They're not competitors because the Lexus has been comprehensively beaten.

I don't know why but they did change the tyre pressures and wrote about it. I've also seen many on road (as opposed to track) reviews where the LP560 comes out on top. Again not saying that it's a better car but it is cheaper and offers some things the Scuderia doesn't. Anyway, if you don't mind me asking, where are you going with this strawman?

So they deserve more money because they did things the hard way? Maybe if I type out a paragraph at work rather than copying and pasting, or referencing it, I'll get paid more. Will try and get back to you.

Show me a Lotus that's been such a failure, the company scrapped it and then changed the design for CF and offered it as a limited edition, as per the LFA?. If the 2000GT was any good they'd have sold more in the first place.

The Lotus will just be cheaper and better. Two ticks, winner.

Because the LFA has even been out long enough to determine build quality?

Exactly. Sport Auto get away with a lot in terms of bull**** results from tests that no one else does independently because they're the 'only' results. It doesn't make them correct.

Well a full tank isn't kerb weight for a start. A half tank is kerb weight. God only knows what else they screwed up.

How do you know, when you don't know what options or fluid levels the manufacturer quotes were obtained with? You've already stated that the fuel tank was at the incorrect level for a kerb weight measurement in Sport Auto and admitted that the heavier UK press car had more options. Given that the measurements of different magazines vary by 50-100kg, it's very difficult to put any faith in these measurements or even the calibration of the devices used for measurement.

Perhaps you'd like to explain how it produced cornering forces of 2g on its 7:11.57 record lap then.

Sport Auto is the only one to have tried apart from CAR (the less said) and (People's Republic). In CAR it was an RHD car driven by an LHD driver and in People's Republic... well a) it was wet and b) they're *******. Funny how Sport Auto made 6s better than a ZR1 with the GT2.

They're fundamentally the same car in terms of downforce, mechanicals and engine, it's just that the 'Speed' is tweaked for TUV approval. If anything, the earlier car is faster.

 

You don't know that. None of these cars have been performance tested. The Lexus has them beaten on exclusivity. They're not competitors because the Lexus is priced outside of that range.

So now you're saying that Evo Magazine, a UK publication, manipulated the Ferrari (and not Ferrari's personnel) to give it competitive advantage, which they did not do for the Lamborghini. Is that what you're saying?
Link me to these on-road reviews where the LP560 comes out on top.
This is not a strawman. This is proof that a car that is rated inferior can still be a commercial success. The existence of Ferrari doesn't mean Lamborghini whithers away.

They can command more money due to the effort AND the limited quantities. It's amazing how you can fail to understand such basic economic principles.
Copier & pasters don't get paid more money. Strawman much?

Show me a Lotus that's even CF. That's a start.
The 2000GT didn't have to be good. All it had to be was exclusive, and that's what it was. Toyota were in no position at the time to be mass-producing such a car.

We can read the reviews of the LFA and reviews of current Lotus such as the Elise and Evora and get an ideal. Most reviews rate the LFA very highly for quality of materials and fit & finish. Far and away better than any GT-R or ZR1 review. And it has the 24Hr of Nurburgring racing development on its side.

Where did you see kerb weight means half a tank? There isn't a set definition for kerb weight. According to R&T's Automotive Dictionary:
"Curb Weight: weight of a production car that is ready for the road, with fluid reservoirs (including fuel tank) full and all normal equipment in place but without driver, passengers, or cargo."
The EU norm for kerb weights includes weight of a driver and luggage, plus 90% full tanks. It says nothing about half tanks. Now one has to wonder: The Ferrari is built in Italy, an EU country. Why aren't they reporting their curb weights in accordance with EU norms?

The white UK press car had more options, but do you seriously think it's going to be 166kg's worth of options?? The red factory test car they used was fitted with ceramic brakes and CF components replacing the stock pieces, and it was already 51kg over the claimed figure!
Autocar's F430 lacked the optional sat-nav and multiCD changer. It also had carbon brakes which will lower the weight over a standard car, so don't tell me this was a heavily optioned-up car. It wasn't.

