mike, i can't say i agree with you, just because a lot of people here including me are saying things against lexus. yup, they can get whatever they want, do whatever they want with their money, but that doesn't stop anyone from talking and commenting it

yeah the news spread like bees across the internet now. lexus and lfa getting exposure? sure. but from what i see, a lot more negatives than positive. i talked to a few people since this morning regarding this and they are all like this is a joke, screw that. can that be remotely good for lexus? honest i don't think so. plus, a lot of the talk are about how spoiled and what not paris is, most people, maybe they hear about lexus supercar but that's where it ends.

think about it. this is club lexus, we supposed to have more people supporting lexus, but see all the negative replies. and you can only imagine what i see on fb, let alone what you see on other forums. exposure on lexus and lfa? yes. good? i am not very sure.

i never said all 500 owners would be tracking their lfa every weekend. but i remember clearly that lexus intention is to find buyers who are enthusiasts about cars and appreciate the driving connection, etc... on the lfa, and i totally respect that (you should read my review that's going up soon). just read any of the interviews with chief engineer. that should be a lot easier to do compared to finding 500 racers.

i for one don't bash about the car whenever possible. i look at things different. paris with lfa doesn't change my perspective on the car at all, not one bit. and you know i love this car. but does it change my perspective on lexus and especially their selection process? absolutely

back to paris' bf, i posted in another thread too. let's have some fun with google top search results here

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/w0009787.html
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/394397...entertainment/
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b221...nd_smooth.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/20...nors_for_.html

i guess overall i see 2 interesting issues here. first, what exactly is their process and how do they determine it? granted we see racing celebrity like zach getting rejected for a car. second, in some way it shows how the selection process can't really protect or help lexus much.

 

Honestly I think you guys are missing the point. The point being that what is important for Lexus is that the LFA be seen on the streets and it doesn't matter who's driving it.

I don't think Bentley's brand was devalued because Paris Hilton's boyfriend got a DUI in a Bentley, nor that the Mercedes SLR was devalued because Paris was often seen driving one. When I think Bentley, I think of those elegant cars I see every day around Miami, parked outside nice buildings and high end shopping malls. When I think Mercedes SLR, I think of Jeremy Clarkson racing the boat to Norway, and I think of the amazingly beautiful Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss which I once saw parked in Mayfair in London.

My point is these cars speak for themselves. They just need to be seen. The odd celebrity driver is a non issue. Everyone know that luxury cars are bought equally by those who deserve them and those who do not.

 

Henry I am not completely disagreeing with you. Not sure how Lexus handles the LFA as a "gift" and Paris isn't exactly a model celebrity so not sure how they feel with her in it. Thus I am not really upset at the comments and totally understand where people are coming from. Not sure who else would be a "negative" celebrity in peoples eyes if they get another LFA.

We know Lexus is popular in Hollywood for its hybrids. Now there is a chance it will be popular b/c of the LFA.

On the other hand celebrities drive all sorts of exotics all the time so this is nothing new and almost non-news to me. I guess what makes it news is that Lexus tried to screen people for the car. They clearly felt that selling the car to this guy was a good move for the LFA from an exposure perspective. I had no idea who this guy was and what Paris was doing until today

Whats funny is pink is a color option from Lexus.




Good post.

 

At least its now hot pink. Hopefully I can get a used one in 6 years for my 30th birthday (it be a gift to myself) or hopefully Lexus comes out with another supercar.

 

Dear GOD! Please don't let Paris take position of a LFA. I like cars too much too see them in the hands of a retarded girl who seems to operate at the limit of her mental capacity-while driving.

 

I actually think the whole "Lexus choosing buyers" thing is foolish anyway. Why are we really letting a company decide who can buy from them? Even worse, why would we let society decide who can buy a product (which is what many of you are doing in this thread)? It reeks of a perverse faux elitism. If someone has money, why not let them buy something? I thought that was the whole point of this country, that as long as you have worth (whether that means actual money, productivity, or credit) - you have the freedom to make these choices.

That said, the reason I'm willing to cut Lexus quite a bit of slack for having a buyer selection process (other than the limited run, which is no longer relevant) is because the whole thing is overblown. And as usual, it's people who never actually went through the "application" process who are doing the (over)blowing. The only thing I was ever asked was my Lexus ownership history and a few months later I had my allocation. Whoever that celeb was who went on whatever radio show to whine about getting rejected, I doubt he actually got rejected - and if he did, I doubt it was anything but that his finances weren't in order. (Or maybe he managed to **** someone at Lexus off.)

