For those on he lexus email list, ignore. Others...nice little minisite

http://www.lexus.com/assets/magazine...stage_lfa.html

 

I suspected this all along and mentioned it a few times in ither LF-A topics, but now that it is confirmed I am a bit disappointed. No mid engine. It is also confirmed to be a GT Sports car. My question would be who is the target buyers? The way I see it this car is a modern day Supra with luxury and a much higher cost. Porsche buyers will not be too interested. Pure sports car buyers will be interested, but will just save the $50K and buy a Corvette Z06. Exotic car buyer will not buy it. It seems like Lexus is going after the loyal Lexus owner who may already own a LS430 UL and wants a sports car, or the Mercedes SL500 buyers, and mybe the BMW 6 buyer. All of a sudden this is now a nice car that I don't particular dream about owning.

 

I clicked on the link but I got a black screen,can some one summarize the new info please?

 

u need flash i think, or fast connection

 

Hmm the exhaust bypasses the muffler for track use?
500hp/200mph
Interior Styling
Sounds good to me.
I want one

 

So what's wrong with that? The MKIV Supra was legendary in a sense that it really was a great car and even 12 years later, it's still in demand and it didn't last for 14-15 years and leave a cassette deck as the only audio option.

 

Not sure who said it but this car is V-10, F-1 based. Nothing at all in common with the SUpra. Its much smaller too

 

Nothing wrong with it at all. Just that this car is not going after the exotic car market but the GT sports car market just as the Supra was back in its day. All I'm saying is it is a modern day class Supra that will cost $100K+. By the way, I do like the Supra and have friends that own them No need to knock me about the NSX and also it does have a CD changer so a cassette is not its only choice. I'm just keeping things in perspective. I also know many ex Supra and RX7 owners that moved into the NSX or own both. The LF-A as it seems is not meant to compete against the Ferrari 460 and other exotic class cars. It sounds like it will be in a totally different market. I'm just saying for $100K+ there are a lot of options out there. Lets keep it real. How many Ferrari or Lamorghini buyers will seriously look at buying the LF-A to replace their cars? Not many I believe. It is just a totally different market segment. I still stand by my statement that Lexus could have had a potential run away hit if they made a mid engine exotic car. No doubt it will be a performer, but truthfully, can you tell me who is going to buy it? I'm not saying they wont sell every last one of them, but I'm just asking what typer of buyer is in the market for that sort of car. Like I said, I believe it will be the Viper, M6, SL500 type buyers.

I'm not ssure how you interpret my post as being a knock agaist Lexus or the LF-A when I simply was giving my opinion on what market segment I thought the LF-A would be in. I know you think I don't like Lexus and only love Honda, but I wouldn't own two Lexus' if I didn't like them and we have 4 total in my family. I think I'm pretty open minded to many different cars and praise and critices them equally according to my own opinions and tastes. I'll knock Honda/Acura just as much as I knock Toyota/Lexus. Just remember, looking back at all my posts even though I'm on the opposite side of the fence from the general members here, I nver took any cheap pot shots at anyone. I don;t hold any grudges at all, but please give me a break and some credit and respect as I hope its clear I do the same for everyone esle when discussing topics on various forums. I know when you brought up the NSX it was meant to put down Honda/Acura and my choices since I never mentioned that car at all in my posts and you still found a way to bring it up. No hard feelings, but no cheap shots either.

 

I got a blank screen when visiting the site. If it is confirmed that it will be a v-10 then that is more significant to me then it being mid-engined. I am glad they chose a v-10 if they did because a v-8 would not make it that special and many people may think of it is a very expensive SC430 replacement since they would be both front engine rear drive Lexus 2 doors. A v-10 also gives it a level of exoticness that a v-8 cannot accomplish and Toyota can market it as the first Japanese v-10 performance car. I figure it would be more appropriate for a Lexus to be a performance GT cruiser then a mid engine supercar. Lexus buyers are still going to want a roomier luxurous interior and a car that can easily be driven to and from work everyday which a front engine GT design is better suited for. I think Toyota is known better for more GT like performance cars like the Supra, SC300,400, 430 where Honda is known for more hardcore 2 seat outrageous cars like the NSX and S2000. The MR2 was mid engined but it did not sell that well nor does it have the respect and desirebility like the Supra had. Ferrari 575M and Aston Martin DB9 and Vanguish are front engined highly desirable performance GT cars and if Lexus can make something like that but charge much less with the benefit of being very reliable and well built I think they will be successful and give the brand a huge performance image boost it needs.

