Lexus delays LF-A, GS-F and more
Click above for high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A concept.
Lexus sales have been down every month so far this year, which may be due in part to its SUV and crossover-heavy lineup. It also seems that Toyota's luxury division doesn't quite have redesigns of its sedans ready yet. According to Automotive News, the automaker's smallest car, the IS, won't be redesigned for another few years. While the SC coupe/convertible is set to go the way of the Dodo, expect to see a coupe and convertible iteration of the IS sometime soon. Some sales help is also likely forthcoming from the Lexi-fied version of Toyota's next-gen Prius.
In a blow to high-performance sedan lovers, however, the rumored GS-F performance edition of the marque's rear-wheel drive mid-size sedan has been put on hold with fears that the sinking economy will shrink the market for gas-guzzlers too much to make it worthwhile. In more bad news, the $200K-plus LF-A supercar is also being delayed, reportedly in part for failing to meet its desired performance targets. Could that have anything to do with the recent Nissan GT-R and Corvette ZR-1 'Ring lap times? You bet'cha.
Gallery: Lexus LF-A Concept
[Source: Automotive News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDMlover 1:36PM (8/11/2008)
The problem is not lexus but gas prices instead...thats why sales has been down...has it not been like this with another automakers?
And to the F line...i am lovin what lexus is doing with the F idea and i love the IS-F...take all the time u need to make those cars bad ass! and u think lexus is only for luxury...
BTW i dont think the LF-A will have a problem handing the ZR-1 or GTR
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Ben 2:05PM (8/11/2008)
It looks like the LF-A is indeed having trouble handling the GT-R and ZR1. This is probably because you could buy both the GT-R AND ZR1 with money to spare for the expected price of the LF-A...and the LF-A hasn't even been that much faster.
I will admit that the side profile is nothing short of spectacular.
rsfourever 2:09PM (8/11/2008)
"has it not been like this with another automakers?"
audi has not had this problem. with the exception of the month of july, they have beat their monthly sales from last year every month of the year.
"BTW i dont think the LF-A will have a problem handing the ZR-1 or GTR"
how can you say that, when the LF-A production has not even been made yet, and all you have to go by is one filmed lap around the nurburgring in a prototype.
Also, why is everyone so fixated on the nurburgring? yea, the ZR-1 and the GT-R are the fastest on it. so what? You want to try making the argument that they are faster cars than the Bugatti Veyron (which they beat on the nurburgring)?
akatsuki 2:42PM (8/11/2008)
I am happy to make that argument, they are faster than a Veyron if there are curves involved. If you are drag-racing, then no. And if you are a suburban red-light racer, then a Veyron might be better than a GT-R.
Matt 2:50PM (8/11/2008)
JDMlover, I respect your personal opinions but the most polarizing thing about the IS-F is easily its exterior design. And that goes beyond the controversial exhaust and front fender/rocker panel design. It's just a weird looking car. (And it looks even worse with an inch of dust on it like the one sitting on display at The District in Tustin- I almost wanted to take a microfiber towel to it myself).
For the LF-A, that's too bad but I sure hope Acura engineers are taking note since the next NSX will probably be the next on the chopping block if their numbers cant compete with the ZR-1 and GT-R (+spec V, which has also been delayed).
As far as the GS-F - the base car (GS) is aching for a redesign. It looks dated and Lexus needs to learn to bring vehicles to market faster. Gone are the days when 8-year-long product life cycles are acceptable.
If there is to be a GS-F, make it debut halfway through the next GS's life cycle like Audi has done with their RS models, and not like what Mercedes does with its AMG vehicles. The AMG badge is affixed to so much crap these days, it's lost its brand exclusivity.
rsfourever 3:11PM (8/11/2008)
"I am happy to make that argument, they are faster than a Veyron if there are curves involved."
thats completely incorrect. every review i've read of the veyron (i have obviously not driven either that or hte GTR or the ZR1) says that it handles amazingly, and that the amount of engineering and technology that went into producing it are out of this world. You're probably thinking of a car like the Shelby Ultimate Aero any of the other numerous kit-cars that have high top-speeds but can't turn well.
The Bugatti Veyron is a near perfect car from any measuring point (except fuel consumption maybe), and has been called-out specifically for how amazingly it handles for a car of its weight and power, and also how impressively the tires stick to the ground and don't spin in place despite the amount of power going to the wheels at takeoff...
