LFA value discussion thread
Another point is that I think you're under estimating the selling machine at Lexus. It would be plain dumb if they flooded the US market with cheap LFA's. It's simply won't happen, unless they are trying to gain a foothold in this market segment.
Yes, Lexus has marketing power that the other exotic brands can't match, but that doesn't alway work, which is why VW doesn't spend dollars advertising Bugatti, or Lamborghini in the same traditional ways as their other brands- like Lexus and Toyota. Lexus has one of the best advertising agencies in the world behind them. I can't think of anything good to say about Lamborghinis advertising strategy, frankly.
There is also the mentioning of the client being a Lexus LFA buyer who also owns several other exotics.
There is no better testament than this coming from a person who is a performance tuning shop owner himself:
Today, we had the rare opportunity to be the first performance shop in the country to get their hands on the new Lexus LFA. One of our local clients is a huge car buff, and was the first person in the country to put a deposit down on his very own LFA. Although his custom prepared LFA won't arrive until Jan, a representative from Lexus corporate was charged with introducing a demonstration car to each buyer and allowing them to drive it for a half day. This yellow LFA is the East Coast demo car, and there is only one other in the country out on the West coast.
This particular client not only has done business with us in the past, but is also a good personal friend. So when he called me at 12:30pm and said he'd be at my shop in 20 mins with the LFA I was ecstatic! When the car rolled up, it brought our shop to a complete standstill...
Much like the GT-R, the LFA looks infinitely better in person. The body line is similar in many ways to the GT-R but with a more compact form factor and a tall broad shoulder line. It's physically a much smaller car. I took about 20 mins simply to take the car in and examine all of it's lines closely. This is a precision designed car with aggressive and sharp body lines along with some magnificent technology underneath the skin. From the carefully placed air inlets to the sturdy support structures for the active wing, it's all very well thought out and designed. The interior of the car is all business. Carbon fiber racing steering wheel, seats wrapped in alcantera and all gauges and controls well placed.
After my viewing it was time to give the LFA a well deserved test drive. After a 2 minute orientation by the nice lady from Lexus, I grabbed the paddles and set the transmission to "SPORT" mode. After making a right turn out of the parking lot I wasted no time in doing a quick 1,2,3 to 9500rpm down Cobb Parkway buzzing past a half dozen car dealerships in the process. One word: MAGIC! The exhaust note is by far the best sounding I have ever heard. It's a sharp Formula 1 inspired note, with very little bass or drone. The gearbox shifts were very sharp in SPORT mode but had that slight delay between power application that I've experience before in the gearbox from Ferrari and Lamborghini, and Audi. It's a shame the gear changes aren't instantaneous like our GT-R's, as it would have made this amazing machine that much better.
I kept heading southbound on Cobb Parkway on my way to my favorite "test track" also known as Delk Road by the Air Base. Noticing that my passenger was a little agitated with my 105mph blast down Cobb Parkway. I assured the Lexus representative that I was a licensed race car driver and I knew what I was doing. She seemed relieved and started to relax a little bit. She mentioned that nobody has taken this car above 4500rpm yet...oops...and she was really impressed with how fast the car was. Fortunately, she was unnerved and gave me full rein to drive the car as hard as I wanted to. One favorite section of my "track" is a nice right hand ramp with two sharp right hand turns inter-spaced with two short straights. I dropped the LFA down to 2nd gear and dove in. Body roll is nearly flat, and the brakes are tremendous. With my foot on the floor we rocketed out of the last right hander and enjoyed the music coming from the engine....another 2, 3, and part of 4 and we are 120mph in a heartbeat.
Overall, the OEM handling of the car is the best I have ever experienced. Flat and firm suspension manners and razor sharp steering make this one really fun car to drive fast. The power delivery is extremely linear with loads of power from 2500rpm all the way to the 9000rpm shift point I chose. No turbos, no turbo lag, just loads of power everywhere. It's a very different car from the GT-R; the LFA has a more purist feel to it despite it's high end hardware and technology behind it. Once our client takes delivery of his own LFA, you better believe we'll have it on the dyno, and tested right away. Maybe even a few "track" comparo's as well....perhaps some twin turbos?! Stay tuned!
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; Jan 31, 2011 at 05:49 PM.
There is also the mentioning of the client being a Lexus LFA buyer who also owns several other exotics.
