New LF-A info from EVO magazine.
08-09-09, 09:01 PM
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New LF-A info from EVO magazine.
I just read the latest EVO magazine (August issue) and they had a rendering of what the production LF-A might look like. It seemed fairly realistic, but nothing we haven't seen before. Just have to wait for the real thing come October. The article did however mention some interesting information, some of which seems accurate, and some not so much.
Here is the info EVO mentioned:
Now here is my interpretation of the specs EVO listed. The top speed and HP figures match persistent rumours that have been coming from Japan that the engine will have between 550-600HP. Rumours have persisted that top speed is over 220 mph. The torque figure is interesting, and it will be impressive if peak torque is available from 2000 RPM. That would make the engine quite a contradiction, being both a super-high revving high-HP engine while at the same time having strong low-end torque. I get the feeling Toyota is using quite a few technologies on this engine they are keeping under wraps for now.
The engine having two throttles and being able to shut off half it's cylinders is new stuff I have not heard before. Not sure if it's true or not.
The chassis being steel/aluminum conflicts with information from other sources that says the chassis is carbon fiber. The body will most likely be aluminum/carbon fiber.
The titanium exhaust silencer I think refers to butterfly flaps in the exhaust that stay closed at low speed/throttle but open up once you push the throttle. The "exhaust sound exciter" I think may be simply related to the exhaust setup combined with butterfly flaps to amplify and enhance the engine's raw guttural sound.
Launch control is interesting, and I would not be surprised if it does indeed have it.
The car being built at Tahara would not surprise me, as that is the #1 Toyota plant in the world in terms of quality and precision. I was thinking Toyota might make a specialized assembly line just for the LFA, but who knows it could end up true.
Their estimated price is MUCH lower than other recent estimates we've heard. Anyone who though the LF-A base price would be 250K pounds or 400K USD is just silly. There is no way Toyota would ever price it THAT high.
The rest of the info isn't really new, and is stuff we've heard before.
Regardless, I think the production car will surprise a lot of people and simultaneously make a lot of Toyota critics eat crow.
Here is the info EVO mentioned:
Originally Posted by EVO Mag
- Over 219 mph top speed
- To debut October in Tokyo and other international shows afterwords
- 4.8L V10
- Over 550HP
- 405 lb-ft torque (available from 2000 RPM)
- Each cylinder bank has it's own throttle for faster response
- The engine can shut off half the cylinders during slow driving to reduce consumption and emissions
- steel/aluminum chassis with carbon fiber/aluminum body
- launch control
- titanium exhaust silencer
- "exhaust sound exciter"
- 6 speed Aisin/Toyota sequential manual
- carbon-ceramic brake discs, 6 piston front calipers, 4 piston rear
- carbon fiber-backed seats
- Estimated price 130-150K UK pounds (180K pounds for Sport version)
- Sport version (more hardcore version with wider body and aerodynamic additions)
- Limited to 500 units (including Sport version)
- To be built in Tahara plant
- To arrive in showrooms November 2010
- To debut October in Tokyo and other international shows afterwords
- 4.8L V10
- Over 550HP
- 405 lb-ft torque (available from 2000 RPM)
- Each cylinder bank has it's own throttle for faster response
- The engine can shut off half the cylinders during slow driving to reduce consumption and emissions
- steel/aluminum chassis with carbon fiber/aluminum body
- launch control
- titanium exhaust silencer
- "exhaust sound exciter"
- 6 speed Aisin/Toyota sequential manual
- carbon-ceramic brake discs, 6 piston front calipers, 4 piston rear
- carbon fiber-backed seats
- Estimated price 130-150K UK pounds (180K pounds for Sport version)
- Sport version (more hardcore version with wider body and aerodynamic additions)
- Limited to 500 units (including Sport version)
- To be built in Tahara plant
- To arrive in showrooms November 2010
The engine having two throttles and being able to shut off half it's cylinders is new stuff I have not heard before. Not sure if it's true or not.
The chassis being steel/aluminum conflicts with information from other sources that says the chassis is carbon fiber. The body will most likely be aluminum/carbon fiber.
