Eddie Alterman at Car & Driver Magazine is the one that inspired the title... In one of his columns he refered to the new Lexus LF-A as the WTF. And I think there is good reason.
This car has been in development with Toyota for 10 years. The problem is that in the 10 years it has been in development, the targets have all moved. A LOT. Let's look at some specs...
- Nürburgring Nordschleife Lap in 7:24 (Toyota claimed)
- Top Speed is 202mph
- Curb Weight is 3263 pounds and power to weight is 5.9lb/hp
- 0-60 is 3.6 seconds
- Sticker Price will be between $350,000 and $375,000
Those seem to be impressive numbers, except for one thing... that price is out of line with the rest of the performance. There is also the matter of the styling, which has been compared to the Nissan GT-R... or a Supra that spent too much time in the plastic wing aisle at Pep Boys. It isn't that it is terribly ugly, but it just isn't unique.
Since we brought up the Nissan GT-R (I have trouble not refering to it as the skyline):
- Nissan claims a Nürburgring Nordschleife Lap of 7:26.7 (video confirmed)
- Top Speed is 193 (Nissan, but Motor Trend said 195)
- Curb Weight is about 3800lbs and power to weight is 7.9lb/hp
- 0-60 is 3.5 seconds (after March 2009)
- Sticker Price is between $80,000 and $90,000
Wow. A slight performance increase and a MASSIVE price increase.
Now, let's toss a third into the mix... Let's try a car more tuned for performance and a little less towards touring. The Corvette ZR-1:
- GM did a video confirmed Nürburgring Nordschleife Lap of 7:26.4
- Top Speed is 210mph
- Curb Weight is about 3352lbs and power to weight is 5.3lb/hp
- 0-60 is 3.3 seconds
- Sticker price is under $114,000
Now we have race...
But the big question for me is why did it take 10 years to develop this car? It would be one thing if is was amazing, but the only amazing thing about the car is the price. The lap time at The 'Ring is respectable, certainly. But it is barely beating cars that cost a fraction as much.
Some industry insiders say that part of the reason is that Toyota hasn't ever really tried to break ground. They take the ideas of others and tweak them... Even with the LF-A, the car that is to be their image car, it looks like another makers design.
I don't have a beef with Toyota. they are the number 1 carmaker in the world, they obviously can do some things right (current acceleration issues notwithstanding). But without a personality and a soul, why would someone spend $350,000 for a car that underperforms its peers while costing SEVERAL times as much.
Unless otherwise noted, all content of this blog is the property of Lane Bailey, ©2012 Lane Bailey.
I'd love to hear from you...
Nice looking car Lane, I think I'll take three of them.
I think that they are going after a niche market with that one! You can say the same thing about Ferrari and Lamborghini compared to the ZR-1 or the GT-R. Similar performance for a lot less $. I'm sure that that it will be a nice car though!
Lane, That Lexus is pretty darn good looking to me! The price is a little scary though....
This brochure was on my Lexus sales woman's desk when I bought my RX. She say they are only building 400 and there is a 20+ page application one has to complete to be put on the waiting list!!
Pretty smart marketing!!!
My impression of Japanese business is that they do not innovate so much as improve and make things marketable to the mass market. I know there are probably a lot of exceptions to this. However, this is a big step for Toyota that is a basically conservative company, no wonder it took so long.
Yep. I sure do hate to be the first one with this powerful new Toyota but I know you want to go with me to pick it up, eh? Of course it's yellow. (And you thought you were home from fantasy land? I'm living it for just a minute or two so indulge me.) In truth it's the first Lexus ever to actually catch my eye. I know a lot of people will grimmace but I put the Lexus and the iPhone in the same category: the "so what" category. This baby, however, did make me say hmmmmmm. And I'm not talking Mmmmmazda.
I've got to jump in here...
Ken - It is nifty looking, but I'd rather have an RV, a Corvette ZR1 and a new house. I could pay mine off and still have money for gas for the other toys... It is nifty looking, though.
Stephen - It will be nice, but the problem is that the money doesn't add up... The comps are too low.
Susan - Nifty...
Wallace - They are making 500. The list is out.
Gene - There are some groundbreaking cars from Japan... But, there are a lot of copy and improves, too.
Lane - The performance numbers are pretty stout but so is the price tag and the look is ok but for that kind of investment I would be purchasing a Lamborghini, Ferrari or even a heavily used and abused Saleen S7. For that price I can buy a ZR-1, a Z06, a CT-V and Escalade and still have money left to spend at Lingenfelter for a supercharger pulley upgrade and a computer retune.
Lane * I heard the application was multiple pages and the screening was onerous....for a car !!!???!!! I wonder if they do leases?
Lane, WOW!! What a price tag I think I will pass and as you said it is not that outstanding look wise. I like our RX330 better and $300,000.00 less akes me like it that much better.
Sam - I'd go the Lingenfelter route...
Wallace - No idea...
Don -That is the Lexus "bread and butter" you are driving...