High-Revving Engine
At the heart
of the LFA lies a specifically developed V10 engine that sets new automotive
standards for compact dimensions, lightweight architecture and scintillating
performance. From the outset, Tanahashi and his engineers determined the LFA's
front mid-mounted powerplant would have a 4805 cc capacity, would develop 552 hp
and rev to a wailing 9,000 rpm redline. It would feature a 72° angle between
cylinder heads - the perfect angle for both primary and secondary balance in a
V10 engine for incredibly smooth running characteristics. It would be naturally
aspirated for a linear and predictable power delivery, with exceptional throttle
response from individual, electronically controlled throttle bodies for each
cylinder.
It would feature a dry sump lubrication system that would not
only position the block deep within the engine bay to lower the center of
gravity and lower the car's moment of inertia, but also enable the engine to
handle sustained, high-speed cornering. And it would deliver exceptional
mid-range responsiveness as well as a powerful top-end performance.
The
V10 powerplant generates 354 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm. The application of
VVT-i variable valve timing with intelligence on both intake and exhaust
combined with equal length exhaust manifolds and high-volume 12-hole fuel
injectors results in 90% of this formidable torque being available between 3,700
rpm and the 9,000 rpm red line, for searing in-gear acceleration at any engine
speed and in any gear. The result is a 0 - 60 mph (96km/h) time of just 3.6
seconds and a top speed of 202 mph (325km/h) - exhilarating performance from a
bone fide supercar.
Drawing on its motorsport experience (the LFA
competed in the grueling Nürburgring 24 Hours race in Germany in both 2008 and
2009) the LFA team also engineered the powerplant with a track-oriented dry sump
system. This system not only allows it to withstand sustained cornering forces
in excess of 2G - a fundamental requirement of high speed, race track
performance - it also significantly increases oil cooling efficiency.
Each cylinder features an independent, electronically controlled throttle body
to ensure engine intake air takes the shortest and most efficient route. It
features prioritized control logic functionality: an innovative system that
estimates the intake air volume based on the throttle pedal angle, allowing it
to calculate the appropriate fuel injection volume far more quickly than any
conventional system. The result is an engine that responds incredibly quickly to
even the smallest and subtlest inputs from the forged aluminum, floor-mounted
throttle.
So successful was this low-friction program that the engine can
rev from idle to its 9,000 rpm redline in just six tenths of a second - an
inertia-free flexibility derived exclusively from the team's race-borne
engineering skills. This necessitated the need for a digital rev counter, since
an analog system simply could not keep pace with the engine's incredible ability
to gain and lose revolutions.
Lightning-Quick Automated Sequential
Gearbox (ASG)
The V10's explosive performance is managed by an
equally advanced transmission. The LFA's specifically developed all-new,
six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) drives the rear wheels through a
torque-sensing Limited Slip Differential, and is mounted in transaxle layout
over the rear axle to achieve an optimal, 48:52 weight distribution.
Operated by steering wheel column-mounted paddle shifters, the ASG transmission
works hand-in- with the engine to help put the driver in full control even under
the most extreme driving conditions. Fitted with micro polished gears for
precise gearshifts and to reduce gear whine, this intelligent transmission is
engineered to execute incredibly quick gearshifts, and can upshift in just 0.2
seconds.
In addition to the traction-enhancing limited slip differential,
the ASG transmission also features four driving modes - AUTO, SPORT, NORMAL and
WET - actuated by a dash-mounted Mode dial. Featuring specific gearshift
programming, each mode has its own engine and brake control logic systems,
allowing the driver to select the mode best suited to under-tire conditions.
Formula 1-Inspired Soundtrack
"The Lexus LFA is a car with
relentless power delivery and an accompanying exhaust note to give you goose
bumps," enthuses its chief engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi. He and his team have
enhanced and fine tuned the acoustics of the LFA's ground-breaking V10
powerplant to deliver an awe-inspiring soundtrack - from idle note to red-line
wail - for those both inside and outside of the cabin.
The LFA's acoustic
team studied the unmistakable soundtrack generated by a Formula 1 car at maximum
revs. By emphasizing the secondary combustion frequency of the LFA's engine and
then introducing primary, secondary and tertiary firing harmonics, Tanahashi and
his team created a signature exhaust note unlike that of any other road car.