The titanium exhaust silencer I think refers to butterfly flaps in the exhaust that stay closed at low speed/throttle but open up once you push the throttle. The "exhaust sound exciter" I think may be simply related to the exhaust setup combined with butterfly flaps to amplify and enhance the engine's raw guttural sound.
Launch control is interesting, and I would not be surprised if it does indeed have it.
The car being built at Tahara would not surprise me, as that is the #1 Toyota plant in the world in terms of quality and precision. I was thinking Toyota might make a specialized assembly line just for the LFA, but who knows it could end up true.
Their estimated price is MUCH lower than other recent estimates we've heard. Anyone who though the LF-A base price would be 250K pounds or 400K USD is just silly. There is no way Toyota would ever price it THAT high.
The rest of the info isn't really new, and is stuff we've heard before.
Regardless, I think the production car will surprise a lot of people and simultaneously make a lot of Toyota critics eat crow.
08-09-09, 10:07 PM
#2
Interesting info, thx for sharing...I am very interested in knowing the final technical details...and hoping for a more reasonable price (per se, I cannot afford one no matter what). 
08-10-09, 02:41 AM
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For what is offered, the price seems reasonable: rumours from Japan said that the LF-A would be priced at 30 million Yen there. If you go take a look at the Lexus.jp website you can see that their most expensive car at the moment, a fully loaded LS600hL, is priced at little more than 15 million. It is reasonable to assume the LF-A will cost double the price of the LS600hL, so that would mean about 250K $ and Euro.
I think the engine will produce 557 hp, as you can see on a picture taken at the Goodwood festival of speed and posted on autocar.co.uk . It clearly shows the number #557-PS written on the engine, which is German and means PferdeStarke or horsepower.
This is probably the result of a dyno test during the 24h of Nürburgring that is required before you can participate and that was not removed afterwards.
I don't think the chassis was ever reported to be carbon fiber, but again a picture taken at the 24h race last year suggests at least the bottom plate under the car will be entirely made of carbon. From what we have seen so far it will have a full carbon frame, roof, indoor panels, dashboard, steering wheel, bottom plate and, as mentioned in the EVO article, the seats. The body panels will be aluminium because that will be protecting the sooo much more expensive carbon monocoque underneath. If we add the full alu/magnesium(?) engine, the magnesium wheels, the carbon-ceramic brakes, the alcantara interior trim (which is lighter than leather) and the titanium exhaust to all that carbon it is very hard to see how on earth this car could ever weigh 3300lbs!? Considering the car's fairly modest proportions (like an f430) i think that number must include fuel/fluids plus the driver and that an empty car has 3000-3100 lbs of weight max. Otherwise, besides using all this extremely light and expensive materials for an overall average result, i simply cannot see it perform so well with 'just' 557 hp.
This is going to be a sportscar 'pur sang', so dont expect too much weight-adding luxury.
I think the engine will produce 557 hp, as you can see on a picture taken at the Goodwood festival of speed and posted on autocar.co.uk . It clearly shows the number #557-PS written on the engine, which is German and means PferdeStarke or horsepower.
This is probably the result of a dyno test during the 24h of Nürburgring that is required before you can participate and that was not removed afterwards.
I don't think the chassis was ever reported to be carbon fiber, but again a picture taken at the 24h race last year suggests at least the bottom plate under the car will be entirely made of carbon. From what we have seen so far it will have a full carbon frame, roof, indoor panels, dashboard, steering wheel, bottom plate and, as mentioned in the EVO article, the seats. The body panels will be aluminium because that will be protecting the sooo much more expensive carbon monocoque underneath. If we add the full alu/magnesium(?) engine, the magnesium wheels, the carbon-ceramic brakes, the alcantara interior trim (which is lighter than leather) and the titanium exhaust to all that carbon it is very hard to see how on earth this car could ever weigh 3300lbs!? Considering the car's fairly modest proportions (like an f430) i think that number must include fuel/fluids plus the driver and that an empty car has 3000-3100 lbs of weight max. Otherwise, besides using all this extremely light and expensive materials for an overall average result, i simply cannot see it perform so well with 'just' 557 hp.
This is going to be a sportscar 'pur sang', so dont expect too much weight-adding luxury.
