Lexus LFA

Lexus LFA

Five years ago, a group of small engineers at Lexus conceived an idea to make a sport car bearing the Lexus badge. For a company that has never produced sports cars it seemed like a joke ready to happen.  The pressured their bosses with the idea and were later given the go-ahead. The result was the LFA.    

First LFA concept

At first, the LFA was to be made of aluminium but the engineers later opted to use Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) for the chassis and bodywork. CFRP has four times the strength of aluminium. It also gives the Lexus LFA an exceptionally stiff and strong structure and cuts 100kg of the total weight of the car. The car is 65% CFRP and the remaining 35% aluminium bringing the weight to 1,480kg.

Leather trim

The heart of the Lexus LFA is a V10, dual VVT-i, 4,805cc, developing 552bhp and rev to a wailing 9,000-rpm. The engine takes it to 62mph (100 km/h) in just 3.7 seconds and maximum speed is 202mph (326 km/h).

Front air take and

Behind it is a six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) that allows gear changes in just 0.2 seconds. One changes gear by using paddle shifts located at the steering wheel. It has four different driving modes Auto, Sport, Normal and Wet, activated by a selector dial on the dashboard.

The rear view complete with the tuned exhausts

The body allows air to flow over, under and around the car with ease. A carbon-fibre rear diffuser, flat under body and active spoiler, which pops up at high speed, helps generate down force. Thus, the faster the car is moving on the road, the more stable it is. However, from the design it looks unlike any other Lexus I have seen. No Lexus on our roads today has so many air intakes and aerodynamic details. Even the door mirrors help to channel air to the rear intake.

open the door and you will be mesmerized by the interior

Open the door of the LFA and you will be mesmerised by its sight. The seats, upholstered in fine leather and Alcantara, provide the high level of back and side support. The trim consists of matt and gloss carbon fibre finished in brushed metal. The floor-hinged brake and throttle pedals are made of forged aluminium. As with the exterior finish, owners can choose different interior colours and details to suit personal taste. The instrument panel consist of an LCD/Thin Film Transistor screen. It features a single circular dial with an LCD needle.

The shifters

When engine speed exceeds 9,000rpm, the display area turns red alerting the driver for an up gearshift. An information selector switch on the left side of the steering wheel lets the driver toggle through a series of functions, including customising the data display, adjusting cabin illumination and operating a track-ready stopwatch system.

The instrument panel

Only 500 units of the LFA will be out on sale. A maximum of 20 units will roll out of the factory each month after undergoing testing to ensure build quality. One engineer will supervise the making of each engine and car from the start to the finish. Each car engine will have an embossed sign of the engineer on the engine.

look at those air intakes

LFA Roadster

I will like to introduce you to the fastest and most expensive Lexus in the world. To own it one has to part with £336,000 (around Kshs 45 million excluding taxes)! A roadster version will be released soon.