This incredible soundtrack that significantly enhances the sensation of
acceleration and speed was only made possible by meticulously tuning the LFA's
multi-stage exhaust system. The left and right banks of the engine feature
separate, equal-length, large diameter exhaust manifolds that not only enhance
high-rev torque levels but also create a crisp and harmonious sound quality.
After exiting the catalytic converters, the separate left and right exhausts
flow through a smaller silencer box and then into the main multi-stage silencer
housed behind the rear transaxle gearbox.
Ceramic Brakes
Appropriate to the immense power of the high-revving V10 engine, chief engineer
Haruhiko Tanahashi and his team have equipped the LFA with one of the most
advanced and powerful braking systems fitted to a production car. "In order to
go, you have to be able to stop," explains Tanahashi, "and we have engineered
the LFA's brake system to give any driver the confidence to explore speeds in
the realms of 202 mph (325km/h)."
While the LFA development car that
competed in the 2008 and 2009 Nürburgring 24 Hour races used conventional iron
brake discs, Tanahashi initiated a switch to advanced Carbon Ceramic Material
(CCM) brake discs. These offer a vital weight saving - each CCM disc is 11 lb
(5kg) lighter than the previous iron discs - that significantly reduces unsprung
weight to the benefit of steering precision and dynamic agility. Compared to
conventional iron brake discs, CCM discs also deliver exceptional fade-free
braking for confidence-inspiring performance under even the most demanding of
driving conditions.
LFA's Track-Tuned Suspension
The LFA
rides on a new, high-performance, double wishbone front and multi-link rear
suspension layout, developed after extensive work at the Nürburgring
Nordschleife, to deliver clear and vital steering and chassis feedback to the
driver, perfectly balancing on-the-limit capability, exceptional levels of grip
and secure high-speed stability.
Manufactured from aluminum, the hollow
suspension members are stiff and strong enough for track work, this rigidity
effectively controlling tire contact patch and toe angle when cornering,
delivering excellent cornering control, both at initial turn-in and mid-turn,
and exceptional levels of outright traction.
The two independent lower
wishbones feature an H-beam profile rather than a traditional I-beam for added
strength. They shorten the offset of the virtual kingpin axis from the tire
centerline for excellent road compliance and neutral response in all driving
situations. The straight extended arms reduce unwanted suspension movement for
exceptional grip over undulating surfaces, while the aluminum, remote-reservoir
monotube dampers are the same as those fitted to the LFA Nürburgring 24 Hour
race car.
Exterior Design
Sleek, athletic and muscular, the
low-slung LFA coupe exudes supercar style from every curve and angle.
Dictated by its front-mid engine layout, long wheelbase and short overhangs,
sophisticated aerodynamics and snug, low-slung cabin, the LFA's coherent lines
flow from roof to sill in a seamless convex to concave line. As well as its low
weight and high strength, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) also gave the
LFA's designers a far higher degree of design freedom, allowing them to create
shapes, curves and edges that would have been impossible with metal.
The
LFA's clean styling is also free of token fripperies, reflecting both the
L-finesse approach to uncluttered design and the mechanical purity that lies
beneath its composite skin. Its numerous air-intakes and aerodynamic features,
for example, fulfill a functional role first and an aesthetic role second - a
clear example of form following function in the L-finesse idiom.
The LFA
features advanced lighting systems: piercing, bi-Xenon high-intensity headlamps,
complete with wiperlinked jet cleaners are complemented by a trio of high
visibility LED brake lights.
Designed not to interrupt the clean lines of
the LFA's flanks, its letter-box style door handles are secreted in the door
uppers, and, in a similar move, the LFA features a double-blade, single-sweep
wiper with a consistently generous wipe area. The car's glazing also came under
the weight-saving scrutiny of the LFA's engineering team, which opted for
ultra-thin 0.2 in (4.76mm) laminated infrared-reducing green glass for the front
screen and tough lightweight polycarbonate resin glass for the rear quarterlight
windows and the partition that separates the cabin from the luggage bay.
The LFA's rear features a striking exhaust baffle with a
trio of stacked exhaust outlets. Finished in heat-resistant black coating, this
stainless steel baffle offsets the polished rims of the exhausts. It also
features an imperceptible gap between the exhaust pipe and the baffle to enhance
its technical appearance.
