Lf-a Roadster

[swfcdan]

what do we think then? looks great imo

Link to article

[Damer]

what do we think then? looks great imo

Link to article

Don't like the colour, but first impression is good.

[Rikos]

I like it reminds me of the 350Z at the front.

[T7RY B]

Lovi' the back en and the way those wheels completely fill the arches.

The Yanks will go potty for this

[aztecbandit1]

Really like that one, love the colour and the lines of the body work look spot on , all in all a nice package and not too over the top :D

[DJ Wozza]

All good but back end is slightly Starship Enterprise,

and agree with Rik front too close to 350z

I wouldn't say no tho if Lexus GB said here is one for free

[Bazza]

there is not a lot i dont like about that :)

[Tango]

But is it worth the £100K + asking price for a V10 Front engined, RWD?

[Parthiban]

But is it worth the £100K + asking price for a V10 Front engined, RWD?

I read it's not really front engined, as the engine is set really far back..........plus didn't a prototype version just set a new lap record at the nurburgring? That would make it worth it in my book as I assume that means it handles pretty well..........

Is it going to cost £100K? I suppose it's going to cost similar to the V10 R8 that's on the way, but this looks like it's going to be so much better!

[T7RY B]

But is it worth the £100K + asking price for a V10 Front engined, RWD?

If that is the price tag then I'm sorry but that is Aston Martin territory and I really don't think there is a comparision.

It's a beautiful car but at the end of the day it is a Japanese roadster. I don't think it goes in the Supercar bracket.

I would sooner have an Aston in my garage than this, if that was the money I was spending.

[swfcdan]

more info and pics here Autoexpress clicky

The lid has been lifted on the world’s fastest cabriolet. The Lexus LF-A Roadster combines 200mph performance and wind-in-the-hair motoring.

Making its debut at the Detroit Motor Show, the newcomer is an evolution of the LF-A Coupé that first appeared at the event in 2006, and was slightly revised in 2007. The Roadster gets the same 500bhp V10 engine and hi-tech construction.

At the front, it borrows many of its body panels from the fixed-roof model, with a low snout, dramatic swept-back headlamps and massive cooling inlets set into the bumper.

There are more air intakes in the LF-A’s flanks, while the back end is decorated with hi-tech arrowhead-shaped LED tail-lights. The cabin has also been carried over from the Coupé, and is fitted with lightweight bucket seats, together with instrument dials backlit in a cool blue.

The conversion to full convertible means the rear deck now gets two individual humps behind the driver and passenger. Stowed beneath this is the canvas roof – although Lexus top brass haven’t ruled out using an electric folding hard-top for production versions of the car.

In addition, there is an adaptive rear spoiler, which rises automatically at high speed to keep the Roadster firmly glued to the road.

In an effort to give the newcomer razor-sharp handling, engineers have strengthened the carbon and aluminium chassis further. And because the powerplant is mounted between the front axle and the passenger compartment, the model will offer near-perfect weight distribution.

The low centre of gravity – the Roadster stands only 1,220mm high – combines with race-tuned suspension to ensure the car delivers a driving experience to match the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Key to the Lexus’s appeal will be its straight-line performance. The 5.0-litre V10 engine produces more than 500bhp, and this is delivered to the rear wheels through a quick-shifting semi-automatic transmission. The set-up has fully automatic and manual modes, with the latter controlled by steering wheel paddle-s.

As a result, the LF-A boasts a max-imum speed of 200mph, as well as a 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds. And our spies have witnessed this potential first-hand – they caught a heavily disguised prototype (above) being put through its paces at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany.

It was recorded lapping in a time of less than eight minutes – which is similar to the fixed-head version. They also reported that the LF-A’s impressive speed is accompanied by a screaming engine note, as the highly tuned V10 revs all the way to a 9,000rpm red line.

Although Lexus has yet to give a firm date for the arrival of the first production models, the Coupé version should appear in showrooms here towards the end of this year. The LF-A Roadster is then likely to follow around 12 months later.

[LennyLexus]

But is it worth the £100K + asking price for a V10 Front engined, RWD?

If that is the price tag then I'm sorry but that is Aston Martin territory and I really don't think there is a comparision.

It's a beautiful car but at the end of the day it is a Japanese roadster. I don't think it goes in the Supercar bracket.

I would sooner have an Aston in my garage than this, if that was the money I was spending.

You would rather have a 100K ford?

this is extacly the sort of the stuff people said about the LS and S class in the late 80's/early 90's.

Maybe once this car is in production and been properly reviewed, it will be on my ultimate wishlist, and once the price hits the 40k mark..

[WylieCoyote]

Hmm, pretty. I like the colour and I'm all over the interior but wouldn't pay £100k+ for one. If it were priced more around the £70k mark then I think it may have a stronger following, but the fact is few people will pay that kind of money for a relatively mainstream model - I'd want a Ferrari or Lamborghini for that cash, not a Lexus.