2g's means it's producing massive amounts of downforce? OK, I'm going to say that if a Nissan GT-R can produce 1.6g in any given corner, then that means it can produce 700kg of downforce at 300 kph...sure you want to believe that? 2g's is not proof of 1200kg of downforce at 300 kph. That's a leap in logic you simply can't make with any certainty whatsoever.
And in which corners of this lap did the Gumpert pull 2g's? How do you know a Carrera GT on Pilot Sport Cups with a racing driver at the wheel also wouldn't pull close to 2g's?

Doesn't matter. You lent credibility to Sport Auto when you posted up that link the way you did. You were backtracking.

 

I know you didn't say this but if you did have 400k laying around, you would go to a Lexus dealership and ask for one... (in this case, that Lexus is going to be the addition of your current cars)

Because I can speak for a lot others that if they did have the 400k, 99.9% wouldn't go that route. Sadly enough that .01% is all Lexus needs to have all the 500 cars spoken for.

There is nothing wrong with Lexus or a Hyundai for that matter. Just to put things in perspective what if they made 500 supercars just like the Lexus, it just doesn't have enough brand appeal to make it work. This is the same goes for the Lexus.

You really have to ask yourself, what kind of cars did Lexus make previously, appealing line up? They have totally have gotten the branding wrong on this one, they are better off coming up with a new car brand for this car. Am not a badge *****, but this is just the ways things work.

If Hublot (watch band) were to sell a watch for 300k and get away with it, it's going to work and it has, it is consistent with what they have been selling, because they know their target market.

If Tag Heuer were to introduce a new limited watch for 300k, and produce them in very limited number, only people with poor taste and extremely rich would buy one. Just simply because they are not known for selling watches at that price. Remember it is much easier to lower prices and tarnish your branding power, MUCH MUCH harder to increase prices with a brand

LVMH owns these two brands and LVMH positions these two respectively in different markets. That said if I had 300k if I were to pick between the two, its a no brainer for me. Again the same as this Lexus vs a superior premium brand such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche etc.

Exotic cars are luxury items, they are not the best at what they are meant to do (transporting people). For this to work, they need to come up with a new separate brand, just like Lexus is a step up from Toyota. They need something that is a step up from Lexus.

 

I guarantee you that the F458 and MP4 will be faster.

That's what I'm saying. It's in the issue referenced.

They should get paid more because they found a difficult way of doing something worse?

So you agree that it wasn't good, just exclusive, like the LFA?

Evo only gave the LFA 4 stars. Weren't all that impressed. The Evora, on the otherhand won ECOTY 2009.

Well there you go. In the US it's a full tank, in the UK it's a half tank. Some EU clowns however include the weight of a 75kg driver. If there is no definite standard, that only furthers my point, not yours. Plus it's unlikely that any magazine even strictly adheres to any of the above standards. Hence the variation and inaccuracy.

Might still have had the camera equipment in the car. May have gone with the EU norm and included the driver. Looking in the Evo knowledge, some of their weights are dry, some kerb and some test. Pretty inconsistent. I'm sure Sport Auto is even worse.

Show me a car that corners over 2g with little to no net downforce.

Because it's physically impossible to pull 2g without substantial downforce or pronounced banking.

WAT?

 

It's not about getting paid more or "deserving" LOL. It's about what the can command. If the market supports such a car, fine. Whatever. In either case, Lexus are losing money on it. What they gain is the technical know-how that might be applied to other cars, and this is their first step into the supercar area.

So a single review by Evo cancels out all those other mags that were impressed? Surely you have better deductive reasoning than that. Besides, aren't you the one claiming that none other than Evo Magazine personnel manipulated tire pressures on the Ferrari to give it advantage, which they did not do for the Lamborghini?
Speaking of the Evora, it appears the Esprit will use its chassis. And where did you hear the Esprit was getting the LFA motor? Last I read, it was getting a BMW-sourced V8. Bespoke and limited? Haha.

I don't know if it was any good. It was several more thousand dollars than an E-Type or Porsche of the time, and I doubt it was several thousand dollars better to drive. Look at the 8C Competizione: not a great car to drive (some basically called it a dog), but people still bought it. Alfa Romeo didn't need to make it drive as good as a Ferrari (it didn't) or sell 1000/yr for it to accomplish its mission.
Not the same with the LFA. We already have multiple drive reviews saying it's better in many respects than the Ferrari 599 and one saying it offers not just F430 levels of involvement, but Scuderia levels of involvement.

Whoa wait, if there's no definite standard than you cannot compare Lexus's weight figures vs Ferraris. That's what you were doing.
Where do you see that in the UK it's a half tank? Link, please.
If the standard is half a tank like you said, then the independently weighed Ferrari's still shouldn't be anywhere near those weights, especially that factory-supplied California with the CF bits on it.

I'm pretty sure they're not. Sport Auto methods are the same for every car. They have a much higher standing than just about any other mag in the world. Notice they didn't supertest the GT-R until an official Euro-spec car was available.
If Evo included the weight of the driver and camera equipment, don't you think they would have mentioned it?? In their earlier test, they were clearly aware of the EU norm, but did not employ that method to weigh their cars. They weighed them full of fluids, full fuel tank (no half-tank BS), and no driver. This is the classic definition given by R&T for "curb weight."

Show me a corner where the Gumpert pulled 2g. Even if it did, how do you know that's evidence of 1200kg of downforce at 300kph? How do you know it's not 400 kg? How do you know it's not 1500 kg? Tell me your equation for deriving downforce for any given car at any given corner on the Nurburgring; this will be a laugh.

Here's a problem with your downforce by cornering analysis:
Ferrari claim for F430 @ 300 kph: 280kg
Porsche claim for 997.2 GT3 @ 300 kph: 100kg
The Ferrari claims nearly 3 times the downforce. But is it really noticeably faster in corners than that new GT3? Think about that long and hard before you reply.

You said: "I believe the Apollo's awesome 'ring time proves that it's generating the claimed downforce."
You then went on to post a link to Gumpert's own website which references "untrustworthy" Sport Auto's test data and a time difference that can easily come down to differences between these cars' aero packages, possible horsepower settings, chassis setup, conditions, and driver differences. The Apollo's "awesome 'ring time" was certified by none other than SPORT AUTO. They obviously have some credibility if
1) Nissan consulted with them on 'Ring timing protocols, and
2) Gumpert went went through the certification process and had the result published in the very same "untrustworthy" magazine.

 

No it's exactly about what you deserve/earn and Lexus don't deserve **** for the sorry, overpriced attempt that is the LFA. First step into supercar era and last.

Autocar commented about the poor gearbox and lively rear end too.

Why would Lotus use a BMW engine, when every other model has a Toyota engine? It will be based on the Evora chassis but will be bigger, which is fine, because the Evora chassis is immaculate. BMW V8 indeed. I read that article too.

Well there you go. By your own admission the 2000GT was another overpriced piece of **** that sold in such small volume that they're now rare and collectable.

Yes we can because Lexus quote a range for kerb weight of 1480-1580kg. The F458 is very specifically 1380kg dry and therefore ~1480kg kerb.

http://www.clubtoyota.es/Dossier_Lexus_LFA%20ingles.pdf

Half tank - read that in Autocar.

PMSL.

The classic definition of kerb weight is half a tank. Only the US traditionally opts for a full tank.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...256A3E00037746

http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/lofiv...hp?t97611.html

DIN kerb weight is 90% tank.

This claims that the Japanese standard is half a tank:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/t...&t=574039&i=20

http://www.autozine.org/html/0_spec.htm

Only dry weights are truly comparable. I'm afraid your comparison of Sport Auto kerb weight just doesn't hold any weight.

There are no corners on the Nurburgring with sufficient banking to allow a 2g turn without huge amounts of downforce and when it comes to believing Sport Auto or the rest of the motoring world wrt the Apollo's downforce I know which I'm going with. Your clinging to Sport Auto results is rather humourous.

Bedford Autodrome 1:21.7 vs 1:23.5. I'd say so.

The car Sport AUto ran was as fast or faster than the TUV approved Apollo Speed, yet they were slower with it, as per usual.

