Guide: Lexus LFA
Background
Toyota created its offshoot Lexus brand in 1989 to market the company’s new LS 400 luxury saloon in foreign regions.
The LS 400 was a critically acclaimed four door sedan conceived to take on the BMW 7-series, Mercedes-Benz S-class and Jaguar XJ at the top of the executive market. Like Honda’s NSX (which was sold under the Acura badge in North America), the LS 400 redefined what was expected from a Japanese manufacturer and shocked a complacent European establishment.
Toyota went on to release an array of new Lexus-badged models during the 1990s as both firms went from strength-to-strength.
In 2000, the parent company embarked upon a project to design a high performance flagship that would serve as a test-bed for future technologies. A blank cheque approach was taken for what became the LF-A concept; with sales booming cash was in plentiful supply as Toyota went on to indulge various image-building projects to include an F1 team for the 2002 season.
Early on, Toyota settled on a front-mid-engined layout and the first LF-A prototypes were up and running in 2003.
A public debut followed at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2005 and, after an enthusiastic response from press and public, development continued.
The green light for production was finally given in early 2006 at which point Toyota decided to switch from an aluminium spaceframe chassis to a carbonfibre tub. With its F1-inspired normally aspirated V10 engine, the new model (now dubbed LFA as opposed to LF-A) would be the first Japanese supercar to take on top flight models from Europe.
A more production-focused LFA was displayed alongside the sporty new five-litre V8-powered Lexus IS F at Detroit in January 2007. This was followed by an LFA Roadster at the same show a year later, but the open LFA proved a red-herring and only one further copy was made (in 2012).
The production LFA was finally announced in August 2009 and went on display at the Tokyo Motor Show in October to mark Lexus’ 20th anniversary. Starting in December 2010, a limited run of 500 cars would be hand-built at Toyota’s Motomachi plant in Aichi at the rate of around 20 units per month.
Chassis
The LFA was based around an in-house built monocoque fashioned from carbonfibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP). To this, carbonfibre roof rails were bolted to form a full composite survival cell and aluminium subframes were attached at either end.
A long 2605mm wheelbase ensured plenty of space in the cockpit and predictable handling.
Suspension was via double wishbones up front and a multi-link arrangement out back. Coil sprung KYB monotube dampers were fitted all round along with anti-roll bars at either end.
Toyota’s three-mode Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system (VDIM) controlled the traction control, electronic stability control and electronic steering. It also offered a separate Sport setting.
The electronic brake-by-wire system employed vented carbon discs and Brembo monobloc calipers. 390mm diameter discs with six-piston calipers were fitted up front with 360mm discs and four-piston calipers at the rear.
20-inch diameter BBS forged alloy wheels were shod with Bridgestone Potenza tyres. They measured 9.5-inches wide at the front and 11.5-inches wide at the rear.
To optimise weight distribution, the 73-litre fuel tank was located ahead of the rear axle and the rear-mounted radiators that straddled the exhaust system.
Engine / Gearbox
In the LFA’s engine bay was a naturally aspirated 72° V10 developed in collaboration with Yamaha.
Designated Type 1LR-GUE, it featured dual overhead camshafts per bank with four valves per cylinder and dry-sump lubrication. A mix of aluminium, magnesium and titanium alloys were used throughout; the pistons were forged aluminium, the connecting rods were forged titanium and the valves were solid titanium.
Displacement was 4805cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 88mm and 79mm respectively.
Dual VVT-i adjusted timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts. Air was fed into a dual-stage variable intake manifold and then into the ten individual throttle bodies before ultimately exiting from a dual-stage titanium exhaust.
Electronic fuel-injection was employed along with a 12.0:1 compression ratio.
In this configuration, the 1LR-GUE pumped out 552bhp at 8700rpm and 354lb-ft at 6800rpm with 90% of torque available from 3700rpm.
Transmission was through an Alsin SA6 six-speed F1-style automated manual transaxle gearbox connected to the engine via a rigid carbonfibre torque tube, a single-plate clutch and limited-slip differential. A launch control function was fitted as standard.
BodyworK
Toyota used a mix of CFRP and blast fibre reinforced sheet for the LFA’s body which was characterised by its long wheelbase, short overhangs, sharp edges and dramatic cut-offs.