Torqued 8:42PM (8/11/2008)
"Fast" has a lot of meanings. 0-60, 0-100, top speed, lap time around a given track, etc. Personally, I like the lap time, as it puts it all together and most accurately relates to what I love about cars. Power, handling, grip - all around performance at the edge of control.
Of course, race tracks are all different and some cars will do better around some tracks. The 'ring is the current standard for whatever reason, but it's a pretty good one. It allows high speeds, incorporates many turns, and is long enough to get relatively accurate number (which is one of my pet peeves with 0-60 numbers).
WhyNotTheC63? 12:13AM (8/12/2008)
God..leave it me to chime in. Mercedes hasn't seen red ink this year. No delays, full speed ahead, engaging AMG warp drives. My 6.3L [Ok, 6.2L] C63 is averaging about 15mpg when I drive nice. 11-12 when I don't. They are sold out at most dealerships and cost as much as a GT-R if I'm not mistaken. If Toy-lexus doesn't have the balls to throw down with Nissan, than sucks for them. I really don't like JDM autos at all usually, but I respect Nissan ans the GT-R at levels not seen unless I pull up beside a 911 Turbo or Carrera GT. In my experience, the mighty Z06 has only put the power down 1 time when I raced one, the other numerous times, clutch grinding, smoke, and lugging. Where am I going with all this? I don't know. Keep the toys[lexus] at home.
akboss302 1:46PM (8/11/2008)
While the LF-A can't survive on looks alone, it is admittedly one of the prettiest supercar concepts I've seen in a while. Maybe its worthwhile to position the car as a GT touring car, rather than an all-out GT-R/ZR-1 fighter.
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tekdemon 2:48AM (8/26/2008)
Yeah they could do that but I think Toyota basically wants the LF-A to send a message that it's a world-beater car that'll take down any competitors. And having 80K cars perform similarly or better kind of ruins that entire plan.
It's kind of like how VW went and delayed and redesigned the Veyron after it spun off the road during a journalist test-drive. In the end it meant an even more bad-ass car, so here's hoping that when the LF-A finally does arrive it'll really be worth the extra money over the other cars and perform insanely great.
AkulaX1 1:48PM (8/11/2008)
Can't wait for a proper good looking Japanese sports car. F SHTTY R. This is the real deal
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JDMlover 1:57PM (8/11/2008)
ummm i think the IS is sexy already ;)
SilverAero 1:51PM (8/11/2008)
Sounds like the whole thing was an "F"n bad idea.
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MikeofLA 1:54PM (8/11/2008)
I am really over the GT-R/ZR-1 bull$hit. A car that can do the "Ring" the fastest is not what most highend car buyers are looking for. If that were the case, Porsche, Aston and to a lesser extent Lambo and Ferrari would be suffering a great deal now... they are not. When I am looking for a $100,000 + sports/super car, I/Most want it to be a lot more then just fast. IMHO, I'd rather have a car that was street-able, beautiful (GTR is not), luxurious, comfortable and prestigious. Not the fastest cheapest thing around a track I will never drive it on.
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JDMlover 1:59PM (8/11/2008)
and i bet you the Lexus LF-A will have all of that...and then some...the GTR or ZR-1 does not have the luxury elegance
ZetoSanNi 11:06PM (8/11/2008)
That pretty much shows the difference between an enthusiast and a fanatic.
JD 1:59PM (8/11/2008)
Whoa, was the LF-A ever ON schedule? I thought they were waiting until their F1 team scored a win to launch the thing as a commemorative kind of deal. Am I way off base here?
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mk 2:04PM (8/11/2008)
Can't get it done. Sorry to see... but not THAT sorry.
GS-F... GS is how old now?
LF-A... a 200k projected Lexus Sports Car, which can't meet it's targets? Nice job, guys.
Maybe they should try an 80-100k performance coupe first, before trying to shoot the moon, and miss.
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why not the LS2LS7? 2:00PM (8/11/2008)
Ring, schming. I just don't think this car makes a ton of sense right now. Times are tight for auto makers. It's one thing to drop a blower in a car you already make and tighten up the suspension. It's another thing to make a small-market halo car from scratch. That takes a lot of money and probably is best delayed until the world economy looks better and we know a little better what the price of oil will be and its impact on people's buying habits.
I also think with F1 dropping V10s that V10s don't make much sense right now. Just make a V8 that does the job instead.
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Torrent 3:31PM (8/11/2008)
After years of teasing, the LF-A- though looking like a ruby gem, is no longer relevant.