 

When I brought up my opinion that this was a modern day Supra it was not to suggest this is a Supra replacement, but in a away a Supra type car for today. It is a type of GT muscle car. The Supra has always been known to be a GT Sports car with big *****. Lexus themselves said the LF-A is a GT Sports car so with the engine layout now confirmed we can believe it. Everything about the LF-A says GT. Just to make things clear, I'm not saying that is a bad market segment or cars in that segment are crap. Quite the opposite. I'm just disappointed that we still wont see a true exotic car from Lexus as we all hoped it would have been. Heck, some members were dissapointed when the new GS430 stil only had 300 Hp instead of 400 HP, so I'm just in the same boat. I had much higher hopes for this car and theJapanese exotic cars in general. We need more out of the motherland to compete again with Ferrari.

 

I think I will agree with you here. My only exception is that a V8 can't be exotic. I'd be more than happy with a 360 Modena. The V10 definately makes this car potentially a worthy $100K car much more so than if they used a V8. I love the V10 and the performance part of it. It would have been so much better IMHO if it was in the middle though. Think of a 460 Galardo killer for $100K.

 

The price hasn't been set but we do know it will be a GT Sports car. It's going to have a V10 so technically it is somewhat like the Supra. It's going to be high end but there's nothing wrong with it not being an "exotic".

You're right different market segment it is. The Ferarri or Lambo demographic is looking for that buyer that is willing to pay $200k and up for their cars.

How can you tell that the LF-A wont be a home run if not grand slam? Too early to tell considering the car is not even out yet.

There are buyers out there. It doesn't necessarily have to be repeat exclusive exotic car customers, there are potential new buyers out there that could be shopping for a car like this. Again you and I don't have the ability to predict who and who will not buy this car. We can only guess and speculate.

Of course you're entitled to your opinion, we all are.

Great, but don't be surprised by my responses...as we are in "ClubLexus". You're not gonna find me wasting my time at VTEC.net or HA.net bashing Honda/Acura. It's not worth my time and it's pointless. You should expect some form of Lexus/Toyota bias here as you would with any enthusiasts forum.

No one is holding grudges here. I'm only simply stating mere facts. From my recollection, the Acura NSX has kept it's general design since 1990 and has kept the tape deck as standard issue for the longest time. I'm sure there were changes most recently but that's great for them. I'm only stating facts not opinion, not a cheap shot at all. If it hurt your feelings I apologize in advance. It's a message board, take what you read w/a grain of salt. Read it for what it's worth.

 

Cool but the 6 Disk CD chaner was always available since 1990. You are right, the car definately needed to be updated a long time ago though. The NSX sound system sucks. That is a given. But at least it could play both CD and tape from day one. Japan also got navigation that we never got in the US for some reason that I never could figure out.

 

Cause we get screwed out of all the cool things.
I want Soarer Active with the rear mount backup camera and the navigation tv thing.

 

The NSX has recieved updates through its life cycle. In 1998 they enlarged the engine from 3 to 3.2 liters and boosted horsepower to 290. They also added a 6 speed manual and different rims etc. This change was very expensive on a car that Honda looses money on every one sold at full price. Recently the NSX has been updated with non fold up lights and some aerodynamic enhancements to give it a greater top speed. I am not a fan of the new lights. The car has had more variations in Japan with lightweight NSX-R models using carbon fibre,stiffer suspensions and higher tuned engines but unfortunately we did not get these. I do not think too many people were complaining about the style of the NSX so they left it mainly unchanged. I find it to be one of the nicest looking cars even today and any drastic change would probrably be for the worse. Performance wise the NSX did not need a huge horsepower boost as it was getting 0-60 in 4.5-4.8 seconds and outhandling most cars that challenged it but it was still pretty expensive and its competition was putting out higher numbers towards the end. If Honda does do another NSX I hope they will use a new v-8, v-10, or turbo engine to keep this car ahead of the competition but who knows.

Yes I know v-8 can be exotic mainly when used in mid engine designs but there are too many cars with v-8s up front that it just would not be anything significant or special if Lexus chose a v-8. Mustangs,Camaros, Firebirds, really all muscle cars from 60s and 70s, SC430s, GTO, SL500, etc. all front engined rear drive v-8 coupes.

I believe that everyone here appreciates cars from different makes but I understand most prefer or are interested in Lexus vehicles. Hondas, Acuras, Nissan, and Infiniti seem to get critisized alot by some as not being worthy alternatives or competition to Lexus and to a lesser degree Toyota and some people do get a little tired of seeing it. I do look forward to owning a Lexus GS but I have been very pleased with Hondas/Acuras and just would like to try a different car and brand. People on Honda/Acura/Infiniti sites say things they don't like and would like to see change about their preferred brand of cars but their are also the fan boys who only like their brand and think everything else is crap. Acura and Infiniti make very good cars as well as Lexus, they all go about their cars in slightly different ways but are all known for being generally more reliable and priced less then most European competition so all these brands will most likely cross on our lists of possible cars.