Call them the smug lads of the Auto circuit. And for good reason, for all that the boys and girls at Lexus do turns into gold. The automotive press applauds their vehicles as engineering wonders; customers flock to their dealerships for their own special taste of the Lexus experience. So it's understandable that people listen when they talk about pursuing perfection. They're almost there, by most accounts. And so when, on Sunday at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, Lexus pulled out what they are calling a hint of the future of Lexus, there was titter and a rustle and a collective gasp from the hordes of press. This meant the future for mainstream luxury vehicles. The thing that the rest will follow, envy and stare at as it goes by. And if the design and power of the Lexus LF-A delivers on such high expectations, it will be no surprise, as the concept is a beautifully- Japanese rendering of luxury sports car, the kind that, looks different from every possible direction, a car that looks brutishly masculine and softly feminine at the same time.
"What I say is.. .wow," said Jim Press, Toyota Motor Sales executive vice president and COO. . And while Press is of course enamored with his offering, it would not be a stretch to claim a similar for most who see the LF-A. Built 5-inchesshorter than the Porsche911 but on a wheelbase that is 9-inches longer, is identical to the Ferrari F430, and is close to the Mercedes-Benz SL55andthe Aston Martin DB9. It features an engine capable of developing more than 500 horsepower, the Lexus LF-A concept is engineered to take advantage of gearing, weight and aerodynamics. Lexus executives say that the LF-A concept could produce a top speed of 200 miles per hour. Best of all, it may yet be driven. Lexus claims that that the LF-A could, indeed, become their first super car. The Lexus LF-A is also meant to showcase the direction of Lexus design into the future. But then again, no one really knew how far Lexus would go 15 years ago, except those smug lads who keep building excellent cars. By Brian Chee Photos by Erik Hanson
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