Topic: Lexus LF-A (production)

[TopGun]

Even the BMW X6 has a little 2002 in it

Oh ya?  Where?  The rondel?

(Lexus) better stop trying to be all things to all people.  It better figure out what it wants to be.

Well, that's good advice for any car brand & company in general.

I could say the same thing about Porsche...Boxter and Cayenne...WTF?

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

[rrocket]

The rear-end looks good with its R8-ish elements but the front-end just doesn't work for me.  I think it's the headlights design that fugs it up.   

Since the Lexus LF-A will have a limited run of 500 units and a price tag north of 400 000 USD, I suppose that the akward elements of the design will be quickly forgiven.  The 4.8L V10 with a 9000 redline will certainly help.

Supercar or Hypercar?

The sound of this car is incredible.  Having an F1 derived V10 will make it worth the price of admission for some.

Holy Crap! I need a raise or a lottery win ... I am all the way in with this one!  With limited production, has anyone mentioned how many NA will get or will it be by order only?

IIRC, Canada gets 6-10.  Australia gets 5.  Japanese allocation (165) is sold out, Euro allocation (70) almost sold out.  No idea about US allocation (150) for sales.

[Mitlov]

The rear-end looks good with its R8-ish elements but the front-end just doesn't work for me.  I think it's the headlights design that fugs it up.   

Since the Lexus LF-A will have a limited run of 500 units and a price tag north of 400 000 USD, I suppose that the akward elements of the design will be quickly forgiven.  The 4.8L V10 with a 9000 redline will certainly help.

Supercar or Hypercar?

The sound of this car is incredible.  Having an F1 derived V10 will make it worth the price of admission for some.

Holy Crap! I need a raise or a lottery win ... I am all the way in with this one!  With limited production, has anyone mentioned how many NA will get or will it be by order only?

IIRC, Canada gets 6-10.  Australia gets 5.  Japanese allocation (165) is sold out, Euro allocation (70) almost sold out.  No idea about US allocation (150) for sales.

Sales are accelerating dramatically with no signs of stopping.

[Erik]

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

Read an interesting tidbit on Ferraris and stupid flappy paddles recently. Apparently, the big bonus for car manufacturers, Ferrari specifically in this case, is MUCH lower warranty claims on flappy paddles then on real transmissions. So the bean counters are winning again, even at Ferrari!

Sadly, Ferrari as a dream car has now died for me. Would never buy a sports car/driving toy with an automatic transmission, just as I would not buy one with automatic steering. Not that i was THAT close to signing up for one anyway, so the dealers and Ferrari will get over it quickly.

[DrJay]

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

Read an interesting tidbit on Ferraris and stupid flappy paddles recently. Apparently, the big bonus for car manufacturers, Ferrari specifically in this case, is MUCH lower warranty claims on flappy paddles then on real transmissions. So the bean counters are winning again, even at Ferrari!

Sadly, Ferrari as a dream car has now died for me. Would never buy a sports car/driving toy with an automatic transmission, just as I would not buy one with automatic steering. Not that i was THAT close to signing up for one anyway, so the dealers and Ferrari will get over it quickly.

Enzo Ferrari.....is crying right now

[aquadorhj]

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

Read an interesting tidbit on Ferraris and stupid flappy paddles recently. Apparently, the big bonus for car manufacturers, Ferrari specifically in this case, is MUCH lower warranty claims on flappy paddles then on real transmissions. So the bean counters are winning again, even at Ferrari!

Sadly, Ferrari as a dream car has now died for me. Would never buy a sports car/driving toy with an automatic transmission, just as I would not buy one with automatic steering. Not that i was THAT close to signing up for one anyway, so the dealers and Ferrari will get over it quickly.

Enzo Ferrari.....is crying right now

Well, he might be turning in his grave, but then again, it might be out of joy.   
Ferraristis always claim Ferrari road car was and have always been built to support Ferrari racing program, which was old man Enzo's life.    and if all that mattered was going faster, then flappy paddle is the right way to go for Ferrari, isn't it?

for me, at this point in time, joy of driving involves 3 pedals and shift knob on my right.    It may change in the future, but for now, nothing made by Ferrari today appeals to me too much.

[safristi]

..How i miss(ed) the NSX...................... ............... ................... ...................... ....... .......... .................. .................. ........

[DriverJeff]

Sales are accelerating dramatically with no signs of stopping.

[Mitlov]

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

Read an interesting tidbit on Ferraris and stupid flappy paddles recently. Apparently, the big bonus for car manufacturers, Ferrari specifically in this case, is MUCH lower warranty claims on flappy paddles then on real transmissions. So the bean counters are winning again, even at Ferrari!

Sadly, Ferrari as a dream car has now died for me. Would never buy a sports car/driving toy with an automatic transmission, just as I would not buy one with automatic steering. Not that i was THAT close to signing up for one anyway, so the dealers and Ferrari will get over it quickly.

May I give you a new dream?

How does a mid-engined 5.2L V10, 550 hp, RWD, and 6MT sound to you?  Meet the Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni.

[rrocket]

^^Shrugs...LF-A was quicker IN THE WET than an AWD Gallardo...so I'd imagine it would eat this car up too....

Man...I sure dig the wheels though!  Nice!

[Mitlov]

^^Shrugs...LF-A was quicker IN THE WET than an AWD Gallardo...so I'd imagine it would eat this car up too....

