Who says production cars never look like concepts? Even though the Lexus LFA was seemingly one of the longest running concepts in automotive history the pic below shows how little it has changed from the concept.
I came across a picture of the original LFA concept by chance in a 2006 copy of Autocar, which confirmed the car was heading for production. The images themselves were from 2005 when the car was unveiled at the Geneva show, although the project had been rolling on since 2003.
Styles and tastes may change very rapidly when it comes to car styling but the Lexus has doggedly stayed with the original shape. Personally I quite like the brutish, functional and unusual lines of the LFA but there is no doubt it has a hint of the now dead Celica about it.
Incidentally, the shape may have stayed the same but the price certainly didn’t. Word had it in 2006 the car would cost around £80,000, but that has ballooned to an almost unbelievable £343,000, putting this Lexus out of reach of even some Ferrari customers.
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re: Back to the future with the Lexus LFA
Oh, and on the subject of badge prestige over a car's personal talents - this thing pretty much galvanised Japanese manufacturing talent and all of the companies involved showcase their involvements in their own trade stands elsewhere in the Arena.
This car isn't really 'just' a Lexus, it's like the best Japanese engineering firm in every section of the discipline coming together to showcase their talent, and if it's as good as it's purported to be then, badge aside it's more than qualified to wear its price tag.
Oh and of course if you can afford to buy it, then you can probably not need to care enough about anyone simple enough not to know what it is thinks.
re: Back to the future with the Lexus LFA
I've just seen this at the Tokyo Motorshow, in the flesh.
DROP. DEAD. GORGEOUS.
So far out of my league, but if I ever needed an excuse to save, this would be it.
re: Back to the future with the Lexus LFA
Who on earth is going to spend 350k on a lexus??
I seem to remeber the NSX not selling despite the genre defining handling / quality / performance and reliability.
Hmm. Lexus or a well speced Ferrari 599 plus an RS6 for the family outings??? .... let me think....