Your arguments are pathetic you've repeatedly tried to prove that the LFA is better than the F458 by repeatedly referring to Sport Auto data for OTHER CARS - not even the same car. So you're taking info. from a crap source to invalidate the F458 by invalidating other cars. Great argument, would read again.

In the mean time we'd all appreciate it if you could actually find some information relating to either the F458 or LFA as part of a proper argument. In fact I'd go so far as to say that if you can't find any information about the F458 or LFA as part of your argument, don't waste everyone's time and server space with meaningless jibber-jabber about what Sport Auto found with other cars. If you want to do that, find another thread entitled 'Sport Auto Tittle-Tattle Misc' and post there.

 

Man. People are getting wound up over this. I know the LFA performance numbers are not impressive by any means. The price is way too high for such a price tag, but that was not the purpose of this car. It originally started off as a project to build a sports car around the $150k range. It was their attempt to derive and use some of the F-1 technology and put it into a road car. As Mr. Akio Toyoda became more involved with the project, the car became pricier as he wanted more carbon fiber and more exotic materials used to build the car. Mr. Toyoda is a car guy and an avid racer.

I know there are a lot of cars out there that will outperform it and for less money too. However, it's not always about performance stats. The bottom line is this. The super wealthy will simply buy it for it's exclusivity. Only 500 built worldwide. Those people already have the Lambo's and F-Cars in their car collection. This is just another car for their collection.

Lexus is going to lose money on this project. Is it crazy for them to ask for $375k? Maybe. Maybe not. As long as there are willing buyers, who is to say that they are crazy or not? All I know is that I couldn't afford it and even I could, I would buy something else with that money. But then again, this car wasn't produced for people like me. See?

 

exactly, what happen to the 150k price range.... i was wondering what happened to that price range, honetly i would entertain that price range, but 375,000, they must be smoking something.....

 

Where did they mention the lively rear end? Many sporting drivers, some of whom are racers by profession, prefer a lively rear end anyway.
They didn't say the gearbox was poor, just that it felt like it was slipping the clutch; other mags have said this was due to these being well-used and abused prototypes being flogged relentlessly by world media, some of which for laps on the Nordschleife.

Because a BMW engine like the one used in the X6 is much easier to build and cheaper than the handbuilt unit in the LFA. If there are no contractual obligations to the contrary, then nothing is stopping Lotus from using a BMW engine. It's not just one article reporting it. Multiple articles have mentioned it, and Autocar reports they got the info from the horse's mouth.
"Lotus sources have advised Autocar that BMW will probably supply the engine for Hethel's all-new flagship..."
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...Esprit/231264/

No, read that again. I said I don't know if it was any good or not. It doesn't matter. It proves my point which you are now accepting: the low-volume Toyota was so rare, it's now a collectible. A Lotus Esprit isn't. Someone with the means to purchase the Lexus with an eye toward investment would be better off buying the Lexus rather than the Lotus.

Your Lexus link doesn't say dry weight. You can't conclude anything from that link. Those could just be rough engineering estimates and the final number could very well change.

So the F430 weighed by Autocar with only half a tank was that much heavier than Sport Auto's car with full tank? Ask yourself if that makes sense. Autocar's F430 wasn't even loaded with options (it did have weight-saving carbon-ceramics).

None of your links are authorities on what is a classic definition of kerb weight. I would rate R&T a better authority than some random guys on a bunch of internet boards. By your own admission, the DIN norm was 90% tank. That's a lot closer to 100% than 50%. Your suggestion that Evo weighed those cars with camera and driver is ludicrous, particularly in light of the fact that they said exactly what was weighed: full tanks, nothing else.
GM is a US company, so how the hell does that explain the weight discrepancies of the ZR1/Z06? The list of standard features is pretty extensive; there's not much else you can add to make them weigh that much. Options are limited.

Show me those corners. If it's an instaneous figure, then we can only compare instantaneous figures.