Man...I sure dig the wheels though!  Nice!

Erik wanted a car where you row your own gears.  You know, with a clutch pedal and a stick.  You can't do that in an LFA, no matter how fast it is.  I can understand that desire.

[rrocket]

^^Shrugs...LF-A was quicker IN THE WET than an AWD Gallardo...so I'd imagine it would eat this car up too....

Man...I sure dig the wheels though!  Nice!

Erik wanted a car where you row your own gears.  You know, with a clutch pedal and a stick.  You can't do that in an LFA, no matter how fast it is.  I can understand that desire.

Yea...I guess I can't.  Because of the 15 cars I've owned...4 have been autos...

[Mitlov]

Yea...I guess I can't.  Because of the 15 cars I've owned...4 have been autos...

Erik said he didn't want a Ferrari anymore because you couldn't row your own gears, and you suggested that he get an LF-A (where you can't row your own gears) over a car where you can.  It's that simple.  It's not about what you've owned or what you yourself prefer.  Why would you suggest a manumatic car to a guy who said he no longer lusts after Ferraris because they only offer manumatics anymore?

[rrocket]

Yea...I guess I can't.  Because of the 15 cars I've owned...4 have been autos...

Erik said he didn't want a Ferrari anymore because you couldn't row your own gears, and you suggested that he get an LF-A (where you can't row your own gears) over a car where you can.  It's that simple.  It's not about what you've owned or what you yourself prefer.  Why would you suggest a manumatic car to a guy who said he no longer lusts after Ferraris because they only offer manumatics anymore?

I didn't suggest anything to Erik.  Go read what I wrote.  Since this is the LF-A thread, I merely made an observation that the LF-A would eat this car up. 

[aquadorhj]

well, strictly speaking, the fastest 4 wheeled non-flight production vehicle IS automatic(Veyron, anyone?), so YES if outright speed is all one cared about, LS-F is pretty good.. 

but stilll.... i think it would be EVEN BETTER with choice of manual. ;-)



and maybe EVEN MORE BETTER with couple hundred grand slashed off its price.

[Mitlov]

I could say the same thing about Porsche...Boxter and Cayenne...WTF?

I understand with the Cayenne (even though it saved the company financially), but what's wrong with the Boxster?  It's a driver-focused sports car with a flat six behind you.  Not exactly what I'd call a betrayal of Porsche's roots.

[TopGun]

I understand with the Cayenne (even though it saved the company financially), but what's wrong with the Boxster?  It's a driver-focused sports car with a flat six behind you.  Not exactly what I'd call a betrayal of Porsche's roots.

Nothing wrong with the Boxster (or Boxter as I called it !!)  I must have been juxtaposing the Boxster (good) with the Cayenne (bad).

It's easy to show what good the Cayenne has done for Porsche's bottom  line...it's tougher to predict what the long-term impact will be.  Porsche become Porsche by designing sports cars...and the Cayenne's success owes much to that.

[vdk]

I understand with the Cayenne (even though it saved the company financially), but what's wrong with the Boxster?  It's a driver-focused sports car with a flat six behind you.  Not exactly what I'd call a betrayal of Porsche's roots.

Nothing wrong with the Boxster (or Boxter as I called it !!)  I must have been juxtaposing the Boxster (good) with the Cayenne (bad).

It's easy to show what good the Cayenne has done for Porsche's bottom  line...it's tougher to predict what the long-term impact will be.  Porsche become Porsche by designing sports cars...and the Cayenne's success owes much to that.

As much as people hate the Cayenne, it brought us the Boxster, Cayman, new 911s and GT3s. Amen to that!

[TopGun]

As much as people hate the Cayenne, it brought us the Boxster, Cayman, new 911s and GT3s. Amen to that!

Which is payback in my books as the 356, racing 911s, 917s, 962s brought us the Cayenne.

[Erik]

I could say the same thing about Ferrari...no manual and hybrids...WTF?

Read an interesting tidbit on Ferraris and stupid flappy paddles recently. Apparently, the big bonus for car manufacturers, Ferrari specifically in this case, is MUCH lower warranty claims on flappy paddles then on real transmissions. So the bean counters are winning again, even at Ferrari!

Sadly, Ferrari as a dream car has now died for me. Would never buy a sports car/driving toy with an automatic transmission, just as I would not buy one with automatic steering. Not that i was THAT close to signing up for one anyway, so the dealers and Ferrari will get over it quickly.

May I give you a new dream?

How does a mid-engined 5.2L V10, 550 hp, RWD, and 6MT sound to you?  Meet the Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni.

Been dreaming of that ever since I read about it the first time. A guy who understands what driving is actually about. Loved the following quote from him. Gotta love a guy apologizing for a stupid flappy paddle gearbox!

"My major concern was to avoid electronic help as much as possible – to let the driving pleasure come from the suspension tuning and power delivery." This is one of the reasons why Balboni was so apologetic about the E-gear. Since the start, he's been personally, "Very much against E-gear," because it takes some amount of vehicle control away from the driver and hands it to a computer. As far as rear-wheel drive goes, he has been against all-wheel drive Lambos from the start. In fact, he told me, "the company was split in two over AWD."

Imagine! Taking control of a sports car away from the driver and giving it to a computer!