Photo: Bring a Trailer
We don’t see many collaborations between car and motorcycle brands achieve their true potential, but it’s clear that Yamaha and Toyota knew what they were after back in the 1960s. Then, it was Lexus’ turn to call for help some decades later.
Just as the Toyota 2000GT turned the page on the rest of the automotive world’s perspective about Japanese cars, maybe Lexus also envisioned its collaborative effort with Yamaha as a halo car for the 21st century. Who knows, because right now it’s still early to assess its status as a potential legend.
For the moment, all we can do is marvel at the used car market prices. Sure, this 2012 Lexus LFA sporting less than 7k miles (around 11,000 km) on the odometer is number 312 of just 500 examples. And they were all produced by hand at a special plant in Japan with a howling part Yamaha-developed V10 and a body with 65% CFRP (carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer).
Sometime late during the LFA’s quick two-year production, this unit was finished on the outside in a subtle Starlight Black paintjob. The interior, on the other hand, features a contrasting Saddle Tan leather upholstery. Power is of course provided by the 4.8-liter V10 engine that churned out 553 hp from the factory, enough for the LFA to hit 60 mph (96 kph) in just 3.6 seconds on its way to around 202 mph (325 kph).
And by the pristine looks, it’s still perfectly capable to achieve those figures under the right (track) conditions. But considering the low mileage, it might turn out as another garage queen if the current dealer auction (sold under the Montanap username) succeeds in hitting the reserve.
We have no idea if that’s the case, but one thing is for sure – the bidding has gone up madly and quickly. I have been watching the proceedings for days and now, with a mere four hours (at the time of writing) before the time runs out, it’s almost at the $700k magical sweet spot. So, it seems the current highest bid has gone berserk and stands at no less than $692,500!
For the moment, all we can do is marvel at the used car market prices. Sure, this 2012 Lexus LFA sporting less than 7k miles (around 11,000 km) on the odometer is number 312 of just 500 examples. And they were all produced by hand at a special plant in Japan with a howling part Yamaha-developed V10 and a body with 65% CFRP (carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer).
Sometime late during the LFA’s quick two-year production, this unit was finished on the outside in a subtle Starlight Black paintjob. The interior, on the other hand, features a contrasting Saddle Tan leather upholstery. Power is of course provided by the 4.8-liter V10 engine that churned out 553 hp from the factory, enough for the LFA to hit 60 mph (96 kph) in just 3.6 seconds on its way to around 202 mph (325 kph).
And by the pristine looks, it’s still perfectly capable to achieve those figures under the right (track) conditions. But considering the low mileage, it might turn out as another garage queen if the current dealer auction (sold under the Montanap username) succeeds in hitting the reserve.
We have no idea if that’s the case, but one thing is for sure – the bidding has gone up madly and quickly. I have been watching the proceedings for days and now, with a mere four hours (at the time of writing) before the time runs out, it’s almost at the $700k magical sweet spot. So, it seems the current highest bid has gone berserk and stands at no less than $692,500!
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