[wohho]

The 2011 Lexus LF-A has been cruising around Nurburgring lately, but this is the first time I've seen a video of it - It sounds amazing, like an F1 car.

http://jalopnik.com/382729/2011-lexus-lf+a-closeup-video-from-nurburgring

 

[HoosierRon]

So if Buick is supposed to be GM's Lexus fighter, does that mean the LF-A will be competing against ... ummm... what... the Lucerne Super?:blink:

 

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

As far as the sound, it would make sense if Toyota was leveraging their F1 experience to offer the consumer an F1 car for the street. And for the wing? ALMS would seem most logical to me. Perhaps as an LMGT1 car. Not sure if Lexus is considering an LMP1 or LMP2 car for the ALMS.

 

[redTT]

Toyota's F1 experience isnt anything to crow about.

 

[mbukukanyau]

I do not like it

 

[genjy]

Looks about the size of a Gallardo and with a hint of Supra-ish lines.

It does sound like a race car... holy Jesus.

 

[coaster.n3rd]

Camaro sounds better.

http://jalopnik.com/382802/the-new-chevy-camaro-can-make-a-soundgasmic-video-at-the-nrburgring-too

 

[genjy]

The Camaro makes that hi-performance v8 gurgling sound. The LF-A's is more like a high-revving exotic engine sound.

Good stuff.

 

[vsd]

So if Buick is supposed to be GM's Lexus fighter, does that mean the LF-A will be competing against ... ummm... what... the Lucerne Super?:blink:

Buick has proven to be as much a Lexus fighter and a drunk little league dad trying to fight Mike Tyson.

 

[void.crusader]

So if Buick is supposed to be GM's Lexus fighter, does that mean the LF-A will be competing against ... ummm... what... the Lucerne Super?

I always thought Cadillac represents GM in luxury/luxury-sport segment.

 

[genjy]

I always thought Cadillac represents GM in luxury/luxury-sport segment.

Buick started targeting Lexus in the early '00s. The Rendezvous and the Lacrosse were supposed to be RX and ES competitors. When the Lacrosse failed, the Lucerne took its place as the ES fighter.

Buick's revival wasn't strong enough to take it to Lexus' level, basically.

 

[void.crusader]

Buick started targeting Lexus in the early '00s. The Rendezvous and the Lacrosse were supposed to be RX and ES competitors. When the Lacrosse failed, the Lucerne took its place as the ES fighter.

Are people actually cross-shop these Lexuses and Buicks? Think not. I've never seen comparo between them either.

 

[genjy]

Are people actually cross-shop these Lexuses and Buicks? Think not. I've never seen comparo between them either.

GM seems to think so.

I have seen the Lacross and the Lucerne being mentioned as alternatives to the Lexus ES in more than one GM press releases.

Anyway, Lexus' rival is Caddy. Buick is still hovering around Lincoln-Mercury country.

 

[chaseabryant]

GM seems to think so.

I have seen the Lacross and the Lucerne being mentioned as alternatives to the Lexus ES in more than one GM press releases.

Anyway, Lexus' rival is Caddy. Buick is still hovering around Lincoln-Mercury country.

They also had that annoying woman comparing the Equinox and the RX330....

It is actually a pretty impressive sounding vehicle, like mentioned, pretty exotic sounding. I would really like to see this thing uncovered completely.

-Chase

 

[roteague]

I guess the engineers that Toyota sent to steal Ferrari secrets succeded.

 

[redTT]

I guess the engineers that Toyota sent to steal Ferrari secrets succeded.

How so they still havent proven anything both in their performance road cars and in their F1 racing.

 

[void.crusader]

I guess the engineers that Toyota sent to steal Ferrari secrets succeded.

It was McLaren, not Toyota. They were fined $100 mln for that.

Meanwhile "Toyota F1 team" consists of mostly Italian and French engineers, the only asset provided by TMC is money.

 

[redTT]

It was McLaren, not Toyota. They were fined $100 mln for that.

Meanwhile "Toyota F1 team" consists of mostly Italian and French engineers, the only asset provided by TMC is money.

Toyota engineers convicted of stealing secrets from Ferrari

Posted Apr 25th 2007 11:28AM by Noah Joseph

In most countries, acts like murder, treason, or plotting to overthrow the government rank among the most heinous crimes a person can commit. In Italy, stealing secrets from Ferrari ranks right up near the top of the list, too.

Following a long, drawn out process, two former Scuderia Ferrari engineers, who stood accused of stealing secrets from Maranello and giving them to rivals at Toyota F1, have been convicted. Pending appeal, Angelo Santini was sentenced to nine months and Mauro Iacconi to 16 behind bars on charges of industrial espionage.


Back at the start of the 2003 season, Toyota built a wind-tunnel down the road from Ferrari in Sant'Agata Bolognese, near the Lamborghini factory. Naturally the project recruited the talents of many former Ferrari engineers, but when the season kicked off, Toyota's car looked suspiciously like Ferrari's. Complaints were filed in Italy and in Germany, and the case against Santini and Iacconi went to court a year ago. Toyota's former team principal, chief designer and chief aerodynamicist were all charged in Germany, where the case against them is pending prosecution.


It seems that Toyota will stop at nothing to catch up to Ferrari, and when hiring a Schumacher didn't work, less legal means were employed.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

 

[AG3]

I think that video is showing the race version with the big rear wing...

This older clip shows the road version...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0m9FaT2Ltk&feature=related
Sounds almost the same, but not as high-pitch.

High-reving 5.0 liter V10 producing over 500hp... sounds more BMW Motorsport than Ferrari.

Anyway, Lexus' rival is Caddy. Buick is still hovering around Lincoln-Mercury country.

I agree... the only Lexus that would probably rival a Buick would probably be the ES350, and this model is only sold in selected markets.
Lexus's new global models are all positioned against the BMWs, Mercedeses, Jaguars and Audis... these are also the same cars Cadillac is targeting in the global market.

 

[void.crusader]

Toyota engineers convicted of stealing secrets from Ferrari

Back at the start of the 2003 season, Toyota built a wind-tunnel down the road from Ferrari in Sant'Agata Bolognese, near the Lamborghini factory. Naturally the project recruited the talents of many former Ferrari engineers, but when the season kicked off, Toyota's car looked suspiciously like Ferrari's.

Oh, I see, I just thought about more recent scandal at 2007 when McLaren-Mercedes was stealing from Ferrari.