hese are the unforgettable moments the CGT lives for. Moments that are out of the front-drivers’ league and beyond the reach of even the mighty GT-R. It’s moments like these that make the CGT a shoo-in for the final showdown. Then a black LFA slides down from the back of Litchfield Imports’ trailer and all my finely reasoned thoughts are thrown into turmoil.

.......

Everywhere you look there are things that delight, from the exquisite carbonfibre bonnet stay and sculptural indicator and wiper stalks to the LCD instrument cluster, which is something straight out of Stark Industries. The level of bespoke engineering is mind-blowing, the mission to create something that transcends merely building another supercar truly palpable in everything you see, touch and hear. It’s little short of a freak.

There’s so much to the LFA that’s exceptional, yet still its banshee V10 engine is the thing that makes the most immediate and lasting impression. The throttle response is totally insane, to the point where even the CGT’s motor feels a little tardy by comparison. It also sounds as good inside the car as it does outside – something the Porsche fails to do. To hear the 552bhp LFA go through its full 9000rpm aural range is to experience something part-way between an internal combustion engine and a musical instrument.

.........

What I do know is the LFA steers with greater precision and a sweeter rate of response than the Porsche, smothers bumps and rides poor surfaces with more control and tracks truer and with less distraction from cambers and surface changes. In short it’s every bit as involving, but more exploitable. What I find most extraordinary is that while it has the CGT’s intensity and excitement when fully lit, it’s much the nicer car to be in when you’re simply making progress or covering miles. More comfortable, more refined, more special and the better car for long drives. It even has some luggage space, a proper satnav and a fabulous hi-fi. Its breadth of abilities is amazing.

Quite how Lexus created such a special car – from scratch – is one of the world’s great mysteries; that Toyota is unlikely to sanction its like again is one of the great automotive tragedies. Yet all of this only serves to make the legend of the LFA even more compelling. However they did it, and whatever justification they made for investing insane amounts of time and resource into such a glorious cul-de-sac, the result is something utterly spectacular and totally unique. Despite my deep love for the Carrera GT I can’t put it ahead of the intoxicating and truly wondrous LFA.