The LFA Cockpit
Swinging open the
LFA's doors reveals a dramatic low-slung cockpit that has been intelligently
designed and hand-assembled with the finest materials to reflect the car's
driver-centric dynamics. The intimate two-seater cabin has been conceived at
every stage - ergonomics, acoustics, materials, comfort, versatility and
visibility levels have all been painstakingly engineered - to put the driver at
the center of the driving equation.
The cabin is logically divided into
three zones. The first is the mechanical zone, the skeleton that emphatically
underlines the LFA's supercar performance. Next is the human zone, the seats to
support occupants even during extreme driving. And finally the driving zone, the
instrumentation interface that brings driver and machine together. The LFA's
leather-wrapped seats are orthopedically designed with a split rear backrest,
pronounced side bolsters and eight-way electric adjustment to deliver both
superb long-distance comfort and outstanding levels of support.
Adopting
a mid-front engine layout created the ideal longitudinal position for the seats
- at the center of the vehicle's wheelbase and laterally as close to the car's
center as possible, a position that allows the driver to feel and respond
intuitively the changes in the vehicle's behavior. Creating a narrow center
tunnel to house the horizontally stacked torque tube and exhaust pipes allowed
the LFA's engineers to position the seats as low and as close together in the
chassis as possible, further enhancing driving control and pleasure.
The
hooded instrument panel takes center stage. Despite its compact dimensions, its
advanced technology enables it to deliver an exceptionally high level of
information to the driver in a clear and logical manner. It combines a Liquid
Crystal Display panel with a color Thin Film Transistor and a motor-driven
movable ring. The single central circular dial combines Lexus sophistication
with the cutting edge precision befitting a 325km/h supercar.
The central
tachometer runs to 10,000rpm and features a fast-reacting LCD needle designed to
exactly replicate the V10 engine's insatiable appetite for revs. Housed within
the dial are the digital speedometer, gear indicator, transmission mode, vehicle
control data, trip information displays and Tire Pressure Warning System
display.
Displaying this data on the color TFT LCD panel delivers
superior visual clarity in even the brightest of conditions. The acrylic lens in
the metal ring is composed of multiple layers to create an advanced,
three-dimensional appearance. The overall appearance of the meter changes
according to the vehicle's mode, acting as an unmistakable reminder to the
driver of the mode in which the car is operating.
When the engine speed
exceeds 9,000rpm, the tachometer display area turns red to prime the driver for
the next upshift. The display area can also be set by the driver to change
illumination - to either yellow or green - when the engine speed reaches a
user-selected range.
Only 20 Made per Month
The Lexus LFA will be hand-assembled at the LFA Works at Motomachi plant in
Toyota City. Only 500 examples will be built, at a maximum rate of just 20 per
month to ensure peerless build quality and attention to detail during the
customization process. Assembled by a single engineer, each V10 engine will bear
his signature, a testament to the LFA's bespoke nature.
The Lexus LFA
Nurburgring Edition
Lexus offers a limited edition Nürburgring
Package to LFA customers. The 4.8L V10 engine for Nürburgring Package equipped
LFA's will produce 562 horsepower, 10 more horsepower than the standard
high-performance LFA. The gear-shift time has been reduced by 0.05 seconds to
only 0.15 seconds for even faster gear changes.
The
Nürburgring Package is limited to only 50 units out of the 500 LFA
hand-assembled for global distribution. It will also have a sport-tuned
suspension, exclusive black mesh-type wheels and dedicated high-grip tires for
better handling. The LFA Nürburgring Edition will also have a larger front
spoiler and fixed rear wing for improved high speed down force.
This
limited edition LFA will be available in four exterior colors - whitest white,
orange, black and matte black complemented by a choice of three interior colors
- black, red, and violet. All come with a carbon fiber center console and door
trim. The Nürburgring Package will carry a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price
(MSRP) of $70,000. Matte black will carry an additional cost of $20,000.
In addition to the Nürburgring vehicle specifications, a
package of special privileges is included in association with the Nürburgring
course itself. The perks comprise, but are not limited to, private parking,
co-pilot ride, one night at the Lindner Congress and Motorsport Hotel
Nürburgring, private training with Nürburgring chief driving instructor, a
Nürburgring branded jacket, as well as a one-year annual pass valid for driving
on the Nordschleife and admission to ring-werk leisure park.
Lexus LFA: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications