Japanese supercars are not something you see every day—even in L.A., where exotic cars inundate the streets of Hollywood. Even more rare? Seeing not one, but two Lexus LFAs in Costa Rica. At an event marking the brand’s 30th anniversary in the country, we got to do more than just see the 10-cylinder supercar. Toyota’s exclusive distributor in Costa Rica, Javier Quirós, lent his orange and red LFAs, and we got a ride in one of them with pro driver Roger Yasukawa at the wheel.
Here are five of the coolest things we learned about the Lexus LFA.
The Sounds is Spectacular
Thanks to its naturally aspirated Formula 1-derived 4.8-liter V-10 engine, the LFA sounds amazing. I’ve never heard a car that sounded this good. Ever. The growl is so pronounced and natural, I was getting goosebumps in the nearly 90-degree weather. The note from the triple exhaust gives you chills, and the more you push it, the better it sounds. Although Yasukawa didn’t get even close to the 9,000-rpm redline, the sound was simply spectacular.
Great Grip
The few tight curves we drove showed off the rear-wheel-drive car’s excellent grip. The tires stick to the ground really well, and the suspension does a good job balancing the car. You can feel the car leaning into the corners in a natural way, and the LFA always felt stable. I’m sure Yasukawa could have pushed it more, but you have to be careful on Costa Rican public roads.
It’s Quick
I was just as surprised as you are when I read that the Nissan GT-R beat the LFA in a 0-60 mph MotorTrend comparison back in 2010. Although that was most likely because of the GT-R’s all-wheel drive (and its ability to launch quickly), the Lexus wasn’t that far behind (3.8 seconds for the LFA versus 3.5 sec for the GT-R). But the LFA soon caught up; it barely beat the GT-R in the quarter mile (11.8 seconds at 123.7 mph for Lexus and 11.9 seconds at 120.1 mph for Nissan). On the road, the LFA is pretty quick, but it wasn’t mind-blowing. Perhaps it would be a different experience at a closed racetrack, where there’s no speed limit or traffic to worry about.
Muscle Power
With 552 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, the LFA is a beast. Every time Yasukawa stepped on the gas, my back would push hard against the seatback. The six-speed auto-clutch manual transmission felt sharp, and the shifts produced the sensation of being inside a race car.
500 Units, $375,000 Base Price
This isn’t something I learned from riding in the LFA, but it’s staggering that there are only 500 units in the world, and each of them had an MSRP of at least $375,000. The car I rode in had a VIN of 14, and that was because Mr. Quirós’ racing team raced with that number. Rumor has it he didn’t get VIN 14 at the beginning but somehow managed to pull strings to get it. Sometimes things work out really well.
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