The Unicorn Has Appeared: My Encounter With The Lexus LFA

"Torque Affair" (torqueaffair) 08/23/2015 at 12:50 • Filed to: LEXUS LFA

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I didn’t really know what to expect when I heard that a colleague of mine just bought an LFA. I knew about the existence of this gazillion dollar Lexus from seeing it on Top Gear a couple years ago but that was about it.

Virtually no one owns one so needless to say I have never seen it in person. It’s so expensive and so rare that you’re more likely to get struck by lightning than actually see one out on the road.

The few people that do own one of the 500 cars built probably keep the car cooped up in a temperature-controlled garage with a security guard watching it at all times.

Drive a $400K Lexus? Never!

So, clearly, you can imagine my excitement when I saw this thing in person.

I think I was expecting to be blown away but for some reason I wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong - it has supercar written all over it and is unmistakably conspicuous, but it just didn’t strike me as a car that should cost $400K. I don’t know what a car this expensive should look like - maybe I was expecting something a little edgier with a bit more of a wow-factor to it.

Maybe, it was the fact that it was a Lexus. Although, to be fair, the only indication that this car is a Lexus product is the signature “L” slapped on the front end. It’s easy to overlook this when you see the car with most people having no clue of what this even is.

Oh, is this the new Supra??

How could Lexus, the manufacturer of such dull and uninspiring cars, build such a monster?

The LFA is bold, imposing, and one of the fastest cars around the Nurburgring with its gigantic V10 producing over 550 hp leaving you no doubt that this is indeed a true technological achievement.

To make that happen, Lexus had to keep it light and so you’ll notice all the carbon fiber the LFA is made of. Even the hood prop is carbon fiber. Think about that for a second - clearly cost was of no concern in the creation of this LFA.

I would love the opportunity some day to be able to work on a project with limitless funding.

What’s a budget?

Did I mention that carbon fiber is everywhere?

Besides all the carbon fiber inside the car, there isn’t much in the way of gadgetry. There are some luxuries like power seats, seat heaters, navigation and a rear-view camera, but, overall, the LFA has a minimalist and “function over style” feel to it. You won’t find too many gizmos or buttons to push. That was unfortunate for me since I had less things to play with, unlike the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

I did find this one button, however, carefully hidden away, that you can push to raise or lower the spoiler.

Despite the lack of excessive bells and whistles, this feature was kind of fun. The center dial, which is entirely digital, moves back and forth across the dash.

Watch the video to see what I mean.

The generally unadorned interior is complemented by a ride that’s unforgiving. You would think that a $400K Lexus should have a more supple ride, but the LFA can get away with it. And I’m not saying that because it is one of the fastest cars ever put into production.

You also don’t care that the LFA has almost no space to put anything that you might want to store somewhere. If you’re looking for a place to put your phone, sunglasses, man-purse or leftover tacos, your only option is a little area behind the seats. Or you could throw it up on the dash since it’s so wide and kind of resembles a shelf. If you want to put a third person in the car, they could just lay sprawled out on the dash.

You also can’t take the LFA to the golf course to impress your buddies because there’s just enough room to put in a laptop bag.

But who cares about practicality with the LFA?!

Incidentally, while taking this picture, I almost burned my legs off - the radiators are located in the back, below the taillights, and they get scorching hot.

At this point, you might think that I’ll say that none of the drawbacks with the LFA matter because it is such an incredible car on a race track. I’m sure that’s the case, but that’s not why I think that nothing else matters. There is one reason why you don’t care about any of the shortcomings of the LFA.

And that reason is because the LFA is the best sounding car ever created. The noise that this car makes is unbelievably astounding. And what’s more is that the LFA sounds just as good as it does from inside the car as it does outside which is almost never the case - and here’s what I mean.

The vast majority of the cars made today tend to sound way better from the outside as an observer than they do when you’re actually in them. And that’s because modern day cars have way too much insulation in them and very little thought is put into making the engine sound good to the car’s occupants which ends up being a disappointment. For example, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has a cabin that’s so quiet that you think you’re driving a Tesla instead of a car that is powered by massive twin turbo V8. Even the 550’s aftermarket exhaust is barely audible!

