Why the Lexus LFA Didn’t Sell Well
The Lexus LFA, despite being hailed as one of Toyota’s greatest sports cars, did not sell as expected for several reasons:
1. Exclusive and Expensive:
– The LFA was super exclusive, with only 500 examples ever made, and it came with an extremely bold $375,000 base price, which was unexpected from a manufacturer known for building sensible cars.
2. Marketing and Perception:
– The LFA didn’t receive the same level of fanfare as other supercars like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, and it was not as well-recognized as a proper supercar in its time.
– The average Lexus buyer, except for enthusiasts, may not have been aware of what the LFA was, and it was kept in showrooms for extended periods to sell other models.
3. Brand Image and Maintenance Costs:
– The brand image of Lexus, known for reliability and lower upkeep costs, may have conflicted with the high maintenance costs associated with an exotic supercar like the LFA, leading potential buyers to prefer other more established supercar brands.
4. Limited Production and Sales Strategy:
– Lexus only produced 500 units worldwide, and poor sales led the automaker to give dealers a chance to order the car and sell it themselves, which may have impacted its perceived exclusivity.
5. Market Competition:
– The LFA faced competition from other high-performance cars like the Corvette ZR1 and the Ferrari 458, which offered more power and performance at a similar or lower price point.
In conclusion, the combination of its exclusivity, high price, brand image, and market competition contributed to the Lexus LFA’s limited sales success.
If you have any more questions or need further information, feel free to ask!
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Will Lexus bring back the LFA?
Lexus will reportedly introduce a long-awaited successor to the LFA in 2025, and it’ll pack a twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain. Best Car Web reports the LFA successor is a “souvenir” of Akio Toyoda’s time as president of Toyota Motor Corporation.
Why did they discontinue Lexus LFA?
To put it rather bluntly: The LFA was discontinued because it didn’t sell well enough. When they were new, the LFA’s supercar performance had a price to match. Per Motorweek, the LFA they tested had a price tag of $376,500. That is more than 10 times the cost of the current Lexus UX SUV.
What makes Lexus LFA so expensive?
With a production run of just 500 units over two years, the Lexus LFA is an extremely exclusive piece of automotive history. One of them (chassis number 184 of 500) recently traded hands via Bring a Trailer. The winning bid was a whopping $808,000 USD, or approximately $997,000 CAD at the current exchange rate.
Are Lexus LFA reliable?
The car is very reliable, as you would expect from Lexus. I have never had any major issues with it. It’s just that the rarity of the car requires specifically trained technicians to work on it for the service.
Did Lexus lose money on the LFA?
Two decades after the LS went on sale, Lexus rolled out the automaker’s first and only supercar thus far. The program is rumored to have cost approximately $800 million, and – as you might already know – each and every single example of the breed was sold at a loss.
Are LFAs reliable?
The car is very reliable, as you would expect from Lexus. I have never had any major issues with it. It’s just that the rarity of the car requires specifically trained technicians to work on it for the service. Thank you for your time, Pasin.
Why are LFAs so rare?
Why It Was Only in Production for Two Years. Lexus built just 500 examples of the LFA—436 “regular” models and 64 Nurburgring Package variants—between 2010 and 2012, 190 of which were for the US market. The decision to keep the production run so low appears to have been intentional.
What’s so special about the Lexus LFA?
The LFA, on the other hand, was much more compact at a displacement of just 4.8 liters. Specs-wise, the engine redlines at 9,000 RPM, closer to the redline of a motorcycle than a sportscar. The LFA puts out 553 horsepower at the crank and 354 pound-feet of torque.
Why did Lexus LFA fail?
With its price set over $375,000 initially, and its current average price of $807,512, the LFA ended up preventing most of its audience from even considering purchase. Coupled with the poor timing of its release, competitors like the Nissan GT-R R35 had already claimed its place as a top Japanese supercar.
Is the Lexus LFA reliable?
The car is very reliable, as you would expect from Lexus. I have never had any major issues with it. It’s just that the rarity of the car requires specifically trained technicians to work on it for the service.
