SludgeFactory
Platinum Member
- Sep 14, 2001
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Much of the car is constructed from carbon fiber, that's about all I can point to as justification for the cost. The stuff's expensive. Apparently Toyota chose to handle all of that in house, including the tooling to make the carbon fiber components, when most anybody else would have contracted it all out. I guess the hope is that some of that expensive R&D will eventually show up in future Toyota products.So what's so geeky about this LF-A, or special features that would it heads and shoulders above other super cars, and warrant that price tag?
A lot of racing-inspired aero/engine/transmission/brake design went into the LFA and drove up the cost too, but Ferrari did that with the all-aluminum 458 as well, and it's $100K less expensive. That Lexus V-10 does sound incredible though.
The LFA's 3260 lb curb weight is not impressive. Toyota is claiming the carbon fiber monocoque saves them 220 lbs over an all-aluminum design, but come on, a true supercar with exotic materials with that price tag shouldn't be much more than 3000 lbs. A lighter car would have posted better performance numbers, 'Ring times, etc., without so many people scratching their heads while comparing it unfavorably to a 458 or even a GT-R.
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