The Tokyo Motor Show has proven to be a very influential and interesting happening. At the Chiba City event, currently in its 41st incarnation, Lexus has recently unveiled their first supercar, the LFA V-10. Scheduled for a 2011 release, it features a naturally aspirated V10 displacing 4,805cc. Due to a triple-alloy (aluminium, titanium and magnesium), the engine is actually lighter than a V8. A roaring 560hp and a top speed of 325km/h (0-100km/h in 3,7 seconds) makes the Lexus a surprisingly competitive effort from Toyota.
The engine is not the only thing that’s surprisingly lightweight. The whole affair weighs in at only 1,480 kilos, thanks to the use of a cabin made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The interior is entirely customizable. Suggested minimum prices are €250,720 with the domestic Japanese market having to shell out almost €272,000.
My thoughts? Well… the design is a bit inconsistent, they have overdone the slits and jagged lines in my opinion. I also think it’s just a little bit overpriced. On the other hand, it is quite impressive that this is the first time Toyota has built a V10 (as opposed to what Nissan did with the GT-R which was just a re-engineering job). But then again, the whole affair just feels like a prestige builder. We’ll see how well it sells. What do you think?