There is no better testament than this coming from a person who is a performance tuning shop owner himself:
Yes, Lexus has marketing power that the other exotic brands can't match, but that doesn't alway work, which is why VW doesn't spend dollars advertising Bugatti, or Lamborghini in the same traditional ways as their other brands- like Lexus and Toyota. Lexus has one of the best advertising agencies in the world behind them. I can't think of anything good to say about Lamborghinis advertising strategy, frankly.
I have the email contacts of all LFA buyer in Canada, and I've met two in person (they are both appeared to be in their 40's like myself, so there is no doubt that the 10 here are real. While I realized that the US was hit harder by the recession, I can't see why they could not sell more than 30 units given the larger population and wealth. Anyways, I will let this rest, and I hope this will become clearer as time goes by.
Speculation here is that the LFA brings something consumers have been dying to get, something not already in the market that they have been waiting for. The LFA has been promoted since 2009. That's when they began to put names on the list. They had more than ample time to sell out 500 cars and they didn't in the US market. Who knows where the truth is, as what's reported here is in 180 degree opposition to what AutoWeek is claiming, so ignore that for a moment because we don't have hard data yet to verify anything.
You're asking me what makes me think sales will be that low and I'm saying it's a combination of factors, from MotorIntelligence sales reports, to a lack of buzz among prospective buyers, Lexus own ever-changing marketing strategy and knowing what's about to hit the market. Could I be wrong? Sure! Like you said, time will tell. I'd rather focus on the thread's original topic, which was simply the value proposition. Again, if it's everything you want, that's what it's all about. If you're comfortable with the wide range of possible outcomes from ownership, then great, you will likely have the most fun. If you buy it and stress about every mile, what the market is doing, etc., you will be an incredibly miserable exotic owner and you will stress to the point where you dump the car.
The LFA will be welcome in the exotic community. It will get respect, even if demand is soft and the rest will be sorted out over time.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lfa...n-houston.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lfa...-customer.html
Those are not claims. They are FACTS. They are well-documented and have sources (especially Australia, Japan and Singapore). I posted them here. I can post them again, if you want.
It is as if you are really wanting to believe Lexus cannot sell that many LFAs. Did 07grIS350 not say he spoke with every single one of the 10 Canadian LFA buyers (including himself)?? Is that not proof enough for you?
Regarding Canada, I saw it with my own eyes since I checked regularly the website back from March 2010 - May 2010. In May, I was shocked to see when I saw the LFA microsite saying "The LFA sales process is now closed. Thanks for your interest". That is 10 LFAs gone to customers.
Now, I spoke with the local Lexus dealership and when I asked them about it, they said Lexus Canada indeed attempt getting more LFAs in Canada, but Lexus much like Japan (165 sold) did not want to sell more LFAs in Canada and were focusing on other markets.
Regarding AutoWeek, that is an old article that got published very late. It was in September when Lexus announced they are adding 60 more LFAs to the US market allocation going up from 110 to 171. It was originally written last fall, but got to press just recently. Otherwise, it would mean Lexus has not sold a single LFA in the last 4 months since the 60 additional allocations were added in September 2010.
Now as it stands, LexusEnthusiast.com spoke this week with Lexus and the number Lexus gave to him ('Krew') was "about 2 dozen more available for sale". That is exactly consistent with what two weeks ago LA breakfast TV show said (I posted the video for that).
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; Jan 31, 2011 at 08:28 PM.
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
Speculation here is that the LFA brings something consumers have been dying to get, something not already in the market that they have been waiting for. The LFA has been promoted since 2009. That's when they began to put names on the list. They had more than ample time to sell out 500 cars and they didn't in the US market. Who knows where the truth is, as what's reported here is in 180 degree opposition to what AutoWeek is claiming, so ignore that for a moment because we don't have hard data yet to verify anything.
You're asking me what makes me think sales will be that low and I'm saying it's a combination of factors, from MotorIntelligence sales reports, to a lack of buzz among prospective buyers, Lexus own ever-changing marketing strategy and knowing what's about to hit the market. Could I be wrong? Sure! Like you said, time will tell. I'd rather focus on the thread's original topic, which was simply the value proposition. Again, if it's everything you want, that's what it's all about. If you're comfortable with the wide range of possible outcomes from ownership, then great, you will likely have the most fun. If you buy it and stress about every mile, what the market is doing, etc., you will be an incredibly miserable exotic owner and you will stress to the point where you dump the car.
