Lexus LFA... price?

I hear they sold out, so it seems to have been OK.

 

They are advertising this car on TV and in billboards in LA. If they are sold out, then it proves this entire thing was a big PR stunt and not a serious attempt to enter the super car market.

 

Please explain?

 

Well, why would you place ads up if the car is sold out? For PR to help sell the Lexus brand.

My point is that I don't really think they intended to compete against Ferrari or Aston or McLaren or Lambo or Bugatti. They just want to promote the Lexus brand.

There's nothing wrong in that. It's just more of a marketing gimmick than a serious change in the super car market.

I'm sure the car is excellent. I'm not knocking the car. But, anyone thinking Lexus is going to be around selling super cars 3 years from now is not understanding the situation.

You don't sell super cars on Billboards on freeways. In fact, it's more of a turn off to someone paying 400 grand for it. Ford did ONE TV ad for their car -- and showed it once at the super bowl. I think GT40 owners would have been less than satisfied if they saw the GT40 on ads on LA Freeways right next to Coors light.

 

They apparently haven't sold out yet -- the "U.S. allocation was increased" according to a recent NYT article. But, it probably will, in which case the price has to be viewed as "reasonable" in a pure economic sense.

As far as the value, I wouldn't buy one for several reasons:

1. The technology in the car isn't all that leading edge -- especially the gearbox, which as I understand isn't even a modern dual clutch design but more of an automated manual that apparently doesn't work that smoothly.

2. I can't accept it as an investment or collectible car, with all the digital TFT dash and other stuff that seems destined for obsolescence. In its defense, Toyota is only building 500 or so, apparently. That would at least keep it scarce.

3. The design is pretty generic. At least Honda tried with the NSX. The LFA design feels like an afterthought.

4. The performance is obviously top tier, but it doesn't seem like it would run with a new Porsche 997 Turbo, for example.

5. This is pushing into Ferrari F40 territory. Would you rather have a Lexus LFA or a Ferrari F40? (Granted, buyers at this level could probably have both.)

 

That is an excellent point...

I would bet that after the warranty, the maintenance costs are probably similar too.

 

I know Lexus loses money on each one they sell...like the Veyron I suppose. The engine in that car as amazing but there is just no way I would pay $375k for one when there are so many other more appetizing choices.

 

Agreed

 

I'm happy the car was made, any V10 supercar is ok with me regardless of the price!

 

Yah but I would expect a super model to have a prettier face.
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I don't know, I actually like them alot. And they sound INSANE.

 

+1

 

over priced... and I have no problems getting one... dealer just wants a massive deposit because they are afraid they are going to get stuck with it

 

It really is a styling bore.

A massive nonrefundable deposit?

I could see that -- this is a difficult environment to speculate in new cars.

 

You can see the marketing department's influence here. Clearly they wanted some stying cues to the Lexus line. When Honda did the NSX, there were no such restrictions and certainly their solution was not only better looking but more successful.

I believe that Honda really wanted a piece of the super car market when they did the NSX. I'm sure they thought they would be making and selling super sportscars for a very long time.

I don't believe that with Toyota. To me, this is simply an exercise in demonstrating what they can rather than a serious thrown down to super car makers.

Does that taint the car? No. But it means it's not going to be much of a big change in the overall business. They will sell 500 of these and move on to the next PR stunt.

 

It's a cool looking car from the side. But the rest of it, for $400k, no thanks.

Why can't the Japanese automakers just hire an Italian design company to conceptualize their vehicles?

RMX

 

LFA is more like model replacing Supra model not worth the 375k price tag, IMHO I'll use 375k on Ferrari 360 Stradale / 16M Scuderia and still have some $$$ left over for mods.

 

Nailed it...

I like your idea.

 

Because the Italians will just hire some Japanese to do their work.

 

i do think its overpriced and incredibly ugly, but i will admit, if it had an aston martin body and interior i would probably take it over most anyhting else in that price range

 

Seems to me the car never had a chance at finding any acceptance from the majority of this forum, kinda saddens me to be honest.

 

Mostly car enthusiasts here. Maybe it's the wrong board.

That sums it up.

The GTR isn't my cup of tea either, but in that price range it's just kind of a nerdy but reasonable alternative to the usual Porsche 997/Merc SL/BMW M6 products that aren't all that exciting anymore.

The competition at $375K, though, is immense, including some serious classics (Daytona coupe, 330 GTC, etc.) that don't have instruments from a Nintendo.