Lexus LFA- Discussion, Pictures & News (new colors gloss black, blue, yellow)
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With the Yellow LFA rocking S001's (as I mentioned) it would be hard for me to believe that those are not the final versions..
Production starts next month.. So tires need be done by now..
Joe Z
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Thanks for the updates, gengar. Really appreciated! 
So the media have been testing the LFA with production-spec'd tires all along then. It's only Ferrari that "cheated" the media testing game by sending their 458's with tires that are not equipped as sold. LOL.
So all the LFA prototypes we STILL see running around the 'Ring to this date are there for a good reason--those guys are really still working on last-minute adjustments! But if they are working to reduce the shift times further, one has to wonder: why don't they just use the transmission of the Nurburgring Edition, which already shifts 0.05s faster than that of the regular LFA? Did they originally plan to "cripple" the regular LFA's transmission just to make the Nurburgring Edition look superior in one more way and therefore worth the hefty premium, but now decide that they need to make the regular LFA shift as well as the Nurburgring Edition can, just so it can keep up with the new competitions that have shown up since the official debut last year? What was preventing them from giving the regular LFA the best transmission they've had in the first place anyway?
Good to hear they're addressing the smoothness issue though.
LOL.
Lexus is still making tons of adjustments to the LFA... reprogramming of various features happens on a weekly basis based on ongoing testing. For example, the most recent reprogramming was with the transmission, so that shift times have actually decreased while greatly improving shift smoothness especially in automatic mode.
But if they are working to reduce the shift times further, one has to wonder: why don't they just use the transmission of the Nurburgring Edition, which already shifts 0.05s faster than that of the regular LFA? Did they originally plan to "cripple" the regular LFA's transmission just to make the Nurburgring Edition look superior in one more way and therefore worth the hefty premium, but now decide that they need to make the regular LFA shift as well as the Nurburgring Edition can, just so it can keep up with the new competitions that have shown up since the official debut last year? What was preventing them from giving the regular LFA the best transmission they've had in the first place anyway?Good to hear they're addressing the smoothness issue though.
Last edited by Mister Two; Nov 3, 2010 at 06:36 PM.
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I doubt all the prototypes are running on their final tires. Maybe the yellow one, but the others from before maybe not. Maybe in the newer tests the S001's were final, but who knows. I would think they would have stickier tires than that. Maybe the S001's they are on were just placement tires and the newer tires are on now. I thought I saw a picture with the LFA having different tread than before.
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Gengar's post was full of nice surprises. Great news on the transmission and hopefully they will adjust the spoiler angle as well for high speed acceleration and give the driver the option to retract it whenever the driver wishes to in cases such as highway cruising etc.
The only exception the S001 news is disappointing.
Like I had metioned in my previous posts, Potenza tires in general just are not considered up to the Michelin and Pirelli highest end tire standards. The proof is in all the high-end exotic cars using Michelin and Pirelli tires (GT2, GT3, Turbo S,458, GTO etc.). No matter how custom-made they are, they just don't have the R&D that Michelin and some other brands have.
I wish Lexus had picked Michelin as the tire supplier.
The only exception the S001 news is disappointing.
Like I had metioned in my previous posts, Potenza tires in general just are not considered up to the Michelin and Pirelli highest end tire standards. The proof is in all the high-end exotic cars using Michelin and Pirelli tires (GT2, GT3, Turbo S,458, GTO etc.). No matter how custom-made they are, they just don't have the R&D that Michelin and some other brands have.
I wish Lexus had picked Michelin as the tire supplier.
I doubt all the prototypes are running on their final tires. Maybe the yellow one, but the others from before maybe not. Maybe in the newer tests the S001's were final, but who knows. I would think they would have stickier tires than that. Maybe the S001's they are on were just placement tires and the newer tires are on now. I thought I saw a picture with the LFA having different tread than before.
Last edited by 05RollaXRS; Nov 3, 2010 at 09:30 PM.
