Awhile back, news broke that the first Lexus LFA finally reached the Philippines, and one aspect that caught our attention and are finally able to share is the car’s asking price. Initial estimates say the car could go for nearly P40 million ($911,200), which includes the base price of P16.3 million ($375,000) plus taxes, importation fees, and other duties that need to be paid in order to bring the car into the country.

So, who paid the $900,000? No one, as of yet. It will serve as a halo car for the area, which means it will not initially be for sale, despite Lexus Manila receiving a small number of offers before the car even arrived.

"We'd probably consider selling it in the future," said Toyota Motor Philippines's Vice President for Vehicle Sales Raymond Rodriguez. "But in the meantime, we'd like to keep it first and use it to serve as a halo car for the Lexus brand."

The only other countries in the region to receive this supercar are Singapore and Brunei (which means Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are being excluded), according to Lexus Manila. The exotic LFA, which is number 161 of 500, was thought to originally be ordered in red but the unit that arrived in the Philippines was white with a black and red interior.

Lexus’s Marketing Director Carlo Chungunco refused to release exactly how much Lexus Manila paid for this LFA, so the numbers are only speculations.

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Branding is a large part of marketing. Corporations want their name or logo to stand for something in people’s minds. If a company fails to brand itself correctly, it could ultimately fail. For instance, Xerox tried to buy its way into the computer business in the early 70s with a completely new slogan for a new line of products: "Office of the Future." The problem was that when office managers thought of the name Xerox, they thought (and still think) printers and copiers, not computers. This branding error is part of the reason why Xerox fled the computer business a short half-decade later.



We don’t think Lexus has put itself in a precarious position with the 2011 Lexus IS 250 F Sport package. In fact, we were excited to see the Ultrasonic Blue F-badged Lexus sitting outside our front doors. The problem is, upon first glance, we believed we were getting our hands on the IS F and not the least-powerful car in the IS lineup. Lexus just introduced the F Sport brand for the new decade and it is already watering down its image with cars undeserving of such a badge.



That is not to say the IS 250 F Sport package is a bad car. In fact, it is a very good car. Despite the bit-meager-for-this-class 204-hp 2.5-liter V-6, the car provides decent pep. Lexus quotes a zero-to-60 mph time of 7.9 seconds, which although not fast or even quick, it is enough to get you up to speed when entering traffic (so long as it is not performed in a reckless manner). On paper, the IS 250 appears to have the right numbers to do well in corners as well: a low curb weight of 3,400 pounds, a 52/48 front-to-rear weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, F Sport-tuned suspension and steering, and 225/40YR-18 tires on the front wheels and 255/40YR-18 tires at the rear. Road impressions show that the IS does master the road in some aspects. It has solid grip, the steering has good weight, and it shows some agility in its steps. It does understeer but are main niggle is that, although it doesn’t feel disconnected, the IS doesn’t exactly feel connected either. It has to do with feeling of isolation that the Lexus brand is so well known.



The interior of the Lexus IS 250 F Sport is normal Lexus IS, except with new seats and a few F Sport badges. We found the seats to be comfortable with good lateral support. The special heated seats (a feature we only use to prank others with here in Florida) feature a special microfiber insert and leather side bolsters to provide better grip during cornering. We did have a problem with the shifter and its exposed metal, which got extremely hot in the Florida sun.





The F Sport package is new for 2011. A front lip spoiler, rear deck spoiler, blackened chrome grille insert, 18-inch wheels, and small F Sport badges just forward the front doors distinguishes it from regular IS sedans. It is a must-buy for driving enthusiasts that are smitten with the IS, even if it feels out of place on the base model.

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Three simple letters, L-F-A, is all it takes to immediately attract the attention of most car enthusiasts around the world. We are so enamored with the LFA that we featured the 552-hp, 200-plus-mph Japanese supercar on the cover of our February 2011 issue!

Chris Grosser, a intern at duPont REGISTRY, was recently able to setup a very exclusive photo session featuring one of the five Lexus LFAs currently in the country! The specific automobile that he photographed is also currently the only Lexus LFA in Florida.



You can view the full gallery of photos from the private shoot at: Chris Grosser Photography—2011 Lexus LFA.



Some specifications on the LFA:

• 4.8-liter 72-degree V-10 putting out 552 hp at 8,700 rpm (that’s 115 hp/liter) and 354 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm
• Redline: 9,000 rpm
• Titanium valves, connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, and dry-sump lubrication
• Six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG)
• Torsen limited-slip differential
• 3,263 pounds with a 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution
• Power-to-weight ratio of six pounds per horsepower
• 65 percent of the body is Carbon Fiber Reinfocred Plastic (CFRP)
• 20-inch BBS wheels wrapped in 265/35ZR-20 Bridgestone tires in front and 305/30ZR-20 in the rear
• 0–62 mph in 3.6 seconds
• Top speed of 202 mph

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According to the New York Times, the factory-installed cassette deck player is no longer available. That's right, the in-dash tape deck is dead. The last car to offer it was the 2010 Lexus SC430; a car no longer manufactured in 2011.