At the front was an intricately contoured apron that housed a trio of meshed intakes and fixed body coloured winglets that wrapped around to the wheels. High-intensity bi-Xenon headlights were similarly complex in terms of their shape and later copied for Toyota’s GT86.
A slim aperture between the bumper and leading edge of the hood fed fresh air into the engine bay; hot air was then expelled via more meshed grilles further up.
Down each flank, the exterior mirrors were designed to channel air towards the intricate shoulder-mounted radiator intakes atop the rear fenders. Slim vertical intakes were also carved out from ahead of each rear wheel to cool the brakes.
The LFA’s truncated tail was arguably its most dramatic feature; two enormous vents were cut away from under the lights while shrouded within the exposed CFRP venturi was a stacked three-pipe exhaust. Up top was a speed-sensitive rear spoiler with integrated Gurney flap that deployed at speeds above 80kmh (50mph).
Interior
The interior surfaces were a mix of leather, alcantara, exposed carbonfibre and bare metals (aluminium and magnesium alloys).
Digital instrumentation was housed in a TFT display panel directly behind the three-spoke leather and carbonfibre steering wheel.
Housed within the 10,000rpm rev counter were read outs for road speed, gear selection, transmission mode, vehicle control data, trip information and a tyre pressure warning system. The layout and colours varied depending on which drive mode was selected (Auto, Normal, Sport or Wet).
Located on the raised central console was a seven-inch display screen as well controls for the climate control and infotainment systems.
The long list of standard equipment included a high end audio system, HDD navigation, dual-zone air-conditioning, remote keyless entry, electric windows, electric heated mirrors and a two-piece set of Tumo carbonfibre fitted luggage engraved with the car’s VIN.
An additional numbered plaque was mounted on the rear bulkhead.
Options
Customers could order their LFA in one of 30 standard or optional body colours or paint to sample by special order. Wheels were available in three colours (and matt black) and brake calipers in a choice of six alternative shades.
For the cockpit, Lexus offered twelve shades of leather, ten shades of alcantara, silver or blackish-brown metal, five shades of carpet and three different headliners.
Other optional extras included contrast stitching and a lightweight twelve speaker Mark Levinson audio system with XM satellite radio.
Weight / Performance
Thanks to its heavy use of composite and other weight-saving materials, the LFA tipped the scales at just 1480kg.
Top speed was 202mph and 0-62mph took 3.7 seconds.
Nurburgring Performance Package
Having carried out much of the LFA’s development work at the Nurburgring (to include undertaking a variety of 4 and 24 Hour VLN races), Toyota added a track-focused variant dubbed the Nurburgring Performance Package at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010.
Priced at a circa 20% premium over the standard $375,000 LFA, the Nurburgring pack included a re-mapped ECU that boosted power from 552bhp to 563bhp at an unchanged 8700rpm. The torque rating was unaffected.
Updated gearbox software cut shift times by five-tenths-of-a-second.
The suspension was recalibrated to make its stiffer and more adjustable. Ride height was dropped by 10mm.
New lightweight alloy wheels were shod with Bridgestone Potenza RE070 tyres.
The revised aero kit featured a new exposed carbonfibre front spoiler, exposed carbonfibre canards and a fixed rear spoiler mounted on twin pylons. This yielded an additional 30% more downforce than the standard LFA and added 10mm to the car’s overall length.
Customers were limited to a choice of four exterior colours: glossy black, matt black, race yellow and whitest white.
The purchase price included a training session at the Nurburgring.
End of Production
LFA production ran for two years from December 2010 until December 2012.
Despite the car’s high price, Toyota lost a considerable sum of money on the LFA programme and a handful of unsold units were still hanging around some ten years after production ended.
500 were built in total and although a run of 50 Nurburgring Performance Package examples were promised, this ultimately grew to 64 units.
Of the 64 Nurburgring Performance Package cars, 32 were left-hand drive and 32 were right-hand drive.
Of the 436 cars built to standard trim, 238 were left-hand drive and 198 were right-hand drive.
Owing to its status as a commercial failure, a replacement for the LFA is not expected at any time in the near future.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Toyota - https://global.toyota/