Thanks for the updates, gengar. Really appreciated! So the media have been testing the LFA with production-spec'd tires all along then. It's only Ferrari that "cheated" the media testing game by sending their 458's with tires that are not equipped as sold.
Good to hear they're addressing the smoothness issue though.
So the media have been testing the LFA with production-spec'd tires all along then. It's only Ferrari that "cheated" the media testing game by sending their 458's with tires that are not equipped as sold. Good to hear they're addressing the smoothness issue though.
the thing is, as of now lexus doesn't have any tires as option for the lfa. otherwise, they should definitely use others
Gengar's post was full of nice surprises. Great news on the transmission and hopefully they will adjust the spoiler angle as well for high speed acceleration and give the driver the option to retract it whenever the driver wishes to in cases such as highway cruising etc.
The only exception the S001 news is disappointing.
Like I had metioned in my previous posts, Potenza tires in general just are not considered up to the Michelin and Pirelli highest end tire standards. The proof is in all the high-end exotic cars using Michelin and Pirelli tires (GT2, GT3, Turbo S,458, GTO etc.). No matter how custom-made they are, they just don't have the R&D that Michelin and some other brands have.
I wish Lexus had picked Michelin as the tire supplier.
The only exception the S001 news is disappointing.
Like I had metioned in my previous posts, Potenza tires in general just are not considered up to the Michelin and Pirelli highest end tire standards. The proof is in all the high-end exotic cars using Michelin and Pirelli tires (GT2, GT3, Turbo S,458, GTO etc.). No matter how custom-made they are, they just don't have the R&D that Michelin and some other brands have.
I wish Lexus had picked Michelin as the tire supplier.
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If that blue LFA in the 7tune writeup is the same one we've seen at FSW, then the interior has been redone.
Very quick notes from SEMA before I hop on my plane:
Pictures and any stuff I forgot later.
Very quick notes from SEMA before I hop on my plane:
- Factory tour at Aichi is a go, tentatively scheduled to begin in January... official details in the next week or two
- All LFA buyers in the US will get to attend driver training in an LFA at Infineon (details to come much later)
- LFA will definitely have bespoke Bridgestone S001s - so the information I got at Joliet was probably miscommunicated somewhere along the line
- Still working out the details/pricing for ceramic brake replacements. So far they've only changed brake pads and tires even on the Pearl Gray LFA.
- Lexus is still making tons of adjustments to the LFA... reprogramming of various features happens on a weekly basis based on ongoing testing. For example, the most recent reprogramming was with the transmission, so that shift times have actually decreased while greatly improving shift smoothness especially in automatic mode.
- The 5-spoke CEC wheels on the LFA at SEMA are 21" and weigh around 20lbs. Aluminum forged, from Italy.
Pictures and any stuff I forgot later.
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Just because the LFA is going to have S001's doesn't mean they are the same S001 tires that have been on the demo cars. It's a possibility, but I don't think so. I just say this because according to Lexus Europe's twitter, they state the LFA in their tests run low 7:20's on the ring, and the Nurburgring edition will be even faster than the race car, approx. same weight, slicker tires presumably than regular LFA and non-restricted engine. There's no way the LFA race car would be that much faster than a production LFA, even with wider race tires. I feel the wing angle is the only thing that's slowing the LFA down. 550+HP is enough to push any car to 180, 190mph. Another thing that makes me feel they changed the angle on purpose was the drag coefficient found by AutoZeittung compared to what Lexus's claim is. You think Lexus gave a drag number with the wing not raised?
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That is the only plausible explanation.
SportAuto measured LFA's coefficient of drag:
With spoiler retracted: 0.34 (close to the 0.31 Lexus claims)
With spoiler raised: 0.398
The downforce measured by SportAuto at 200 km/h on LFA was far higher than that of other supercars, which was 32 kg of downforce over the rear axle. Again, remember 32 kg at only 200 km/h. At 300 km/h, the downforce must be astronomical. I am sure LFA weighs 4100 - 4200 lbs at 290 - 300 km/h.
