2012 Lexus LFA
The 2012 Lexus LFA is an anomaly. That fact puts the LFA's performance on par with cars that cost less than one-third its price tag, running to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and to a top speed of 202 mph.A single-clutch six-speed sequential gearbox is an archaism in such an otherwise high-tech car, and well behind rivals sporting lightning-quick dual-clutch transmissions. Exotic bits like its 65-percent carbon fiber body, carbon-ceramic brakes and titanium exhaust tubing only serve to point up the pointless preeminence of engineering over any relationship to performance or price.
The 2012 Lexus LFA ranks 5 out of 5 Exotic Sports Cars. Unfortunately, most auto writers dislike the LFA’s six-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission. The cockpit of the Lexus LFA is both luxurious and high-quality. LFA buyers can choose from a multitude of available fabric and color combinations to personalize their LFA, and with just 500 planned for production, the added personalization only adds to the LFA’s exclusivity. “Several of them match or beat the LFA's performance at half or less the price.”
Nimble handling, strong brakes and a powerful, Formula 1-derived engine are high points for the "2012 Lexus LFA", although reviewers think there are a number of exotic sports cars that match the LFA’s performance at a significantly lower price.
The Lexus LFA features a 4.8-liter V10 that’s derived from a race engine used in Formula 1 cars. The LFA routes power to the rear wheels through a six-speed single-clutch automated-manual transmission.
The EPA reports that the Lexus LFA gets 11 mpg in the city and 16 mpg on the highway. Neither the federal government nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash tested the 2012 Lexus LFA.
Outrageously expensive, incredibly high-performance, and extremely limited in volume, the Lexus LFA is the very definition of a "halo car," built to highlight Lexus' engineering prowess and technical expertise as much as to entice super car buyers. Its masterful V-10 engine, high-tech carbon fiber body, and $375,000-plus price tag make it a car to be desired.
The LFA's transmission is also somewhat unique among the modern crop of super cars, eschewing both the standard manual transmission and the dual-clutch gearbox for a single-clutch six-speed sequential gearbox.
