To mark the European debut of the Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Lexus put together a truly spectacular video, albeit with no actual in-motion footage. Click the photo below to be taken to the mini-site:
I imagine this would have been used as a video introduction to the vehicle’s unveiling at Frankfurt, and it’s hard not to get excited about this concept all over again. I can’t wait for the production announcement.
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Also included in this small LF-A Roadster mini-site is a PDF brochure, which is jam-packed with interesting information, including this blurb about the F-Logo:
The Lexus LF-A Roadster is the latest car to be unveiled by our high-performance F-Marque division. Developed at Fuji Speedway and the Higashi Fuji Technical Centre, our two-seat supercar concept combines technological sophistication, leading-edge engineering and unparalleled refinement. To recognise the special role of Fuji in the project, the new “F” logo design integrates some of the most demanding corners of the Mount Fuji track.
This is the first time I’ve seen it mentioned that the F-Logo actually incorporates elements of the Mount Fuji track right in the actual design. Top-notch.
After a while, auto show photos of a specific model tend to blend in to one another, but Flickr user Luc Bernard managed to bring something new to the table with his photo of the Lexus LF-A Roadster, all stark contrast and saturated color:
There’s been a lot of disappointment that a production model of the LF-A wasn’t shown at the Detroit Auto Show, but it shouldn’t take away from this roadster version. It manages to maintain Lexus’ gift for subtlety (at least by supercar standards), I just can’t get enough of it.
It’s nice to see a purely car-focused video of the Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept show up, even if it suffers from the usual Youtube quality issues:
I’m still in shock at how quickly I took to this concept. I wasn’t necessarily the biggest LF-A fan to begin with, though in comparing the two versions, I think it’s similar to the issue that I had with the IS-F. Previously, the LF-A was only shown in super-bright silver, which made it rather generic. In this red, there’s a much better feel, it’s much more impressive.
My only real complaint with the LF-A is the nose, I would prefer to see it with a grille.
Update: Here’s another video, this time from the LA Times. Though it’s quite short, it has the best voiceover:
More video of the LF-A Roadster Concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show has emerged, this time up it’s Autospies, with an interview with Lexus event manager Brian Bolain(no video embedding, click here to watch the video.)
I really believed that this concept was something that would fast-track to production, perhaps as part of a simultaneous release with the LF-A coupe, but Brian Bolain was quick to discourage any such thought. Instead, the LF-A Roadster still has to go through the “standard design process”, and it could be years before it’s available. Not the best news, really.
Still, I think there’s more to this than what’s been said. While the LF-A Roadster may still be years away, there is a certain model in the Lexus lineup that could utilize much of the same styling…
The first video of the Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept has been posted by Car & Driver to Brightcove (no embedding allowed, click here to view the video.)
It’s a short video, but it’s still great to see the rear-adjustable wing in action. I could have done with less of presenter Dave Vanderwerp’s questionable disappointment and more time with the car itself, but this is just the first video of many more to come.
There’s more than a few photo galleries sprouting up of the Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show, but the most comprehensive I’ve seen so far is at Autoblog.
There’s times when the official manufacturer photos make a car seem utterly flawless, but this super-convertible looks even more impressive in Autoblog’s photos. It has a real otherworldly look to it, as though you could fold the wheels in and take flight.
It usually takes me a while to warm up to concept cars, but in this case, it’s basically love at first sight, and I don’t even like convertibles.
Be sure to check out Autoblog’s full gallery of the LF-A Roadster, it’s well worth your time.
The suspense of the blue-tarped Lexus concept only lasted a few hours, as it was unveiled as the LF-A Roadster Concept, a convertible version of the LF-A and absolutely beautiful in red.
The LF-A Roadster has the same front-mid engine layout as the LF-A, which places the engine between the front and rear passengers, and will be powered by the same V-10 capable of 500+ hp and speeds of greater than 200mph. It also retains most of the LF-A’s look, though slightly more polished and potentially closer to the final production version.
It’s also a interesting concept in more than just appearance and power, but for now, let’s just leave it with a photo gallery and Lexus’s official press release:
Update: Added all of Lexus’ official images to the photo gallery.
Austalian website Drive has posted an interesting article about the Lexus LF-A, including some further verification that the car’s being delayed until the engineers can reach a top speed of 220mph:
As for when the Lexus LF-A will appear in dealerships, the company hasn’t set an exact date yet.
But Lexus insiders suggest the car’s on-sale date has been delayed while the company fine-tunes everything from styling to performance.
It’s believed Lexus is targeting a top speed for the LF-A of 350km/h, ensuring it’s viewed as a serious supercar contender against more fancied brands such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini.
Currently, overseas reports have the LF-A nudging 330km/h, which is apparently not good enough for Lexus engineers.
Development cars spotted testing at the Nurburgring track in Germany also show a car with a high-mounted rear wing, suggesting the LF-A could be fitted with a retractable rear wing that rises at higher speeds and sinks into the boot at city speeds.
I wonder if the recent rumor of the LF-A setting a new record at Nürburgring is an indication that the engineers have been successful.
Also, I think an automatic rear wing that adjusts itself depending on that car’s speed to be an excellent idea. I was previously unimpressed with the look of it, but in this context it makes much more sense.
If Japanese magazine Holiday Auto is to be believed, the Lexus LF-A has put in a dominant performance on Nürburgring, lapping the track in 7:24. If true, it would make the LF-A the fastest production car to run the ring.
This comes on the heels of Pagani Zonda F setting the record in October of this year, with a 7:27:82 lap, which bested the Porsche Carrera GT by just two tenths of a second.
A very impressive feat, but it’s going to take something a little more official before I believe it.
When the same-old Lexus LF-A concept was displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show instead of the expected production model, it was a clear sign that something was amiss in the supercar’s development. There’s no official word, but according to a Winding Road source, there’s certainly been some bumps in the road:
Rumblings from inside Toyota suggest that some key engineers have actually been pulled off the program to deal with other tasks as Toyota’s global drive continues.
The idea of building both V-10 and V-8 gas-electric hybrid versions must also be causing a few sleepness nights. Lexus is also reportedly having trouble getting the LF-A to meet its target 350 km/h (218 mph).
A source also says that the business plan is predicated on building just 26 a month, which suggests that the LF-A is meant to be very, very exclusive.
The article goes on to suggest that the LF-A won’t be seen until 2009, meaning the development could stretch throughout next year. It’s hard to fault the logic, if the car’s not ready, there’s no point releasing it, but you have to wonder why Lexus chose to promote the car so heavily. Really, though, I wish they had shown the same restraint with the LS 600hL…
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