In a corporate world driven solely by profit, Lexus’ LFA supercar never should have existed. Its development took nearly a decade, chewing up resources that should have gone to more mainstream (and hence. more profitable) vehicles, and it neared completion just as the global economy was approaching meltdown. Despite these rather significant obstacles, those behind the car’s development never lost faith in the LFA.
At launch, Lexus confirmed that its flagship supercar would be built in a run of just 500 units, priced at $375,000 each (but originally available only as a lease). Now, nearly two years later, Motor Authority tells us that the final 552-horsepower LFA has rolled off the assembly line in Japan. The car includes the Nürburging package and is finished in Whitest White; commemorating the build is a dash plaque, identifying the car as the 500th (and final) example built.
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So is this truly the end for the Lexus LFA? No one knows for sure, but the answer has to be “we doubt it.” Toyota has invested an enormous amount of money in the project, but along the way has learned much about creating carbon fiber structures and exacting every last bit of performance from an engine. There’s been plenty of demand from other companies for the Lexus’ 4.8-liter V-10, too, but the automaker has been hesitant to sell or license it to others. Throw in the fact that disguised LFA’s are still seen in testing on the Nürburging, and our guess is this: the first chapter of the LFA’s book is over, but there are still a lot of pages left before the end.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
