Lexus LF-A mule unseats Porsche GT2 as King of the 'Ring

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/28/lexus-lf-a-unseats-porsche-gt2-as-king-of-the-ring/

looks like the 911 is getting some serious competition from other makers. I.E Audi, Nissan, Lexus

 

If Lexus can win LeMans 16 times I will buy one of their sports cars.

 

100+

 

4 seconds faster than a Zonda F, and 5 seconds faster than a Carrera GT? Something smells fishy. Too bad it's a mule and won't be making Porsche cry anytime soon.

 

+ 1,000,000

 

Great, it is faster around the Ring as a mule then any other car. But it still looks hideous..

 

If anyone is interested, there is a good sim game called GTR2 that has the Nordschliefe circuit you can download.
http://gtr-game.10tacle.com/index.php?id=246&L=1

Even though it is a game you can tell that the place is insanely dangerous. I have trouble cracking 9 minutes in the Lotus.

 

Its like the design philosophy behind the LF-A was that of Buckley's cough syrup: horrible on the senses but it gets the job done quick!

 

I'll wait to see the times of a production car. Who knows what's in the "mule". It wouldn't be the first time a company sends out a ringer for publicity.




Darrell.

 

They plan on doing the race next year in reverse

 

Wow this forum is full of some very strong non-believers. I guess a company taking such a huge step in a direction of making sports cars really in the end means didly squat. And the GTR mule must've been just a ringer also.

 

The Japanese car makers are desperate for positive press about their cars. I call BS on this one until a production car hits the streets and can be tested independantly (sp)

 

I'm a believer they have the engineering prowess to pull this off, its just at the end of the day if I have a choice to spend $100K on a Lexus LF-A vs. a Porsche GT3 or Maserati....etc., I'll take the latter everytime. I'll still give them props though. Whats odd is my gut tells me the demographics of the typical Lexus owner doesn't necessarily go along with a super car. Bear in mind I own a Lexus SUV as my daily and also have a Gallardo SE, so maybe I'm wrong. I think who will really love this car are the ricer crowd, the problem there is they don't have the money to buy a $100K car.

 

+1 We can see what the actual production runs the ring in, my guess it will be alot slower.

 

I would buy one the day it came out if I could have Lexus reliability with this type of performance but as others have said here I doubt the production model will come close to these numbers. That is why this is a stupid comparision to the GT2 which is a production car.

 

I agree about Lexus reliability with performace. Wish the looks were a bit better.

I wouldn't doubt the numbers. The article questions stock Gt2 numbers, but not LF-A numbers.

 

I agree and even If I could careless if it does 0-60 faster than a fighter jet I still wouldn't take some fast Nissan or Toyota/Lexus over a Ferrari or lambo, vette or viper.

Test Mules are one thing but production models is another ball game. Second it doesn't matter what you put up at the Nring in my opinion, really how many owners of this car do you really think can match those numbers? let along race there? not all the tracks around the world is the Nring, sure its a great place but i probably will never attend a track meet there so why bother with the numbers? Its all about the driver!.

Show me what else this thing can do? let me see some 1/4mile times, 0-60, topspeed stuff like that, the Nring is for race cars and is a track probably i will never get to drive on.

 

Thanks to consumers like you, companies like Louis Vuitton, Vertu, Rolex and Ferrari will continue to enjoy their success.

 

Damn that is an ugly car. It would seem only AM can make a genuinely beautiful car now a days.

 

This is like the GTR thread few years ago. Except now it's LF-A. Everyone said that GTR will be slow, not fast, will not compete with Z06, etc. But all the rumors turned out to be true. I think LF-A will be faster than GTR. Toyota will not release their super car that cost more than $100,000+ be slower than $70,000 GTR.

 

Im not a non believer, great it went around the Nurburgring the fastest, but it is ugly. When Lexus can make their cars look as good as they are reliable I will buy one.

 

We all knew this day was coming; where Lexus produces a monster sports car. Neat approach to marketing--sending it to the ring "first" and busting a nut on Porsche's bad-ass GT-2.

I love Lexus and have owned upwards of ten, including their flagship LS460L which I drive today. Great car. I can't even feel the road, I can't tell when the car's running, turning or moving. I like the comfort and fantastic stereo system and the gadgets, but it's not someone I'd buy a sports car from--yet.

The japanese have never been innovators (going back to World War II when we helped rebuild their economy and industry). However, they are the absolute best at taking something and reverse engineering it, and improving upon it. I'm anxious to see what they bring to market over the next several years. It appears they are paying attention to what the high-end sports car market wants.

What a prototype does at the ring and what car actually hits the market can be two different things. I wouldn't sell them short though. Something will arrive and it will take market share, just not Ferrari market share. I look forward to its arrival as it may raise the bar for other high-end manufacturers. My opinion...

 

Production models and independant testing would an important factor in determining the performance of any vehicle.

Till then I see any rumors or "unofficial" times as just marketing propoganda..

With that said I'm sure both japanese brands are fine cars.

I just prefer to see independant testing as I see that as the most valuable.

Of course as the gentleman mentioned above even then it doesn't really mean that much.

The R8 got beat by a C6 corvette in a car and driver or road and track test. That doesn't mean the Audi R8 isn't a fantastic car... (and I'm a corvette C6 owner as well)

There can certainly be more than one great brand.. Thats what makes it interesting.

JMO

 

Great post. Competition benefits the consumer.

 

I think the looks are subjective and although some here are not crazy about it, I for one like it and respect it for being a much more individual look then a good number of cars being put out today.

What I think most of you are forgetting is that this car is projected to have 550+hp with a 2800lb weight, making a 7:24 time very possible (the GTR is a 3800lb 550hp car). Just because it's a mule doesn't mean anything as it could go both way in terms of being very close to the production model or very far off. With the GTR now being out, I doubt a number would be released that would greatly differ from the production in a bad way so as to disappoint the possible future consumer.

And for those who say that there is no market for a car like this, and I realize this is speculation, but those "ricers" who did own the NSX and the Supra back in the 90 may very well have gone on to bigger and better things while keeping their desire of Japanese sports cars. Just like I am sure the GTR will sell out completely, so will the LF-A. As long as Lexus doesn't make this a mass-production car, it should have no problem selling.