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By
DEREK OGDEN
13 October 2011
No
sooner had one set of Supercars, the V8s racers, fallen silent
after the Bathurst 1000 than another member of the V-cohort, this
time a V10, was fired up, firing up the enthusiasm of those who
were privileged to get close to them.
I was one of a select group of motoring media members to try out
the new supercar from Lexus, the LFA, in a chilly Melbourne. At
Sandown Raceway the Lexus was waiting to be sampled by the
traditionally cynical scribes.
In 2000 a dedicated team of engineers and designers set out to
produce a vehicle that would herald the essence of all future
Lexus models. The LF (A for apex) perches at the pinnacle of the
Lexus performance portfolio. Already the IS F and F Sport are
drinking from the well of LFA innovation.
About 65 per cent of the LFA’s body structure is carbon fibre
allowing surfaces to take on more sculpted surfaces than would be
possible using pressed metal panels. A case in point are the
curvaceous air intakes on the car’s flanks behind the doors.
The
remaining 35 per cent is aluminium giving the vehicle a light, yet
strong and rigid structure.
Powering the LFA is a high-performance 4.8-litre, 72 degree, V10
engine pumping out 412 kW (550 horsepower in supercar terms) of
power at 8700 rpm and 480 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm. The red line
is at an eye-watering 9000 revs.
With a rear mounted transaxle helping to create a 48:52 front/rear
weight distribution and a six-speed automated sequential gearbox
with steering wheel-mounted paddles, in ideal conditions this is
enough to propel the car from zero to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds. The
clock winds out at a top speed of 325 km/h.
Needless to say the LFA enjoys one of the most powerful braking
systems to be found on a production car. Carbon ceramic discs save
weight while delivering a top level of anti-fade braking.
During
a decade of development, the car’s prototypes were never far
from the racetrack, the Fuji Speedway in Japan and Nurburgring in
Germany, the latter throwing up almost every possible driving
situation.
In
August an LFA Nurburgring Edition ripped around the 21 km
eponymous circuit in 7 minutes 14.64 seconds, the fastest lap of
any series production vehicle.
The
cabin is designed to match the car’s speed with driver
information clarity. A lone instrument dial shines from an LCD
screen. The data can be reconfigured by means of a dash-mounted
toggle to present the most important info depending on driving
conditions: road or track.
For
the Sandown sprint, Lexus had flown in American race driver Scott
Pruett, a Lexus ambassador, to oversee the LFA track work. Pruett
is no stranger to Australia having won the Indy 300 on the streets
of Surfers Paradise in 1997.
With
media members behind the wheel and Pruett acting as navigator, the
car’s track credentials were measured against the Lexus F Sport.
The results were impeccable, they were found to be all in order.
To
say the V10 engine note was music to the ears is not so daft.
Lexus called on long-time partner Yamaha’s musical instrument
division to hone the intake and exhaust to give the cabin interior
concert hall acoustic response. Fine tuning results in a Formula
One aural experience.
On
a damp day, stability was second to none, the LFA sticking to the
Lexus script – driving feel (tick), power and steering response
(tick), enjoyment (double tick).
As
for Pruett, after a couple of laps appearing relatively laidback
with me, an unknown driver having all the fun, he turned and
graciously commented: “Nicely done.”
Safety features are in abundance, the supercar becoming the
world’s first passenger vehicle to include seatbelt airbags for
both driver and passenger. The chubby belts incorporate an
inflatable seatbelt with buckle-mounted gas inflator and separate
lap-sash belt. There’s also a driver’s knee airbag.
Active
safety is in the hands of a Sport Vehicle Integrated Management
system that co-ordinates ABS anti-skid brakes with brake force
distribution and brake assist with traction control and vehicle
stability control. Added to this is hill start assist to prevent
the car rolling back on setting off on inclines.
Don’t
expect to see LFAs on every street corner. Only 500 will be made
in the next few years – 10 are earmarked for Australia –
jealously guarding the vehicle’s exclusivity. Then there’s the
price – a wallet withering $750,000 each.
Nicely
done, indeed, Lexus.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
Lexus LFA V10 supercar $750,000
(Excludes dealer delivery, government and statutory charges and
optional extras)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 4805 cc
Configuration: 72 degree V type 10 cylinder
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Bore and stroke: 88 mm x 79 mm
Compression ratio: 12.0:1
Fuel type: 95 RON ULP (E10 suitable)
Fuel tank capacity: 73 litres
Maximum Power: 412 kW @ 8700 rpm
Maximum Torque: 480 Nm @ 7000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Transmission: Rear mounted six-speed automated sequential gearbox
and steering wheel-mounted paddles
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4505 mm
Width: 1895 mm
Height: 1220 mm
Wheelbase: 2605 mm
Front track: 1580 mm
Rear track: 1570 mm
Turning circle: 12.2 metres
Coefficient of drag: 0.31
Kerb Mass: 1540-1580 kg
Gross vehicle weight: 1750 kg
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent double wishbone, upper A-arm, double
lower arm, coil springs with aluminium remote reservoir monotube
shock absorbers
Rear Suspension: Independent, multi-link type, coil springs with
aluminium remote reservoir monotube shock absorbers
Brakes: (front) two piece carbon ceramic 390 x 34 mm cross-drilled
discs with six piston aluminium monobloc callipers
(rear) Two-piece 360 x 28 mm cross-drilled discs with four piston
aluminium monobloc callipers. Two mode Vehicle Dynamic Integrated
management with ABS, EBD, brake assist, traction control, vehicle
stability control, road angle camber sensor
Steering: Electric power-assisted high precision rack and pinion
Wheels: (front) 20 x 9.5J (rear) 20 x 11.5J
Tyres: (front) 265/35 R20 95Y (rear) 305/30 R20 99Y
PERFORMANCE:
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3.7 sec
Maximum speed: 325 km/h
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 16.7 L/100km, CO2 emissions 387 g/km
Emission standard: EU5
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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