LF-A prototypes to race at Nürburgring 24 hours (Update: Akio Toyoda will race)

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[ffpower]

Lexus is entering two LF-A sports-car prototypes in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on May 23-24.

The two-seaters will draw power from a 5.0-liter, 495-hp V10 and will compete under the Gazoo Racing banner. Modifications include a roll cage, a spoiler and other aero and safety features. The car will compete in the Division 2 SP8 Class, which is for close-to-production cars.

Lexus entered last year, and the development team is trying to build on that experience and fine-tune the car, though the mechanicals and carbon-fiber body are mostly the same.

The company says it’s using the event to gather technical data that it will use on production cars, and that could be a good sign for the future of a halo speedster for Lexus. We saw an LF-A running laps at the Toyota Motorsport Festival at Fuji Speedway in November, when Akio Toyoda--who’s since been named president of Toyota--was seen at the wheel.

But it’s unclear where this program stands, and the economy seems to be making all supercar programs uncertain. Lexus was expected to reveal a 500-hp production LF-A that would cost about $300,000. The company would only build about 500, perhaps starting in 2010 or 2011. Stay tuned.

The company’s racing creds include powering prototypes that won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2006-2008, and it’s also won the Grand-Am and Super GT championships.

The car will use a front-mid-engine layout, with a rear-mid transaxle and rear radiator. The gearbox is a paddle-shift sequential manual, and it rides on 305/30R-20 racing Bridgestones.

To read more visit the AutoWeek section.

Source: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090421/FREE/904219995

ffpower says: Personally I think Lexus' goal for last year was testing the water but this year should be kicking ass. If everything goes well (the kick-ass part...) then we can expect a formal announcment for the offical introduction of the LF-A

[1UZ-SC]

I'm excited for what lexus will have to offer

[Peter_95]

me too...!

[ffpower]

[ffpower]

Toyota scion (pun intended) and new company president Akio Toyoda will don a helmet and Nomex late next month as his company returns to Germany to compete in the annual Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race. Toyoda will be part of the four-driver lineup taking the wheel of the Lexus LF-A (hey, remember that?) as part of its ongoing (and seemingly endless) development. Unlike last year, when the LF-A showed up to race in plain 'ol development-mule matte black, Toyota's got a more proper race livery planned for this year's event (see above). After all, we can't have the boss rolling like every other test engineer, can we? Thanks, Dom!

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/26/new-toyota-chief-to-race-in-nurburgring-24/

ffpower says: Any doubts left on whether the LF-A will head into production or not?

[Peter_95]

i hope they do.....