[Lexus Configurator via Carscoop]

Yes, at $400,000 you could buy many Nissan GT-Rs for that kind of money, but from what we're told, the Lexus LFA is worlds beyond even the GT-R's capability. This type of assertion is the kind of thing which bends the limits of our fragile little minds, but we'll just have to wait and see. Give that Toyota is the master of suppressing excitement in favor of boring cars for the masses, we suspect they had to find something as an outlet for the creative energies of their best engineers. The LFA seems a natural, if not wildly expensive inevitability.

For those of you who have been quietly shaking your heads as Toyota has year-after-year sunk into a malaise of performance and style, the LFA is a shot across the bow. Let's just start by stating the currently available vitals:

- Top speed: 201.94 MPH
- 0-62 MPH: 3.7 seconds
- Redline at 9,000 RPM
- 4.8-liter 72-degree V10
- 553 hp @ 8,700 RPM
- 354 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 RPM
- Titanium valves, connecting rods, exhaust manifold, forged aluminum pistons,
- dry sump oil system
- Six-speed sequential gearbox
- Torsen limited slip differential
- 65% of the body is carbon fiber
- 3,263 pounds with a 48/52 weight distribution
- 15.4" front carbon ceramic rotors with six-piston monoblock calipers up front , 14.2" rear
- Production limited to 500 units

At 3,263 lbs, the LFA is smack dab in the middle of what's considered respectable heft in today's mainstream supercars. Mated to a V10 with a 9000 RPM redline and 560 HP, 354 lb-ft of torque and an already demonstrated F1-like engine note, it'll no-doubt be an absolute riot to drive, assuming you're one of the 500 lucky few to snap one up. At 3.7 seconds 0-62 MPH, you might be able to outrun the car's gravitational pull of awesome.

The vehicle was spotted by user Adrey at the NAGTROC forums. We've seen plenty of versions tarted-up versions, but this person appears to be driving what seems like a full production version, as opposed to those camo'd LF-As running around the 'Ring earlier this year. We'll learn more soon, but we at least now know it'll carry over the RemoteTouch system that debuted on the Lexus HS this year.

UPDATE: Now there's video of it, the dam of LF-A news is breaking.

(Hat tip to Chuck!)
[NAGTROC]

[Carsuk.net via WorldCarFans]

Lotus has been in bed with Toyota for a number of years now, with their 1.8-liter four, in various forms, powering the Elise and Exige as well as the 3.5-liter V6 powering the new Evora. Apparently there's no reason to stop now and EVO is reporting that the 2012 Lotus Esprit will receive both the 200+ mph capable, 4.8-liter 500-horsepower V10 from the Lexus LF-A as well as the 5.0-liter, 417-horsepower V8 out of the Lexus IS-F. Packing these two engines, the Lotus Esprit will compete head-to-nasty-head with both the Lamborghini LP560-4 and the Audi R8, putting it instantly into a fairly competitive dog fight. There's even rumor that an entry-level model might make an appearance with the 300-horsepower direct-injection Toyota V6, though we're curious if that'll bite into Evora sales.

In addition to a couple of fire-breathing monster engines, it's rumored that Lotus is continuing its work on creating 'Eco' variants of its cars which is headlined by its collaborative efforts with silicon valley-based electric wonder boys, Tesla. Will we see a hybrid or electric Esprit? It's well within the realm of possibility and seems to be a pretty cool idea so long as its biased towards the sporty end of the market and not smug Hollywood playboys as with the Tesla Roadster.

The long-coming next-gen Lotus Esprit seems to be shaping up if you're to believe these rumors, but as these things usually go, we're not holding our breath. [via EVO]

If the rumor-mill is on its "A" game, Toyota will finally be trotting out the production version of its Formula 1 inspired super-mega-awesome-car from the land of the rising sun at their Tokyo show stand. The production will be as scarce as the unicorn farts used to carbonize the surface of the cams (the equivalent of 500 copies). It'll reportedly get two models, the pedestrian GT550 and the more raucous SS550, which will inevitably cause consternation amongst the l33t speakers in the supercar market. That banshee of a V10 under the hood should be good for engineering pr0n and produce somewhere around 500 HP, which, seems a bit weak for the expected $310,000 asking price. Since we're pretty sure conspicuous consumption is still the "in" thing among the legally wealthy, we're expecting the super expensive, obnoxiously styled, limited run automobile will find plenty of fine homes in fortified compounds across the world. [Carscoop]

(Hat Tip To Josh!)

Last month we gave you a teaser of what the Lexus LF-A Nurburgring racer livery would look like, now Toyota is once again dangling the carrot in front of our faces with these latest images of the two cars they'll field at the ADAC Zurich 24 Hours Of the Nürburgring race this weekend. Both race-prepped cars get their 500-horsepower motivation from a front-mid mounted V10 allowing for 200mph+ runs down the Nurburgring straight. Toyota-owned e-commerce website, Gazoo Racing will be the official team entering the cars with an eclectic group of Toyota test drivers, dealers and even next-in-line CEO, Akio Toyoda, who's being entered under the name "Morizo."

