The first production (almost) japanese car that looks great and that looks japanese by essence.

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


M

Lol. Sorry Luw.

Lexus' L-finesse design style is actually cutting edge -- and in some ways I think they beat BMW to this design language when the LF-A débuted in 2005. The BMW CS Concept follows a very similar theme.

There are very obvious references to the influential designs of Zaha Hadid and Amanda Levete EXAMPLES HERE

^^
There are indeed some similarities with Zaha's design, very alien/organic and free flowing. Can't see any similarities with the BMW CS, though. They look very different if you ask me. What makes the CS attractive is all the flame surfacing and character lines found here and there, while the Lexus charms me with the radical head lights, air intakes and exhaust pipes.

I wonder if there is any boot space, because the engine is actually located in the front and not behind the seats which is the impression given by the air inlets on the sides.

Lexus has used the 2008 Detroit show to continue to tease us with its LF-A supercar, this time out bringing a roadster concept variant of its coming high-end sports coupe to its show stand. Called the LF-A Roadster, the carbon fiber and aluminum-clad open-top is of course based on the coupe and is powered by the not-quite 5.0-liter V-10 lurking underhood that Lexus says is capable of more than 500 horsepower and terminal velocity in excess of 200 mph. The engine is mounted in what Lexus calls a "front-mid" configuration and is located behind the front-axle centerline and in front of the passenger compartment. Like the coupe, the roadster's styling is steeped in the Lexus L-Finesse design language and stands just 48 inches tall. The roadster's overall length is175.6 inches with a 102.6-inch wheelbase. Changes to the Roadster include a speed adaptive rear wing and a pair of grilles bracketed by wrap-around, arrowhead-shaped taillights. The grilles to help vent air from the vehicle's rear-mounted radiators, which are fed air by ducts mounted just above the wheel wells. The radiators location also helps with the vehicle's weight distribution. The rims feature a turbine-look and are shod with 265/35R20s front, 305/30R20s at the rear. As with the LF-A coupe, the brakes are 14.2-inch cross-drilled, six-piston, vented discs up front, with 13.6-inch cross-drilled, four-piston, vented discs out back. OK, Lexus, enough with the concepts, let's see the production version already!


New Cars, Car Reviews & Prices, Used Cars for Sale, & Auto Shows at Motor Trend Magazine


I agree this thing is hot, but the production version needs to come out in less than a year.

M

The exterior styling is growing on me, I just don't like the blunt front end design, and the wide horizontal rear end. Those silver carbon fibre trims looks rather tacky as well. However the interior is amazing, it is minimalistic, futuristic, and most of all, stylishly original. Can't wait to see one in gun-metallic grey, black or white.

Just noticed the engine redlines at 9000rpm, if I am correct, even the BMW V10 can't match that figure.

Oh yeah yeah ....they are very different -- but they have been influenced by a similar aesthetic reference point.

Car designers (like all designers) are very quick to pick up on new trends in all art, architecture, and product design. The furniture industry is often one of the very first industrial sectors to adapt new design ideas -- many influential architects and designers work in the field of domestic design (furniture and household products) to experiment with new styling ideas and market/lifestyle trends. This is why trade fairs like the Salone Internazionale Del Mobile attract so much interest from all sectors of industry -- and that very much includes the auto-industry

Thanks for the shots Marcus.

YW, so come on Bruce.....you're our resident Lexus fan so tell us what you think.


M