Last edited by DeTomaso; 08-11-09 at 10:59 AM.
08-10-09, 03:14 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
I think its going to be a great car. It will help solidify the image of Japanese super car excellence after the release of the GTR and GTR spec V
08-10-09, 07:11 AM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Great information, thanks. I'm thinking about searching dealers to put down a deposit next week.
I hope not. Anyone heard of modulated displacement and how much a failure that was for Cadillac? I mean, when buying a supercar, I don't really care about the environment.
Just to nitpick that the latest issue is September.
Just to nitpick that the latest issue is September.
08-10-09, 07:47 AM
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Nice post... I think it confirms a lot of what was already guessed/rumored before. Only thing is, it mentions an Aluminum/Steel body... it is already known that the chassis (monocoque) is Carbon Fibre/Aluminum, with CF/Al body. Apart form that, nothing we haven't heard before....(apart from a nice "low" price... which I insist Lexus will not make this thing cost more than $250k US, while I believe it really will be more like $175K)
p.s. The engine has individual throttle bodies... I'm not sure what the mean by throttle/ cylinder bank.
It would be great if it has cylinder deactivation, as well as if the demonstrate direct injection in conjunction with Valvematic. That would be just awesome, and be a great sign of things to come for the rest of the engine line up.
I'm an engine tech buff...... I feel I will be slightly disappointed to see that it comes with "only" VVTI-E though....but I hope Lexus will prove at least that much wrong.
p.p.s.
This thread is worthless without pics
p.s. The engine has individual throttle bodies... I'm not sure what the mean by throttle/ cylinder bank.
It would be great if it has cylinder deactivation, as well as if the demonstrate direct injection in conjunction with Valvematic. That would be just awesome, and be a great sign of things to come for the rest of the engine line up.
I'm an engine tech buff...... I feel I will be slightly disappointed to see that it comes with "only" VVTI-E though....but I hope Lexus will prove at least that much wrong.
p.p.s.
This thread is worthless without pics
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08-11-09, 09:00 AM
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For what is offered, the price seems reasonable: rumours from Japan said that the LF-A would be priced at 30 million Yen there. If you go take a look at the Lexus.jp website you can see that their most expensive car at the moment, a fully loaded LS600hL, is priced at little more than 15 million. It is reasonable to assume the LF-A will cost double the price of the LS600hL, so that would mean about 250K $ and Euro.
I think the engine will produce 557 hp, as you can see on a picture taken at the Goodwood festival of speed and posted on autocar.co.uk . It clearly shows the number #557-PS written on the engine, which is German and means PferdeStarke or horsepower.
This is probably the result of a dyno test during the 24h of Nürburgring that is required before you can participate and that was not removed afterwards.
I don't think the chassis was ever reported to be carbon fiber, but again a picture taken at the 24h race last year suggests at least the bottom plate under the car will be entirely made of carbon. From what we have seen so far it will have a full carbon frame, roof, indoor panels, dashboard, steering wheel, bottom plate and, as mentioned in the EVO article, the seats. The body panels will be aluminium because that will be protecting the sooo much more expensive carbon monocoque underneath. If we add the full alu/magnesium(?) engine, the magnesium wheels, the carbon-ceramic brakes, the alcantara interior trim (which is lighter than leather) and the titanium exhaust to all that carbon it is very hard to see how on earth this car could ever weigh 3500lbs!? Considering the car's fairly modest proportions (like an f430) i think that number must include fuel/fluids plus the driver and that an empty car has 3100 lbs of weight max. Otherwise, besides using all this extremely light and expensive materials for an overall average result, i simply cannot see it perform so well with 'just' 557 hp.
This is going to be a sportscar 'pur sang', so dont expect too much weight-adding luxury.
I think the engine will produce 557 hp, as you can see on a picture taken at the Goodwood festival of speed and posted on autocar.co.uk . It clearly shows the number #557-PS written on the engine, which is German and means PferdeStarke or horsepower.
This is probably the result of a dyno test during the 24h of Nürburgring that is required before you can participate and that was not removed afterwards.
