Lexus LF-A mule unseats Porsche GT2 as King of the 'Ring
click above for more images of the Lexus LF-A Concept
A Lexus LF-A mule has unofficially recorded a lap time on the Nordschleife of 7 minutes, 24 seconds. This is not in dispute. What is in dispute is how many seconds faster the LF-A's lap time is than that of the 2008 Porsche 911 GT2, the previous "King of the 'Ring" record holder. Wikipedia notes that the fastest 911 GT2 driven around the Ring posted a lap time of 7 minutes, 32 seconds and was driven by Walter Röhrl, Porsche's company test driver and accomplished WRC driver and road racing pilot. Porsche was so proud of the feat that it produced a snazzy video of the run that you can watch here. AutoExpress, however, which reported on the LF-A's remarkable lap time, claims that the fastest 911 GT2 lap time on the Nurburgring is 7 minutes, 25 seconds, but we could find no evidence on the web of a stock 911 GT2 ever posting a time that fast. Also note that a handful of other cars have posted lap times, but all are either tuner cars or limited production boutique cars like the Pagani Zonda F.
Nevertheless, the Lexus LF-A's time is remarkable and puts it in a class normally populated by purpose-built tuner cars. Its 4.8L V10 churns out a reported 552bhp while slapping the needle against a 9,000 rpm redline. A 210 mph top speed is said to be the car's upper bound, which makes us shake our heads. This is, after all, the brand that brought us the sarcophagus of a car that is the LS sedan. The production LF-A should be able to repeat the performance, but we'll have to wait a while longer while the Lexus supercar finishes baking in the oven. In the meantime, for Pete's sake, someone ship a Corvette ZR1 to Germany!
[Source: AutoExpress]
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Tim 1:15PM (12/28/2007)
This may be big news since the Porsche that previously held the record was a tuned and stripped GT2. I 'll wait until the Noise/Vibration/Harshness and safety reviews come out for the Lexus. If it is more comfortable than the Porsche than this is significant. I surprised how on an enthusiast site how many badge snobs there are.
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Franz 1:21PM (12/28/2007)
You and me both. I thought the whole point of performance cars was performance. Not the badge or country of origin. Anyone who hates on cars for reasons such as those is an idiot.
Pouya 1:44PM (12/28/2007)
Indeed. With regards to noise/vibration/harshness concerns, it is very likely that Lexus has spent a lot of time on minimizing its existence in the LF-A, just like all of the other Lexus vehicles in its lineup. On the other hand, this is a performance car and Lexus is going to be dealing with a stiffer suspension, stiffer chassis, lower profile tires, high-strung motor, performance transmission, etc. So, while it may not be as isolated as an LS, I would bet it is less harsh than a GT2.
simpleton 2:20PM (12/28/2007)
This is a pretty interesting development.
Anyone got any realistic ideas on this cars projected price?
That japs are trying to box of every angle.
The 70K GTR to counter the Z06, 911 turbo etc.
The 110k? L-FA to counter the ZR-1, Ferrari's etc
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Franz 2:38PM (12/28/2007)
Well, according to Inside Line, It'll be about $170k for the Lexus. That's expensive, but if it delivers that kind of performance then I think it'll be worth it. In comparison, the base msrp for a Gallardo or F430 is in the same category @170+k. A GT2 runs about $190+k. If Lexus stays true to it's luxury roots, then imo it's true competition will be cars like the MB SL65 AMG @ about $190k and the 599 GTB Fiorano @ $270+k.
icu812ru469 2:37PM (12/28/2007)
What is the price for performance? Honestly, any manufacturer can make a "Porsche" vehicle, it's whether or not they and mass produce and sell it at a "reasonable" cost that's the question. The GT-R is $70K (won't sell for that with dealer scum gouging) but the LF-A will not go for less than $100K MSRP, wouldn't be surprised if $120K. For that, honestly, I'd get the Porsche for the "name" :p
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Pouya 9:33PM (12/28/2007)
There are rumors that Zeng Lintang, vice president of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co, said that the LF-A will sell "for more than 2 million yuan." By comparison, in China, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS sells for about 1.9 million yuan, and a Ferrari F430 sells for about 2.6 million yuan. Of course, you cannot simply convert yuan to USD to get the US pricing. By using the Porsche, Ferrari, and even LS600L pricing as a reference, the LF-A will probably sell around $130,000 USD in the U.S. So pretty much Porsche turbo, Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, or Mercedes SL money.
ahkmel 2:43PM (12/28/2007)
9K RPM out of a small V10 should sound pretty damn good.
