Even though Lexus has recently reported that the LFA is just about ready to be sold out completely, it looks like that story isn't quite over yet. We know because now there has been a NEW LFA spotted making its way around the Nurburgring.
Painted in an interesting, bright blue, this LFA is WAY more intriguing than the standard car and the Nurburgring Edition. It's all about the subtleties, folks.
Please take a closer look at the venting on the exposed, carbon fiber hood. The modified, quad exhaust that now exits under the vehicle's taillights. How about that MUCH more aggressive read diffuser. Most importantly, the one element folks haven't reported and/or realized is the way THIS specific LFA sounds.
Up until now, the LFA has been noted for its high-pitched V10 sound. This blue LFA though completely lacks that high-end squeal. It's definitely a V10 but sounds more akin to a Audi R8 V10 5.2 or Lamborghini Gallardo. This leads me to believe that this car has some extensive modifications.
Any thoughts on the Superleggera-inspired black stripe added to the side profile?
Spies, discuss!
Lexus LFA 'Final Edition' Spotted at the Nürburgring
At its launch in late 2009 Lexus confirmed that its over-the-top supercar, the two-seat, V10-powered LFA, would be limited to just 500 units in total and that the cars would be painstakingly assembled at the rate of just 20 per month. At that rate, production of the LFA is slated to end in December of this year.
While Lexus has never mentioned that it was planning any more versions of the LFA beyond the regular model and track-focused Nürburgring edition, it being one of the automaker’s greatest achievements means it deserves a proper send out. That farewell may just come in the form of an extreme ‘Final Edition’ model.
A mysterious Lexus prototype sporting manufacturer plates has been spotted racing around the Nürburgring. On initial glance it looks just like the previous Nürburgring Edition but a closer inspection reveals some new elements that suggest this is an even wilder version.
Apart from the bright new colour, the prototype has an additional air intake on its hood, subtle boot-lid spoilers and quad exhaust tips instead of the regular three-pipe, triangular design. In fact, the exhausts have even been moved up to just below the tail-lamps to make way for an aggressive diffuser integrated into the rear bumper. There’s also the letters “AD-A” plastered on the prototype’s flanks and both its hood and roof has been left unpainted, exposing the car’s pretty carbon fibre weave.
Given the modifications to the exhaust system, we suspect there is a revised engine under the hood, one that’s almost certain to be pumping out significantly more than the 552 horsepower, 4.8-litre V-10 found in the regular LFA. The six-speed sequential transmission of the LFA is likely to have been reprogrammed for faster shifts, and more weight-saving measures probably employed as well. Throw in a revised suspension setup and we could be looking at a LFA capable of lapping the Nürburgring-Nordschleife even quicker than the 7:14.64 set by the Nürburgring edition.
Late last year reports emerged claiming Lexus was planning a new special edition of the LFA that would feature an unpainted roof. The car was dubbed the ‘Tokyo Edition’ due to its expected reveal at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show – but there was no such model. Could this be the car? A possible ‘Final Edition’ perhaps?
It’s also been reported that Toyota’s motorsports partner Toyota Motorsports GmbH (TMG) based in Cologne, Germany, will be called on to develop a range of new performance models for both the Toyota and Lexus brands. However, a spokesman for TMG has confirmed that this wild LFA prototype is not one of his company’s projects.
Lexus testing the exclusive 'AD-A' version of their LFA V10-powered supercar on the Nürburgring Nordschleife
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