I don't think the chassis was ever reported to be carbon fiber, but again a picture taken at the 24h race last year suggests at least the bottom plate under the car will be entirely made of carbon. From what we have seen so far it will have a full carbon frame, roof, indoor panels, dashboard, steering wheel, bottom plate and, as mentioned in the EVO article, the seats. The body panels will be aluminium because that will be protecting the sooo much more expensive carbon monocoque underneath. If we add the full alu/magnesium(?) engine, the magnesium wheels, the carbon-ceramic brakes, the alcantara interior trim (which is lighter than leather) and the titanium exhaust to all that carbon it is very hard to see how on earth this car could ever weigh 3500lbs!? Considering the car's fairly modest proportions (like an f430) i think that number must include fuel/fluids plus the driver and that an empty car has 3100 lbs of weight max. Otherwise, besides using all this extremely light and expensive materials for an overall average result, i simply cannot see it perform so well with 'just' 557 hp.
This is going to be a sportscar 'pur sang', so dont expect too much weight-adding luxury.
One UK journalist briefly mentioned somewhere that the 3300lbs weight number includes the driver. I have a strong feeling curb weight will be roughly 3100 lbs.
Nice post... I think it confirms a lot of what was already guessed/rumored before. Only thing is, it mentions an Aluminum/Steel body... it is already known that the chassis (monocoque) is Carbon Fibre/Aluminum, with CF/Al body. Apart form that, nothing we haven't heard before....(apart from a nice "low" price... which I insist Lexus will not make this thing cost more than $250k US, while I believe it really will be more like $175K)
p.s. The engine has individual throttle bodies... I'm not sure what the mean by throttle/ cylinder bank.
It would be great if it has cylinder deactivation, as well as if the demonstrate direct injection in conjunction with Valvematic. That would be just awesome, and be a great sign of things to come for the rest of the engine line up.
I'm an engine tech buff...... I feel I will be slightly disappointed to see that it comes with "only" VVTI-E though....but I hope Lexus will prove at least that much wrong.
p.p.s.
This thread is worthless without pics
p.s. The engine has individual throttle bodies... I'm not sure what the mean by throttle/ cylinder bank.
It would be great if it has cylinder deactivation, as well as if the demonstrate direct injection in conjunction with Valvematic. That would be just awesome, and be a great sign of things to come for the rest of the engine line up.
I'm an engine tech buff...... I feel I will be slightly disappointed to see that it comes with "only" VVTI-E though....but I hope Lexus will prove at least that much wrong.
p.p.s.
This thread is worthless without pics
I agree, I think that Evo simply misinterpreted some information. I do believe the production car will have individual throttle bodies for fast response, just like the concept V10 engine.
08-11-09, 01:37 PM
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I agree. I can't imagine this car having a curb weight of 3300lbs and 'just' 557HP while being able to achieve the performance that it can achieve.
One UK journalist briefly mentioned somewhere that the 3300lbs weight number includes the driver. I have a strong feeling curb weight will be roughly 3100 lbs.
Based on the engine code, it does not seem like this engine has direct injection or Valvematic, but this could be wrong. Soon enough, we will see.
I agree, I think that Evo simply misinterpreted some information. I do believe the production car will have individual throttle bodies for fast response, just like the concept V10 engine.
One UK journalist briefly mentioned somewhere that the 3300lbs weight number includes the driver. I have a strong feeling curb weight will be roughly 3100 lbs.
Based on the engine code, it does not seem like this engine has direct injection or Valvematic, but this could be wrong. Soon enough, we will see.
I agree, I think that Evo simply misinterpreted some information. I do believe the production car will have individual throttle bodies for fast response, just like the concept V10 engine.
I think that it will come in under 3000lbs.
08-11-09, 05:34 PM
#11
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Interesting read, I don't think a lot of the specs are correct though, anyway we will see.
Don't get me wrong the GTR is "Super", but it is no "Super Car".
Don't get me wrong the GTR is "Super", but it is no "Super Car".
08-11-09, 05:42 PM
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I would be overjoyed if the engine code was wrong and if the car's curb weight was under 3000lbs. I'm just not 100% sure that will be the case.
08-11-09, 11:01 PM
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