high on the sound of the naturally aspirated V10 engine in the Lexus LFA, - to capture it, package it and sell it for absurd sums of money.
"We would probably build the LFA exactly the same way today, even though we have already been insulted for being backward on the occasion of its presentation," said now retired development manager Haruhiko Tanahashi – with a mischievous grin. "Of course, downsizing concepts are entitled to exist, they are clever. But if everything were clever, things could very quickly get boring, am I wrong?", asks Tanahashi provocatively.
He is right. However, in this regard he is certain that there will never be another sports car like the Lexus LFA. Yet he is causing the Group management to rethink things. "Previously when you talked about engine noise at Lexus it was about how to minimise it. Nowadays the engineers speak of the sound of the engine, which must be optimised," commented Tanahashi.
On the other hand, it will make no difference to Mount Fuji. In any case it is not likely that it will hear anything more raucous than the fanfares of the LFA V10 drive unit in the future. At least not from a road-approved sports car. And presumably not from a car from the Toyota Group.
Toyota wants to have fun
At present, 80 million Japanese hold a driver's licence. "37 percent of these are potential customers," explained Koji Tanaka, responsible for the marketing of sporty Toyota models. For this reason, the group wants to show that cars are fun and is distributing the GT86 and the various mass-produced G models, from the hybrid small car, the Aqua, to the Vellfire van, via special dealers who are also offering a host of accessories.
In addition, the manufacturer is organising events at which owners can really open their cars up, even blocking off one or two mountain pass roads for this purpose. Osamu Futakata is the manager of one of these Area 86 companies, of which there are 282. "We always have converted demo cars available," he said. Interested customers can also test expensive exhaust systems on their vehicles for one week, free of charge – this is how customer retention should work, right?
