Top Gear: Lexus LFA

[penner2k]

Originally Posted by Eclypz

With only 500 units for the world to share, You're paying for exclusivity and rarity.
With quantities that low, price becomes irrelevant anyways. Whether Lexus sets the MSRP for $40K or $400K, we still can't get one, because some rich bastard will pay hundreds of thousands for one anyways.

I would put money on it that in 40 years if someone owns a Zr-1 and the Lexus the ZR-1 will actually be worth more.

[Z3guy]

the fact people are talking about the LFA in the same breath as Ferrari.......Toyota has won......

[$_$]

Originally Posted by Z3guy

the fact people are talking about the LFA in the same breath as Ferrari.......Toyota has won......

Exactly. Pricing and number of units alone were enough to get LFA being talked about at the totally exotic level. Rich Japanese guys would no doubt buy numbers of these just because it is the highest level vehicle you can get while still supporting your country. A Korean man would do the same with Hyundai.

[Timpo]

Originally Posted by T.H.C

Exactly. Pricing and number of units alone were enough to get LFA being talked about at the totally exotic level. Rich Japanese guys would no doubt buy numbers of these just because it is the highest level vehicle you can get while still supporting your country. A Korean man would do the same with Hyundai.

Not exactly,

Japanese people do not have sense of supporting their country by buying their own cars.

It was a big news in Japan when Toyota decided to launch Lexus...and Japanese people immediately got interests in luxury cars. So they decided to buy BMWs and Mercedes. I think the sales of BMWs and Mercedes got up by 70% or something.

To Japanese people, Japanese cars have some sort of uncool factor, too ordinary, and you can't brag about owning one. They would rather buy European cars if they're paying luxury car cash.

[skyxx]

^ That's why they would rather drive a Mustang than a GTR and that's a fact.

[Lomac]

Originally Posted by EndLeSS8

Pretty sad that Top Gear was being a complete badge-whore on this one.
If it's a great car, it doesn't matter what brand it is. GTR, ZR1, Viper, LFA, they're all great cars.

Originally Posted by Timpo

yeah...because GT-R is only a Nissan, so Corvette and Viper are GM and Chrysler.

I think you're missing the point he was trying to make. Apart from the very odd model, Lexus' model line up has always been much like Toyota: Well made, great resell, and generally very reliable. They aren't known for making exciting cars. In Europe especially, where diesels reign king, they're even less exciting than here. As a result, people who look for a luxury sports saloon invariably end up looking towards BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc; you know, companies that have a history of making powerful, sporty sedans. However, Lexus here has suddenly broken the mould and introduced a car that's much, much more expensive than anything they've ever produced. Think of it as Volkswagen and their attempt at the S-Class and 7ser crowd when they released the Phaeton. It was a fantastic car, but it was out of the brand name's reach. Who would pay $100,000+ for a Volkswagen when you could buy an Audi A8L or BMW 745i instead? Clarkson is saying much the same with the LFA. It's not that the LFA isn't a brilliant car; rather, it's the image associated with the brand.

[EndLeSS8]

Originally Posted by Lomac

I think you're missing the point he was trying to make. Apart from the very odd model, Lexus' model line up has always been much like Toyota: Well made, great resell, and generally very reliable. They aren't known for making exciting cars. In Europe especially, where diesels reign king, they're even less exciting than here. As a result, people who look for a luxury sports saloon invariably end up looking towards BMW, Audi, Mercedes, etc; you know, companies that have a history of making powerful, sporty sedans. However, Lexus here has suddenly broken the mould and introduced a car that's much, much more expensive than anything they've ever produced. Think of it as Volkswagen and their attempt at the S-Class and 7ser crowd when they released the Phaeton. It was a fantastic car, but it was out of the brand name's reach. Who would pay $100,000+ for a Volkswagen when you could buy an Audi A8L or BMW 745i instead? Clarkson is saying much the same with the LFA. It's not that the LFA isn't a brilliant car; rather, it's the image associated with the brand.

The LFA is to Lexus as the NSX was to Honda.

Unfortunately, people can't respect that, no matter how extraordinary that is.

I've owned an NSX, and if I was filthy rich, I would consider buying the LFA

[Timpo]

Originally Posted by skyxx

^ That's why they would rather drive a Mustang than a GTR and that's a fact.

well, no Mustangs aren't that popular in Japan, I'm talking about European cars.