When you do encounter a car that sounds good on the inside, it still doesn’t compare to what it sounds like outside the car. And that’s exactly the reason why I often enjoy watching high performance cars being driven than actually being in them because you get to hear the true exhaust note.

The LFA, on the other hand, provides the same amount of aural pleasure regardless of whether or not you’re in it. The V10 exhaust noise is so utterly wonderful that you would think that you’re in an older F1 car.

Don’t believe me?

Watch this.

All the effort Lexus put into making the car sound the way it does totally pays off because it provides a one-of-a-kind driving experience; the Yamaha audio engineers perfected the sound that the drivers hear.

They essentially viewed the engine as a musical instrument and the driver as a performer to determine how the engine should sound based on the driver’s input. This chart captures it all (pulled from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ).

That is so cool. Why can’t all cars be designed this way? Obviously, they don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and hire the best acoustic engineers in the world to make this happen, but couldn’t they just have a summer intern figure out how to build some tubes to direct some of that sound into the car. Is that too much to ask?

Because the LFA sounds so good, you’ll want to drive the car all the time. It’s not as beautiful as a Ferrari 458, or as flamboyant as an SLS AMG, but it’s a car whose engine will provide your ears with the most beautiful music that you’ll ever hear. Any time you’ve had enough of your spouse’s nagging, go for a drive in your LFA and lose yourself in its melodious tones.

Oh, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy its magnificent agility, power and performance too.

Speaking of magnificence, I’m already missing this car - I think I need to pay him another visit.

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for Michigan > Torque Affair 08/23/2015 at 13:53

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Nice write up.

May be a little nitpicky, but at 4.8 L, the LFA’s V10 isn’t really “gigantic”. Considering 5.0 L is about average for V8s, I’d even call the LFA’s engine small.

ThePenguin > Torque Affair 08/23/2015 at 14:32

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This engine... Every time I hear it I get the fizz.

Nice write-up!

Torque Affair > ThePenguin 08/23/2015 at 15:23

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Thanks for the compliment!

Torque Affair > for Michigan 08/23/2015 at 15:23

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Thanks! I was referring more to the V10 than the displacement when saying “gigantic” but I see what you mean.

Hobbes.drives.an.A5 > Torque Affair 08/23/2015 at 15:54

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Great write-up and thank you for recording that engine note!

I love the LFA, it’s absolutely my unicorn. I live in London, which is supercar central (for example, I went for an 18k run this afternoon and saw two Aventadors). But, I’ve still not seen an LFA...

If money was no object I would hunt down one of the rare right-hand drive LFAs and drive it sooooo much!

Torque Affair > Hobbes.drives.an.A5 08/23/2015 at 16:07

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Thanks for the kind words! Haha, unfortunately it always comes down to money! Good luck finding one. There’s got to be a couple of LFAs in London at least!

Nauraushaun > Torque Affair 08/23/2015 at 17:36

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It’s so damn cool that oppo knows a guy with an LFA. Great write up!

Torque Affair > Nauraushaun 08/23/2015 at 17:40

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Hah, thanks! Got lucky!

Xander, Proud of BOXER > Torque Affair 08/23/2015 at 20:14

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That instrument panel is now in nearly all F-sport and F models. Best gauges in the market now but they don’t work so well at -40 F.

hike > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 17:17

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I don’t care for Lexus. I don’t care for the looks of this car. However, that engine is a masterpiece and I’d put it in my list of top 5 engines I’ve heard. Absolutely incredible. Only sound I like more is that of the Porsche Carrera GT. Every enthusiast should get to hear one of these in person.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 18:23

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I love the LFA and how it sounds, and wish I could own one eventually, but to me, gray on this car leaves a lot to be desired, I would repaint it yellow or blue.

granted if someone were to give me an LFA or even sell one for cheap with the string attached that I couldn’t repaint it, I still wouldn’t turn it down.

