2012 Lexus LFA Review Supercar Extreme

Excuse me a moment while I clean up the drool from my keyboard...WOW! The "Uber" Next Gen Style Supra has arrived in the 2012 Lexus LF-A and is debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show in grand style. The actual production version that is. Yes, some of you may remember the concept version of the 2005 Detroit Auto Show LF-A that was lurking about. The super cars of today: McLaren, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti etc now have a new automaker that will be quick on their heels. Lexus, welcome to the bullpen!



Since the motor hits the redline (at an insane 9,000 RPM) in just over a half second, Toyota required the use of a single panel LCD screen as the gauge "cluster" since a traditional analog tachometer wasn't deemed quick enough. The 4.8L 552hp 10 cylinder motor weighs less than a v-6, and the car was sent to the Yamaha Music Instrument Department for final audio tuning. (...this is where I drool more). The car is 65% reinforced carbon fiber (set to aeronautical standards) which is made by only 1 of 2 carbon-fiber laser-guided looms in the world. It will run a 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and top out at 202 mph.

There will only be 500 of these made at a price tag of $375,000. The LFA is rear-wheel drive as opposed to the All Wheel Drive Nissan GT-R. So get your wallets ready and your retirement plan out of retirement! If you ever wanted a seize-the-day opportunity at the best in the world then this is it. At least for those who make 1 million+ a year. If there is a down side to the car, it's that its power to weight ratio seems to be a bit lacking and with such a high price tag and BARELY beating out the GTR in the quarter mile, one has to consider the thought of going off and buying multiple GTR's in different colors. Or perhaps even dumping a lot of money into another car to achieve the same results.



However, the demographic this car targets will not care about such things since it might not be anything more than a weekend play toy to them. I'm sure by the time the car hits the streets, a better tune might be had? So I'll leave you with the Motor Trend video pitting the 2011 Lexus LF-A up against the 2010 Nissan GT-R for Japanese supercar bragging rights. The results are in the video, as well as an overview of the LF-A itself.