To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Abu Dhabi
event, 30 November 2019.
Estimate:
$500,000 - $600,000
- One of only 500 LFAs produced, and one of just 20 finished in
Pearl Yellow
- Just under 1,700 miles from new
- Delivered new to the U.S.
Whether it was Henry Ford II's decision to build the GT40,
Bugatti's decision to build the Veyron, or Toyota's decision to
build the LFA, history has shown that when a manufacturer puts
commercial consideration to one side in order to follow a passion
project, the end result is usually very special indeed.
The LFA came about as the pet project of then Toyota CEO Akio
Toyoda, who, after years of producing relatively anodyne road cars,
wanted to produce a supercar to challenge those being offered by
the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini, even if it was a
loss maker from day one. The project's development phase became
excruciatingly long-winded, taking more than seven years from
initial concept to launch, largely due to the switch from aluminium
to carbon fibre for the chassis in 2005, but when it was finally
unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, it was clear that Toyota,
and Toyoda, had produced something truly remarkable.
The highlight of the package was its 4.8-litre V-10 engine,
internally known as 1LR-GUE, or the 'GUE'. It was built in the same
facility as Toyota Racing's F1 V-10s and co-developed with Yamaha,
and it is already revered as an engineering masterpiece. The block
is a space-age blend of aluminium, magnesium, and titanium alloy,
which made it smaller than an equivalent V-8 and lighter than an
equivalent V-6. Internally, titanium-alloy conrods, forged pistons,
and individual electronic throttle bodies for each cylinder allowed
razor-sharp throttle response, allowing the V-10 to rev from idle
to 9,000 rpm in just six-tenths of a second, whilst being as
refined as any other Lexus engine. On paper its 552 bhp may be
underwhelming by modern supercar standards, but it was a figure
generated at an incredible 8,700 rpm and delivered in a manner akin
to a musical instrument, and the LFA could still boast 0-100 mph in
7.6 seconds.
The same praise can be heaped upon the cabin, which was entirely
bespoke to the LFA and a perfect combination of form and function.
The quality of the components and the standard to which they were
assembled is something that its Italian competition couldn't hope
to match�an intoxicating blend of milled aluminium and magnesium
for the switch gear, high-gloss carbon fibre for the steering
wheel, and the finest supple leather for seats, transmission
tunnel, and dashboard. The instrument cluster, too, was bespoke and
all-digital, solely because no analogue tachometer could keep pace
with the engine's ability to gain and lose revolutions.
The total lack of compromise was also applied to the chassis and
running gear, with the car boasting double-wishbone suspension at
the front, a multilink rear axle at the rear, and a carbon-ceramic
braking setup co-developed with Brembo to give incredible stopping
power. In an era of 1,000 bhp hypercars and racing cars modified
purely to make them 'road-legal', it is telling that only seven
cars have ever gone quicker at the N�rburgring than the LFA,
despite it being equally capable of being a fine long-distance
tourer if the driver so wished.
This particular LFA is one of just twenty examples that were
finished in Pearl Yellow. It was delivered to its first owner in
2012 through Lexus of Kendall in Miami, Florida, and was
subsequently serviced by them in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. Moving
across the country to California, it was serviced there in 2017 and
2018 and has covered just under 1,700 miles from new. It presents
in fantastic condition commensurate to its mileage, both inside,
where the unmarked black leather cabin is offset beautifully by the
yellow and carbon details, and out, where the gleaming paintwork
and matching callipers are perfectly offset by the exposed
carbon-fibre diffuser and anthracite wheels.
Jeremy Clarkson described the LFA as 'the best car I have ever
driven', whilst Andrew Frankel remarked, 'Like the McLaren F1, it
was made with no apparent regard for cost, just to be the best it
could be...a landmark car, [whose] like we will not see again.' An
opportunity to acquire one is a rare occurrence, and this
particularly low-mileage example is worthy of serious
consideration.
Please note the temporary import symbol incorrectly references the
EU. It should reference the UAE.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/ad19.