The LFA will be welcome in the exotic community. It will get respect, even if demand is soft and the rest will be sorted out over time.
My comment is based on where I'd be if I was an actual buyer with my check now in Lexus' hands. Let's say you plopped down your deposit and have a car coming in 2012. What would you do if demand were low and Lexus was pumping them into dealer's hands instead? Don't you think they would then lower the price to move the cars? What would that do to your deal? Would you stick with it or renegotiate? So, suddenly all those depositors who have positions for next year are wondering WTF!
This very thing happened with corporate jets in 2008 and 09 and some had been waiting for almost three years with a few progress payments along the way. They walked away from big deposits, we're talking millions, because it was still cheaper to buy something that was on the market today.
So, if you're in that position, wouldn't it be better for everyone (except possibly Lexus) if production were cut significantly? This way the value remains up, and supply and demand are about even, and hopefully demand would increase. Ferrari has a rule as they put it, and I paraphrase, "We produce one less car than the market wants."
It never stops amazing me that when someone can't face simple, logical facts or find holes in credibility, the conspiracy theories emerge. What next? That I work for Audi?
Though, it was mentioned that Ferrari cuts production, if they are not sold. That is inaccurate. I think I should address that now. Ferrari decided to build 599 copies of the 599 GTO. Before the presentation was even done, Ferrari tells the press it is already sold out.
http://www.mibz.com/9763-all-ferrari...-premiere.html
What was the truth underneath? Ferrari had sold many brand new 599 GTO to dealerships and not end customers. As as result of which, many 599 GTO ended up sitting on the dealership lots. That was a very well observed fact when people spotted brand new 599 GTO sitting on the lots.
Want proof?? I just dug up one to support my argument. A brand new 599 GTO for sale at a dealership:
http://www.jameslist.com/advert/1341...errari-599-gto
http://new-vehicles.todayautodeals.c...livery-milage/
Therefore, saying Lexus should have cut production and that is what Ferrari does, is simply not true. They built all 599 copies of 599 GTO and gave many of them to dealerships to sell.
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; Jan 31, 2011 at 11:14 PM.
where did lexus say they won't build any lfa that aren't sold? i want to read about that. i do remember lexus said that they wouldn't start the lfa building process before all cars are sold and allocated, which i think again has been proven wrong (process started and not all sold)
Though, it was mentioned that Ferrari cuts production, if they are not sold. That is inaccurate. I think I should address that now. Ferrari decided to build 599 copies of the 599 GTO. Before the presentation was even done, Ferrari tells the press it is already sold out.
http://www.mibz.com/9763-all-ferrari...-premiere.html
What was the truth underneath? Ferrari had sold many brand new 599 GTO to dealerships and not end customers. As as result of which, many 599 GTO ended up sitting on the dealership lots. That was a very well observed fact when people spotted brand new 599 GTO sitting on the lots.
Want proof?? I just dug up one to support my argument. A brand new 599 GTO for sale at a dealership:
http://www.jameslist.com/advert/1341...errari-599-gto
http://new-vehicles.todayautodeals.c...livery-milage/
Therefore, saying Lexus should have cut production and that is what Ferrari does, is simply not true. They built all 599 copies of 599 GTO and gave many of them to dealerships to sell.
Though, it was mentioned that Ferrari cuts production, if they are not sold. That is inaccurate. I think I should address that now. Ferrari decided to build 599 copies of the 599 GTO. Before the presentation was even done, Ferrari tells the press it is already sold out.
http://www.mibz.com/9763-all-ferrari...-premiere.html
What was the truth underneath? Ferrari had sold many brand new 599 GTO to dealerships and not end customers. As as result of which, many 599 GTO ended up sitting on the dealership lots. That was a very well observed fact when people spotted brand new 599 GTO sitting on the lots.
Want proof?? I just dug up one to support my argument. A brand new 599 GTO for sale at a dealership:
http://www.jameslist.com/advert/1341...errari-599-gto
http://new-vehicles.todayautodeals.c...livery-milage/
Therefore, saying Lexus should have cut production and that is what Ferrari does, is simply not true. They built all 599 copies of 599 GTO and gave many of them to dealerships to sell.