Knowledge gained from the endurance racing program will eventually be translated into the road-going production car, but we're infinitely curious as to when that will actually happen. Until then, enjoy the vaporware. [via Toyota]

Lexus is bringing the hurt with its never-going-to-be-released supposedly upcoming LF-A supercar for the ADAC Zurich 24-hour race in May. Prepped with an apparently production-ready 500 horsepower V10 and the obligatory racing equipment, the LF-A will try, this time, to not crash and burn.

It will enter the race in the Division 2 SP8, which means "engine close-to-production." Yeah, and we've got a briefcase that can turn into a flying car. Thanks for the tease, yet again, Toyota. Just give us our damn Lexus LF-A already!

[via Toyota]

According to Edmunds Inside Line, Toyoda was able to keep the LF-A alive, albeit in an altered form. Instead of being released as an Audi R8 or Nissan GT-R competitor, it’s though that the LF-A production could now be capped at 500 units, each with an asking price of around $300,000. Expect to see that 550 HP, 200 MPH production version some time in 2009. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for mass production and a much lower price tag. [via Edmunds]

According to the spy report below, after repairs to the damage from the late night crack up, the LF-A did start on the grid as planned, but only managed a best lap of 9:19.757. Shoot, a newby at the wheel of a Cadillac CTS-V could have bested this car (we know race traffic probably played a roll, but we retain the liberty to compare apples to oranges).

Lexus' race-prepped LF-A prototype crashed during their final late-night preparations and qualifying, before the start of the Nürburgring 24-hour race. The incident damaged the car, and squelched Team LF-A's efforts to familiarize themselves with driving night-time laps on the 'Ring. No specifics were available on the circumstances of the crash (did we say it was really, really dark?), but the LF-A limped back to the pits with damage to its lower front fender, and a serious gash to its rear quarter—both on the driver's-side. The damage was serious enough to force Team LF-A to load the car onto a flat-bed and leave the pits, in favor of Toyota's off-site 'Ring workshop used during the industry testing periods.

As the team was preoccupied with their banged up prototype, our shooter managed to scoop some revealing looks at some key LF-A details, including the LF-A's V-10 engin. In addition to what we engine shot, we also managed to get our best interior shots to date. Once again, despite the stripped-down nature of this race car's innards, the interior still shows some key details that point to the production-spec interior. And as reported earlier, the interior will clearly take major cues from the last LF-A concept from Lexus. Other interesting details gathered during Team LF-A's post-crash scramble to assess the damage: the LF-A's lovely carbon-fiber aerodynamic undertray, the operation of the car's horizontally-mounted door handles, and the car's Brembo brakes and front suspension set-up.

Team LF-A sources said that, in order to recover from the crash, they managed a mere two-hours sleep to get the car ready for the race the next day. The LF-A managed to make the starting grid, but within the first hour of the race the car began smoking from the rear, forcing a pit stop. The diagnosis was oil leaking from the transaxle, and a two-hour fix was required to get the LF-A back under way. At that point the LF-A had little hope of climbing the leader board. Amid varied reports on the LF-A's final results, our sources tell us that the Lexus covered 106 laps, and a best lap of 9:19.757 on lap 85. The LF-A's performance was good enough to finish in 120th place overall.

[The Passionate Pursuit]

Jeez, and people get all pissy when an automaker takes a couple of years to develop a new muscle car. Anyway, despite the development time, we're still excited to see this new Lexus in showrooms in either a V10 or V8-plus-hybrid flavor. And no, it's not just because we want to play with the retractable wing until it breaks off. Though that does sound like fun. Full spy report from KGP below.

The Lexus LF-A has hit the roads around the 'Ring, and some hot laps can't be far behind. The LF-A's retractable rear wing can be seen lowering in this sequence of shots.

This prototype is obviously still wearing some preproduction lighting, and some details are clearly lacking production-finished trim, but the styling looks basically unchanged form last year's prototype. It appears that Lexus may have finally locked-in the bulk of the LF-A's final design.

In a recent interview, Lexus' Australian chief executive confirmed that the LF-A is still being readied for production, although it may not reach showrooms until 2011. Even if that claim refers to the 2010 calendar year as a 2011 model, that still means a lengthy development course ahead. At that point, the LF-A's gestation will be approaching six years. Such a long development process is almost unheard of in today's automotive industry, although the Hyundai's recent entry into the luxury market with its new Genesis is another recent example. The Genesis showcased many design changes right up to its auto show debut, and the Lexus LF-A has been similarly tweaked over the course of its development.

One can't help but sense a whiff of uncertainty in Lexus' entry into the rarefied supercar realm, but they're certainly going to great lengths to see that its right when it finally reaches the market.