Everyone moaned and groaned about the GT-R and its lap times in pre-production trim. Look at what a beast that turned out to be. 480 All Wheel Horsepower, need I say more? This reaction is nothing new for the trolls on this website.
I'm excited that there is going to be more diversity in the high-end sports car arena.
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Pouya 9:32PM (12/28/2007)
If you have not watched the YouTube videos or Edmunds videos online of the LF-A ripping around the Nurburgring, you really should. It has one of the nicest engine notes, comparable to the Porsche Carrera GT and the Pagani Zonda F.
Alex Nunez 10:08PM (12/28/2007)
Here's one of our posts with said YouTube video. The sound this car makes is epic.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/12/video-lexus-lf-a-on-the-nurburgring/
seoultrain 11:27PM (12/28/2007)
man, i never get tired of hearing that engine.
Franz 12:56AM (12/29/2007)
Man... that is one sweet sounding car.
mikomi 3:30PM (12/28/2007)
It's nice that Toyota seems to be getting back into production performance cars (unless the LF-A is merely a running concept that will never see production). But even if the car hits production, it's going to be mainly a status symbol.
But I hope the statement they make with the LF-A is "We are back". It's not like Toyota is clueless about sports cars, they had Celica (of old) and the Supra.
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icu812ru469 3:51PM (12/28/2007)
Supra was a "sporty" car, but Celica a sport car it did not make.
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Franz 5:57PM (12/28/2007)
I'd say the Supra was a genuine sports car. 320hp and a 0-60 time of 4.9 sec. and 13.5 sec. in the 1/4 mile was impressive back in the early-mid 90's. It's not bad even by today's standards. The Celica... well, it was sporty enough in GT-Four/All Trac Turbo guise, and did very well in the world of WRC, but I guess it'd be a bit of a stretch to call it a true sports car.
nownowq 5:25PM (12/28/2007)
I just hope they have a down market model. I am fine with targeting the R8, but if they try to put out a $300,000 Lexus they wil be terribly disappointed with sales. The LS600h sold because even though it might be that fuel efficient it can be seen as an alternative to a BMW 760 or S600. I don't see many Murcielago customers hoping to get into a Lexus or Lexus customers with $300,000 for one car.
And that design might not fly. They need to keep it simple without using a grille similar to the one that use on the IS and RX. Maybe the one from the IS-F.
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Johnny 9:58PM (12/28/2007)
fast!
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seoultrain 11:22PM (12/28/2007)
ever ridden an SC430 (convertible one)? The run flat tires on that car make the ride decidedly un-Lexus-like. Rest of the car is very supple, subdued, but if they can put out a car that rides over bumps like a bicycle, I'd expect a nice, stiff suspension. I just hope they don't insulate that engine noise too much. That would be a crying shame.
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seoultrain 11:29PM (12/28/2007)
arg, meant to be a reply to earlier post...
cwcentral 12:47AM (12/29/2007)
Come-on guys, this car's going to be very fast, and the time will be +-2 off, I bet, on the production version. Why? Cause in these days of computers in cars, Magnetic Selective Ride Control (a la 05 Vette!!!!), and durable servos, I can pre-tailor my suspension to the track that I'm at and still have a comfortable ride home. Datalogging is a blessing in cars nowadays.
The new Nissan GT-R is just touching the surface with it's GPS assisted pre-track suspension settings when you happen to be on a known track. Imagine taking that a step further and you'll have the LF-A or even datalogging back to Lexus and they'll download optimized settings for your driving style on 'said' track. Even the 90's McLaren F1 was hinting this stuff.
Performance cars will end up being either a "no-skill, I'm cool" experience or a "bring out the hero in me" [enthusiast] experience. In the end, likely more high performance cars will be owned by folks who give less about the technical details of these cars (and more about the status & marketing hype). Of course, that == more accidents. There is a savior to this situation, and that's more Track Day/HPDE events!
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