SportAuto measured LFA's coefficient of drag:
With spoiler retracted: 0.34 (close to the 0.31 Lexus claims)
With spoiler raised: 0.398
The downforce measured by SportAuto at 200 km/h on LFA was far higher than that of other supercars, which was 32 kg of downforce over the rear axle. Again, remember 32 kg at only 200 km/h. At 300 km/h, the downforce must be astronomical. I am sure LFA weighs 4100 - 4200 lbs at 290 - 300 km/h.
Just because the LFA is going to have S001's doesn't mean they are the same S001 tires that have been on the demo cars. It's a possibility, but I don't think so. I just say this because according to Lexus Europe's twitter, they state the LFA in their tests run low 7:20's on the ring, and the Nurburgring edition will be even faster than the race car, approx. same weight, slicker tires presumably than regular LFA and non-restricted engine. There's no way the LFA race car would be that much faster than a production LFA, even with wider race tires. I feel the wing angle is the only thing that's slowing the LFA down. 550+HP is enough to push any car to 180, 190mph. Another thing that makes me feel they changed the angle on purpose was the drag coefficient found by AutoZeittung compared to what Lexus's claim is. You think Lexus gave a drag number with the wing not raised?
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Brett Foote
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You can fix that by tilting the wing 'back'. I don't think the LFA is going to be a slow straight line car past 150mph. I'd trust Lexus's drag coefficient before I would a magazine's. If they say it'll hit 202mph I believe them. Hell, Tanner Foust even said that wing probably cost him 8mph. And he hit 184- that's 192mph on a runway with a good bit of wind. Tilting the wing back wouldn't hurt cornering, it'd help top speed. A wing is a wing. It's going to make downforce regardless. The LFA's whole body does this, not just the wing. The flat underbody, the front end, the sidepods, the diffuser... fixing the angle on the wing wouldn't hurt the LFA at all IMO.
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I hope they will completely optimize the LFA by the second production year.
You can fix that by tilting the wing 'back'. I don't think the LFA is going to be a slow straight line car past 150mph. I'd trust Lexus's drag coefficient before I would a magazine's. If they say it'll hit 202mph I believe them. Hell, Tanner Foust even said that wing probably cost him 8mph. And he hit 184- that's 192mph on a runway with a good bit of wind. Tilting the wing back wouldn't hurt cornering, it'd help top speed. A wing is a wing. It's going to make downforce regardless. The LFA's whole body does this, not just the wing. The flat underbody, the front end, the sidepods, the diffuser... fixing the angle on the wing wouldn't hurt the LFA at all IMO.
i thought it's in the market already. but indeed, ps2 is still dominating everything. iirc, it also took a while for ps2 to catch up and take over the original ps
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You can fix that by tilting the wing 'back'. I don't think the LFA is going to be a slow straight line car past 150mph. I'd trust Lexus's drag coefficient before I would a magazine's. If they say it'll hit 202mph I believe them. Hell, Tanner Foust even said that wing probably cost him 8mph. And he hit 184- that's 192mph on a runway with a good bit of wind. Tilting the wing back wouldn't hurt cornering, it'd help top speed. A wing is a wing. It's going to make downforce regardless. The LFA's whole body does this, not just the wing. The flat underbody, the front end, the sidepods, the diffuser... fixing the angle on the wing wouldn't hurt the LFA at all IMO.
I wonder why Lexus can't make the LFA's wing angle dynamically adjusted according to the speed and steering angle like the Veyron does though--the mechanism is already there! Just look at 4:19 of the video, where you can see that the rear arms of the spoiler continues to raise the angle of the wing when the front arms have already stopped moving. So all Lexus have to do is make the already independently-motorized rear arms partially retractable!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5R-oi91bd4
Last edited by Mister Two; Nov 4, 2010 at 09:29 AM.
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I don't think so. All LFAs regardless of production dates should be technically considered the same car, with the same model year... unless they want to compensate the owners who are getting later production dates with a more optimized car, which I highly doubt.