Lexus LFA- Discussion, Pictures & News (new colors gloss black, blue, yellow)
06-09-10, 02:22 PM
#1773
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What's the problem?
The article seemed fair and objective to me. Both cars were highly praised and both cars were also criticized for certain aspects. Seems like a normal review to me.
In the end there wasn't even a real winner. Because both cars are winners in their own right and in their unique individual ways.
The article seemed fair and objective to me. Both cars were highly praised and both cars were also criticized for certain aspects. Seems like a normal review to me.
In the end there wasn't even a real winner. Because both cars are winners in their own right and in their unique individual ways.
06-09-10, 02:39 PM
#1774
If I had to guess, I would say that the writer is more a fan of torqueier, brawnier engines than higher revving powerplants like the LFA has. There were a few comments that made me think he really didn't appreciate the LFA for what it is and conversely enjoyed the SLS' demeanor a bit more, which is fine. Everyone has a different opinion.
I know Lexus has their reasons for sticking with the tranny that they chose, however, I can't help but wonder if a DCT wouldn't have been a better option.
I know Lexus has their reasons for sticking with the tranny that they chose, however, I can't help but wonder if a DCT wouldn't have been a better option.
06-09-10, 03:38 PM
#1776
I thought CAR Magazine was the one of the better magazines out there 
I think the article was pretty well put together. You know an article is pretty good when the winner depends on your personal preference, and not some made up "Fun to Drive" number like other car magazines out there (cough C&D)
I think the article was pretty well put together. You know an article is pretty good when the winner depends on your personal preference, and not some made up "Fun to Drive" number like other car magazines out there (cough C&D)
06-09-10, 06:37 PM
#1779
Lexus Champion
The article was still biased and with a thrashed LFA at that. Let the SLS be thrown around for 5000 miles in demos as a pre-production car. Thing here is the reviewer clearly likes the SLS better because of it's DCT. He, in my opinion, sounded biased and din't give the LFA a chance. Every other article I've read has said the LFA is much better than what he describes in slower turns. Around the NJ track with uphill turns the LFA is easily pulling triple digit speeds. Me thinks euro writers will always pick the euro car.
What's funny is he talked about how the LFA wasn't able to pull more G than the SLS, is he serious? 1.05G for the LFA according to motortrend, that's better than the Porsche GT3 RS. There's no way this big SLS can hang with that Porsche, and the LFA according to MT betters it? Lexus probably gave them the same car they've been throwing at every magazine editor in the UK. In fact it has to be because there's only one in Europe, and that's the one in the UK.
Like I said before, it was a biased review where the driver clearly favored torquey engines over higher revving ones. Thing that set me off about that was how he said the LFA struggles to find power? What? In almost every other publication bar a couple euro-trash mags, the high rev nature of the LFA suits out of corner acceleration because of the lesser torque. Making it easier to put the power down immediately. With the higher torque, the rear of cars like that ends up being twitchy. That's not the case with the LFA, since it has so much room in it's rev range; throttle application halfway through corners and corner exits is stated to be much smoother and easier.
What's funny is he talked about how the LFA wasn't able to pull more G than the SLS, is he serious? 1.05G for the LFA according to motortrend, that's better than the Porsche GT3 RS. There's no way this big SLS can hang with that Porsche, and the LFA according to MT betters it? Lexus probably gave them the same car they've been throwing at every magazine editor in the UK. In fact it has to be because there's only one in Europe, and that's the one in the UK.
Like I said before, it was a biased review where the driver clearly favored torquey engines over higher revving ones. Thing that set me off about that was how he said the LFA struggles to find power? What? In almost every other publication bar a couple euro-trash mags, the high rev nature of the LFA suits out of corner acceleration because of the lesser torque. Making it easier to put the power down immediately. With the higher torque, the rear of cars like that ends up being twitchy. That's not the case with the LFA, since it has so much room in it's rev range; throttle application halfway through corners and corner exits is stated to be much smoother and easier.
06-10-10, 08:16 AM
#1780
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Fun-to-drive is a completely subjective category. It bothers me when some magazines actually rate it - because it can only be rated by the personal bias and outlook on things of the individual in question.
06-10-10, 09:57 AM
#1781
Moderator: LFA, Clubhouse
Reviews should include personal preference - otherwise what's the point of reading them?* Any magazine or group of testers can put out irrelevant statistics like 0-60 measurements, 1/4 mile figures, or Nür lap times for the legions of spec driver fanboys out there. But the point is that preferences should be explained so that readers can actually understand them. In my opinion, this is the main reason why evo's Chris Harris is so popular - because he is very apt at communicating how certain features of certain cars make them more or less interesting/exciting/preferable to him.
The LFA-SLS comparo in CAR didn't do a bad job of explaining these personal preferences. Unfortunately, those explanations left me wondering why these cars were apparently compared based on the reviewer's personal preference for their daily driving usefulness.
* I will mention that evo and CAR (and other British publications, to a certain extent) do include fantastic pictures in their reviews.
06-10-10, 07:28 PM
#1783
Lexus Champion
Car and Driver when doing comparisons usually get a racer if it's high speed testing. If not they usually have a panel of judges and not just 'one guy' talking how he likes this or that better. In some articles it's like that but not all of them. Motortrend is the same way. Usually they tend to favor the Italian stallion's though. A production LFA that doesn't weigh 3600lbs. should be a good performer, then the Nurb. edition should be even better. I'd say that's the LFA's 599GTO equivalent (in terms of special model).
06-11-10, 10:28 PM
#1785
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Quite sad actually, because it shows that people have great interests in a true Lexus sports car and yet Lexus does not have an answer for them. Let's hope the next SC is right around the corner and is designed to be and marketed as a baby-LFA instead of a 2-door LS/GS in terms of dynamics and technologies or they've really wasted the opportunity.
