We were lucky enough to be invited to Claus Ettenberger’s CEC boutique in west LA for a special announcement event last night. What was the big news? CEC is going to produce a product line for Lexus vehicles, starting with the LFA supercar. According to Mr. Ettenberger his firm will build three CEC edition Lexus LFA’s featuring CEC wheels and other custom carbon fiber pieces on the inside and out. The only area CEC will not touch is the engine because, well what more could you do to it?
The event itself was pretty swanky with fancy food, music, and more than a few VIP attendees. However, the star of the show was the bright yellow Lexus LFA in the middle of the CEC showroom. Despite Italian and German supercars parked outside or in the back it was the Lexus getting all the attention last night. The LFA was even started up a few times indoors! It was awesome! During the festivities I was lucky enough to get a moment with Claus himself and ask why he decided to work with a Japanese brand after over 20 years of tuning European cars. Watch the video below for his response. You can also check out a few pictures from the event as well. For the full gallery visit our Facebook page. We want to say thank you to CEC and Lexus for inviting us out to their event and giving us a chance to get up close and personal with the most expensive Japanese sports car ever built!
I both love and hate Top Gear. I love Top Gear because, well…it’s Top Gear! They’re awesome but I hate Top Gear because I’m jealous that they are some how able to coax OEMs like Lexus to let them have an LF-A for the day to flog around a track and prattle off their opinions with no fear of corporate blacklisting! When will we get to have that kind of juice?! Oh well… Something to work towards I guess. In the meantime I’ll just enjoy the sights and sounds of Lexus’ beastly supercar hanging it out around the Top Gear track. The Stig has a go in the wet as well so be sure not to miss that.
The new Japanese super car that just set the Internet on fire yesterday is a confirmed attendee of the SEMA show in November and the LA Auto Show in December. Its appearance at the SEMA show will be its official North American debut. I can’t wait!!
Press Release:
TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ — The highly anticipated LFA supercar, which just made its global debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, will be on display for the first time in North America at two back-to-back premier venues — the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas this November and the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show in December.
Next year, Lexus will show the LFA at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Chicago Auto Show, Dallas Auto Show and New York International Auto Show.
As the first Lexus supercar, the LFA serves as the flagship for the F portfolio of Lexus performance models and redefines the supercar for the 21st century. The Lexus F brand complements the core Lexus DNA by emphasizing serious performance. The LFA was carefully developed from a blank canvas by a small and dedicated team of hand-picked engineers that pushed every possible dynamic boundary.
“The development of the LFA was unlike any other Lexus,” said Mark Templin, Lexus division group vice president and general manager. “Minute details were engineered to provide an engaging and serious supercar that delivers impressive performance on and off the race track. Only 500 will ever be built worldwide, and each will be assembled to customer order, offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of a small, exclusive group of individuals.”
All 500 LFA supercars will be hand-assembled by skilled technicians in the “Lexus LFA Works” at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City at a rate of no more than 20 per month.
The rear-wheel drive LFA is dynamically styled and powered by a sophisticated new high-revving 9,000 rpm (redline) 4.8-liter V10 engine that generates 552 hp and 354 lb.-ft. of torque for adrenaline-fuelled 202- mph performance. This specially-developed powerplant is paired with a unique six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) with blazing-quick paddle-activated shifts for ultimate driver control. Linked by a rigid torque tube for excellent drivetrain integrity, the ASG is located in a transaxle layout over the rear axle for an optimal 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution. Motorsport-developed lightweight aluminum alloy suspension components are complemented by Carbon Ceramic Material (CCM) brake discs and an innovative electrically assisted rack and pinion steering system.
Lightweight, powerful and balanced, the LFA features advanced Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) construction for its chassis and much of its bodywork to deliver a light, incredibly strong and impact-resistant structure. Rather than outsource this sophisticated materials technology, the LFA team took the radical step of developing its own CFRP processes internally for ultimate quality control and to make a sound engineering investment in the future.
The LFA’s sporty styling is distinguished by coherent lines that flow from roof to sill in a seamless convex to concave line for sophisticated aerodynamics. Its front-mid engine layout, long wheelbase, short overhangs, and snug, low-slung cabin identify it as a supercar. CFRP also gave the LFA’s designers a far higher degree of design freedom, allowing them to create shapes, curves and edges that would have been impossible with metal. For example, the sharp trailing edges at the rear of the LFA that help provide superlative aerodynamics would not have been possible had traditional metal been used for the bodywork.
A dramatic low-slung cockpit has been intelligently designed and hand-assembled with the finest materials to reflect the car’s driver-centric dynamics. The intimate two-seat cabin has been conceived at every stage — ergonomics, acoustics, materials, comfort, versatility and visibility levels have all been painstakingly engineered — to put the driver at the center of the driving experience.
Production of the LFA supercar will begin in December 2010 with deliveries continuing for the following 24 months. Consumers may contact the Lexus LFA Information Center at 866-LFA-4794 to express interest or visit www.Lexus-LFA.com for more information
What are car shows if not challenges to auto ninjas to stab the hearts of confidential documents and leak vital information about closely guarded debuts to the interwebs. I just got the tip on Autoblog that the latest victim of embargo assassination is the highly anticipated and long awaited Lexus LF-A. Not only are there pictures spreading virally but now there is video! Check it out below.
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