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No profit in £343k Lexus LFA

28 October 2009

Your Say

Toyota won’t make any money from the Lexus LFA, which was finally revealed at the Tokyo show after six years in development.

Just 500 LFAs will be produced, selling for €375,000 (£343,000) apiece, and the car is packed with technology, including the bespoke engine with a 9000rpm redline. Powered by a 552bhp 4.8-litre V10, the LFA hits 62mph in 3.7sec and has a top speed of 202mph.

The car makes extensive use of carbonfibre-reinforced plastic for the chassis construction and body panels. Virtually everything on the LFA is new, with just five parts of the LFA common to other Toyota and Lexus products.

The high cost of development and construction means Toyota will likely make no profit, but insiders say this was not the aim of the project. The brief was to create a halo car for the brand.

Just 17 LFAs will be sold in the UK, says Toyota, although Lexus has already taken two orders.

However, if demand proves to be higher in Britain, Lexus is prepared to adjust supply. The car will be sold in Europe’s only LFA dealership in London’s Park Lane. The cars will be made at the Motomachi factory in Japan in two phases — 2011 and 2012. So anyone who has already placed an order has a while to wait.