Reborn Lexus LFA coming to Australia… with a catch
The new Lexus LFA Concept will make its Australian debut at Flemington Racecourse as a part of the upcoming Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Lexus is bringing one of its most highly anticipated cars to Australia, announcing the LFA Concept will be on show at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, running from October 31 to November 7.
Set to be displayed within the Landmark by Lexus pavilion, it’ll be the first time Australians can see the pre-production concept of the new-generation LFA, which was unveiled in December last year.
"The true significance of the original LFA was never measured by numbers alone. What made it so special was the lasting impression it left on everyone fortunate enough to experience it," said Lexus Australia chief executive, Jack Hobbs.
"The Lexus LFA Concept carries that spirit forward, exploring how electrification can evoke the same sense of excitement, wonder and connection for a new era.”
Lexus sold just nine examples of the original V10-powered LFA in Australia, making it one of the brand’s rarest cars offered locally – though this will soon be matched by the equally rare RZ600e F Sport Performance.
The new LFA Concept is underpinned by the same chassis as the twin-turbo V8 Toyota GR GT, though the Lexus coupe is set to be an EV.
As previously reported, the production LFA is expected to make some kind of noise, after the LFA program’s general manager, Yukihiro Yukita, told the UK’s Autocar it will produce noises to keep the driver involved.
“What I get from the market is that a BEV is fake because we imitate the sound [of an internal combustion engine] – but that's not something we want to do,” Yukita said earlier this year.
The executive added Lexus wants its LFA drivers to “feel like they are driving with an engine”, saying that a downside to EVs is that “we lose the sound or the vibration, which gives a big impact to the five senses of the driver.”
While acknowledging the popularity of synthesised engine noises in performance EVs from Hyundai and a growing number of brands, Yukita said: “We're not just wanting to replicate the sound of the engine: we want to redesign the sound itself.”
Lexus has yet to formally announce plans to put the LFA Concept into production.
