Posted by Admin on
May 27, 2008
A late night shakedown run just ahead of the start of the Nürburgring 24H race ended with Toyota having with one damaged Lexus LF-A. Of course no official reason was given for the accident, but while the team was dealing with the aftermath of busted front bits and torn up tails, the sneaky spies at KGP got down to work. The sleuthy photographers snapped off some clear-as-day spy shots of the V10 engine, stripped down interior, suspension, carbon fiber under body tray and some very C2 Corvette-like door handles. Of course, this being a supposed super race car all we can do point and laugh at the car’s lap times.
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Posted by Admin on
April 24, 2008
The 2011 Lexus LF-A — or maybe it will be the 2010 Lexus LF-A, or maybe even the 2012 Lexus LF-A, depending on what you read. Anyway, this almost-supercar has been photographed by the always ready spy photographers at KGP. Those quick shooters caught the Toyota in fancy clothing as it appeared to be getting ready to hit the Nürburgring.
We’re all expecting hot laps won’t be far behind, but what’s taking the super number 1 most awesome automaker from the land of the rising sun from debuting their first entry into the world of super car performance? It’s been like, what, 3 years already since the Lexus LF-A first started hitting the auto shows? And during those years, how many versions of the LF-A concept? More than I’ve been able to keep track of. We distinctly remember at least, like 3 — one in 2005, a revised LF-A concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, and the roadster concept as well as definitive word we’ll be seeing a sexy a price point of around $170K. So, we’re still talking about something like a 6 year development cycle here, aren’t we?
Jeez, and people get all upset when any other automaker takes a couple of years to develop a new muscle car. Anyway, despite the LONG development time, it will be interesting to see this new Lexus in showrooms in either a V10 or V8-with-hybrid flavor.
Full spy report from KGP below.
The Lexus LF-A has hit the roads around the ‘Ring, and some hot laps can’t be far behind. The LF-A’s retractable rear wing can be seen lowering in this sequence of shots. This prototype is obviously still wearing some preproduction lighting, and some details are clearly lacking production-finished trim, but the styling looks basically unchanged form last year’s prototype. It appears that Lexus may have finally locked-in the bulk of the LF-A’s final design.
In a recent interview, Lexus Australian chief executive confirmed that the LF-A is still being readied for production, although it may not reach showrooms until 2011. Even if that claim refers to the 2010 calendar year as a 2011 model, that still means a lengthy development course ahead. At that point, the LF-A’s gestation will be approaching six years. Such a long development process is almost unheard of in today’s automotive industry, although the Hyundai’s recent entry into the luxury market with its new Genesis is another recent example. The Genesis showcased many design changes right up to its auto show debut, and the Lexus LF-A has been similarly tweaked over the course of its development.
One can’t help but sense a whiff of uncertainty in Lexus’ entry into the rarefied supercar realm, but they’re certainly going to great lengths to see that its right when it finally reaches the market.
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