If anything, Lexus just wanted to prevent speculation. I don't think it was ever an "enthusiast" thing, otherwise why would I get one? I never told Lexus I was ever going to drive it. Of course, now that the LFA isn't sold out in the US, I suppose the "choosing buyers" issue is not relevant.

Anyway, if Paris Hilton wants to buy an LFA or her boyfriend wants to buy one for her, good for them. And good for Lexus making a product that people want to buy. Hopefully we'll see her LFA on the road soon. I just think it's too bad so many people cast such harsh judgments just because they disagree with her lifestyle choices.


If we were to actually consider the nonsensical vitriol of irrelevant fanboys and commentators everywhere, we might wind up concluding that the LFA itself is more negative than positive. The much more attractive alternative is to enjoy greatness when we see it and dismiss BS for what it is.


The notion of any expensive item being completely poser-free is rather farfetched. Generally, one attracts the other, not the other way around. In any case, LFA production is limited, so safe to say you won't have to worry about Ferrari getting its poser crown taken away.

By the way, my commentary on Ferrari being a poser brand is actually just relaying the words straight from Ferrari salesmen. Of course, I guess that says more about the Ferrari brand than anything else. Certainly I view Lamborghini and especially Porsche as much less significant in poser market penetration than Ferrari. I will always remember a manager at Ferrari Wynn/Penske/LV telling me that he estimated around 90-95% of entry-level buyers (this was pre-California days) not even to know where the location of the engine was.

That said, I'm still going to pick up that stupid 360 CS I've always wanted. Even if Ferrari comes out with the FF and I burn all my Ferrari memorabilia in front of Maranello HQ.


You mean like real automotive opinion leaders moving away from Ferrari?

 

Agree 100% Henry.

This just damaged the brand imo.

Sorry Mike but you can't have it both ways. We've just spent the past 2 years discussing the ultra-selective process for being chosen to receive an LF A. If this is actually true, then the whole "selection process" is a complete sham and, as many of the haters have pointed out repeatedly, this car will go to lame *** celebrities who don't actually deserve them.

Wrong.

Part of the mystique of this car was that Lexus was going to hand select the 500 owners based on criteria other than their bank account or Q rating. If this report is actually true they've sold themselves out for celebrity exposure.

The haters are going to have a field day with this.....and rightfully so.

 

In some ways, I do question why LFA was sold to Paris Hilton when she will never be able to drive at 1/20th of its limits. She also has record of DUIs under her belt.

Maybe, his boyfriend was the actual buyer and the car is still in his name since he is making the payments??

 

I thought they were screening to avoid the car ending up in the hands of collectors who rarely drive it and keep it for the odd track outing. If 500 cars ended up the hands of people like that, the only time guys like me would see an LFA would be on TV.

Lexus' goal was to sell the car to people who will drive it, park it on the streets, make it visible to the people.

 

That's still wrong....and my point of why Lexus has sold out here.

Read gengar's post from above. All of that "hype" about exclusivity and putting the car into the hands of enthusiasts is apparently bs. He states that he didn't have to provide any information on how he intended to drive the car.

This lack of exclusivity bolsters the argument of all the hater's that it is overpriced. While I still admire the car itself, this could potentially blow up in Lexus' face.

 

I think this assertion is ridiculous. Even if Bin Laden got himself an LFA it wouldn't blow up in their face. It's just not important enough.

 

I may be out on a limb here folks, but I gonna say it. "It's just a car".

We here on the forums get all emotional about the LFA and hold it in very high regard. Who cares who owns these cars at the end of the day. The LFA is a fantastic car and is rare in every sense of the word.

Just keep in mind that when you have loads money, you can pretty much get your hands on almost anything as long as you have the funds. I for one, don't think cars should be something that are deemed so exclusive that we have to care who gets to own one.

This is just one car of many that are bought and sold every year. Yes, the LFA is special and we all would like to see it driven the way to the limit. To some, especially the wealthy, it's just another toy.

 

Agreed.

 

This is both a good thing and the problem.

 

Does paris hilton even like yellow?

Here's my conspiracy theory-
dude is broke, used Paris' money to lease it.
bought his favorite color, and when he breaks up with her, he'll take the LFA for himself.



anyway, consider the alternatives. They could've given one to Lindsay Lohan or Kim Kardashian.
could have been worse.