WhiskeyGolf > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 18:56

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Great write up. What do you do so that a colleague can afford something like this? And why don’t you have one? :P

Torque Affair > WhiskeyGolf 08/30/2015 at 19:03

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Hahah, thanks much! He has had businesses on the side that have funded this I think. Whatever he is doing is working really well!!

904 GTS > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 19:58

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A truly GREAT car with much appreciated, quite understated appearance for those who really do not want a flash factor associated with an exceptional driver. Still very much admired by those who know and those who do not know, it does not matter anyway...

Rand0nS > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 22:10

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That car truly needs an aftermarket exhaust.

Apex Assassin > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 22:54

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How could Lexus, the manufacturer of such dull and uninspiring cars, build such a monster?

To showcase all the F1 technology from it’s Toyota F1 project that wasted about $400mill a year failing in F1.

I personally love this car. I’m not in love with it looks or price, but the symphony that is that v10s exhaust combined with the 9k redline... like “hike” has already said, it’s the and the Carrera GT for top spot of the best sounding road cars. No shock both engines are F1 derived.

Autofixation > Torque Affair 08/30/2015 at 23:24

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My sister is an acoustical engineer, I’ll see what she can do for the exhaust of the more peasant type cars.

JDIGGS > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 01:55

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I have a pic I saved on my phone from a local guy on msg board, he spotted a grey one w nurburgring package, so amazing looking.

Torque Affair > Autofixation 08/31/2015 at 06:10

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Yes please! That would be amazing.

carzcarzcarz > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 09:32

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Love the music coming out of here! One of the best sounding engines for sure

F1fan > hike 08/31/2015 at 10:02

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I also prefer the Carrera GT’s engine note even though its very similar to the LFA.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 10:10

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This has to be one of my all time favourite cars - that engine is incredible. The first and only time I saw one was when I was having lunch and I heard a shriek from down the street. I half-thought it was an LFA and then realised it was when it rushed past the restaurant window on dealer plates. So the second I finished, I headed to the only place in my area that sold supercars and there it lay, yellow and smelling of burnt rubber and venting heat from those huge radiators. Such an amazing car.

The Night Crawler > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 11:55

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great engine, too bad it’s in such an ugly car. And once again, Toyota does not have enough pride in itself to call it Toyota, instead to badge it as one of their sidebrands? Shame

CraiginAustin > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 12:13

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I saw this pull up to the Roaring Fork on Thursday. Parallel parked on the street next to us po’ folks. Really striking, but the girls I was with didn’t even notice it. I was pretty interested because I have never seen on in the flesh. Also stunned that owner is under 40. Cheers to him and his success!

JDIGGS > Torque Affair 08/31/2015 at 15:42

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dug it up from my near ends of its life iphone,

21014971886_040b32ab48_o.jpg

Torque Affair > carzcarzcarz 08/31/2015 at 19:00

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Definitely! Love it.

Torque Affair > CraiginAustin 08/31/2015 at 19:03

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ah you saw him! Yeah, he worked hard for it so definitely deserves it.

CraiginAustin > Torque Affair 09/01/2015 at 09:44

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I would be curious about what kind of responses he gets with that car. I suppose most people will just see a Supra with a body kit. I wonder if it is as under-the-radar as it seems.

Wheelerguy > Torque Affair 09/06/2015 at 10:30

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LFA... 458... LFA... 458... LFA... 458...

OK, I’ll take both, but the first three bases go to the sexier of the two, which is the Italian. The rest ? To the LFA. You know why (and I wanna keep the Fezza virgin, too, at least for a bit more time).

Also... those two cars are the only ones from their tier that I know has three-gun turrets at the back.

Torque Affair > Wheelerguy 09/06/2015 at 10:32

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I would pick the LFA purely because of the fact that it sounds so freaking amazing. Check out the 458 exhaust sounds - although quite good, not quite as good as the LFA!

Wheelerguy > Torque Affair 09/06/2015 at 10:38

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Different strokes, I guess.

But like I said, I’d have both. The only difference is in the degree of intimacy.