The next logical item to get the axe will be the CD player, as manufacturers make the jump to hard-drive-based systems or players that stream music from the Internet.

[via New York Times]

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Cars On 5th is a car show that takes place every year on 5th Avenue in Naples, Florida. Chris Grosser, a professional photographer and automotive enthusiast, was out there taking some breathtaking photographs. Amongst the many exotic cars that showed up at the 2011 Cars On 5th event: a Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita (one of only three in the world), a Lexus LFA (one of only 500 ever to be built and one of the few that have been already delivered), and an assortment of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Check out ChrisGrosserPhotography.com for the entire album from the 2011 Cars On 5th show.

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Javier Quirós, racecar driver with Gazoo Racing and president of Purdy Motor, the Costa Rican distributor for Toyota products, recently took delivery of his red LFA. Javier was so delighted with the arrival of the LFA #0014, he conducted a celebration befitting such a vehicle. Watch the video below.

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Now that the Lexus LFA is being delivered to customers, some smaller details, like the exact process to enable the car's launch control system, have hit the Internet. Read all the details below.

When set, launch control enables the vehicle to accelerate from a standing start at 4000 rpm. Launch control uses overall optimized control that considers vehicle acceleration performance, stability and clutch durability. (Do not use launch control on public roads.)

Setting the system

1. Ensure that you are seated well back in the driver’s seat with the seat belt fastened. Make sure that the passenger is also seated well back with their seat belt fastened.
2. Start the engine. Firmly depress the brake pedal with your left foot and release the parking brake. Continue to depress the brake pedal.
3. Select SPORT driving mode.
4. Select shift speed level 7.
5. Pull the “+” paddle shift switch to select 1st gear.
6. Pull the “-” paddle shift switch and hold it for 5 seconds. “LAUNCH” will be displayed on the meter.
7. Release the “-” paddle shift switch.
8. Depress the accelerator pedal firmly. Continue to depress the accelerator pedal. The engine speed will be automatically maintained at 4000 rpm. The vehicle is then ready for launch.
9. Release the brake pedal. The vehicle will launch forward.

Once the accelerator pedal is released completely, launch control will be canceled and SPORT driving mode will be engaged.

Start-off acceleration

Start-off acceleration depends on how much the accelerator pedal is depressed.

Usage restrictions

• Launch control can not be set if the total mileage shown on the odometer is less
  than 310 miles (500 km).
• Launch control can not be set until the engine and transmission are fully warmed up. Before using launch control, warm up the vehicle by driving it.
• Launch control can not be set if there is a malfunction in the engine, transmission, drive control system or other relevant systems.
• As launch control places a significant load on the vehicle’s mechanisms,it cannot be used two or more times in succession. After using launch control, cruise at a normal speed for approximately 10 minutes to allow vehicle mechanisms to cool down.
• To protect the systems,the number of times that launch control can be used is limited. To check how many times launch control has been used on your vehicle, contact your Lexus dealer.

[via Lexus Enthusiast]

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The fact that we are posting this should give you the answer, but these stills from Gran Turismo 5 go to show how much work has been put into making the game look as real as possible. Now if only we all could play the damn thing. Gran Turismo 5 goes on sale today!

[via GTPlanet.net]

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As a follow up to our “Girls of the 2010 SEMA Show” spread, and to prove our interest in these shows goes beyond attractions of the flesh, we are proud to bring to you the Cars of the 2010 SEMA Show. View all the cars of the 2010 SEMA Show here. Photos come courtesy of Richard Robello at Auto-focus.us. Follow the link for the full Auto-Focus Facebook gallery.

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So you have your name on the waiting list for the 2012 Lexus LFA yet are worried that that your luggage won’t fit the new supercar. Well, Lexus has you covered. Working with Tumi, a company that specializes in luxury travel bags and luggage accessories, Lexus is offering a set of two suitcases for LFA owners in both the United States and Europe. The “concourse” bag is smaller and designed for quick trips, while the “coastal” is designed to stow large amount of clothes for longer travels. Both bags are created to have the same look and feel of the LFA supercar, including extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber. Each piece of luggage will be inscribed with the corresponding LFA’s VIN number. No word on how much Lexus and Tumi will be charging or if you will have to lease the luggage like you do the LFA.

[via Inside Line]

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