Lap time = cornering speed? W-T-F...? Did you notice the Caterham R500 with a 1:20.20? According to your theory, the Caterham must be making 300+ kg of downforce. The Murcielago SV is faster than the Scuderia, and I doubt it produces that much downforce.
Where is the GT3 time?
http://www.fastestlaps.com/track49.html
Do keep in mind that you are referencing a source which (according to you) manipulated the Ferrari's tire pressures to give it an advantage which they did not do for the Lamborghini. Do you honestly think Evo can be considered an impartial source of information based on them (according to you) manipulating tire pressures for one car but not the other?

Tell me the technical difference between the Apollo Speed and the Apollo Sport. They are slower per usual for a variety of very good reasons. Show me another mag editor who has lapped faster in the Apollo.

Whoa, wait. Where did I say the LFA is better than the 458?? Quit making stuff up. So now Evo and Autocar are crap sources? They both confirmed that Ferraris weigh more than the factory claim, even with Evo weighing a factory-supplied stripper with weight-saving optional CF parts. It looks like your obvious blind hatred of Toyota is clouding your judgement.

I have already provided that information: Lexus is more exclusive, more bespoke. Ferrari's V8 cars are not priced at true market value; imagine the price if they limited the 458 to just 500 units. I've provided the proof that you yourself ask for, showing that numerous sources, not just Sport Auto, have found Ferraris (and other cars too!) weigh more than claimed. In the case of the F430, Sport Auto was actually closer to the factory claim than the others. And now you yourself are admitting to different standards in weighing, so how can you compare the weights of these two cars with any accuracy whatsoever? That's just retarded.

 

Well said. After reading that, it should be plain as day why this car costs what it does.

 

Wow this is some thread.

Yes the LFA is exclusive but it sounds as if Toyota is charging the customer for the R&D of this vehicle(along with a profit). The pricing question is very interesting. While many of us agree or disagree with the pricing. IMO the market(plus resale) will dictate whether the car's price was dead on or overpriced... period.

Personally I like the car (plus the brand..grew up on toyotas..AE86 forever in my heart )

As far as price goes IMO it is overpriced(there I said it..) but as I stated above, the market will be the deciding factor.

Excellent debate though...

 

Read Evo Issue 138 and watch the Autocar video.

'Imperfect transmission' - that's a polite way of saying that the gearbox is poo.

http://www.carsuk.net/new-lotus-espr...get-lexus-v10/

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/27/r...-by-lexus-v10/

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/au...v10_power.html

Elise - Toyota engine.

Exige - Toyota engine.

Evora - Toyota engine.

Esprit - Guess?

Moving on...

It's a collectable because it's so **** and over-priced that nobody bought it. What part of that do you not understand. If I make dog****-flavoured ice-cream, that will only sell in small volumes too and one day in 50 years time a curious speculator might be interested in it.

No but it gives a range for kerb weight. So the upper kerb weight is likely to be higher than the 1480kg minimimum value.

Of course it doesn't make sense, it involves Sport Auto.

As I've said, Evo weighed the Scuderia at 1374kg. Sport Analo weighed it at about 1450+kg. Obviously Sport Analo are on crack. There is no set definition of kerb weight, hence why you can't use it to debate Ferrari accuracy.

The R500 is a vastly lighter car. If you read proper magazines you'd realise that Evo do v-t graphs and yes, the Scuderia is faster at every point in every corner. I can take a picture for you if you'd like to educate yourself as opposed to reading Sport Horoldo who don't post v-t graphs because it would show up inconsistencies.

The Scuderia and GT2 have very similar PWRs that's the difference relative to all your ******-laiden examples.

You know that no other magazine bothers with the 'ring as part of their 'regular' testing because it's too far away. The Speed is TUV approved, hence it's slightly heavier, and has had to tone down some of its more prominent aero-features for pedestrian safety.

You say it's worth more. If it ain't better, it ain't worth more. Simples.

They don't though, Evo weigh the Scuderia very close to the factory claim with a full tank and that's the Ferrari most relevant to the F458. Shame we can't do something similar for the LFA, like compare how accurate Toyota's claim is for the weight of a G-(W)izz.

More 'exclusive', more 'bespoke'? That's not going to stop it having its **** handed to it.

As regards your Ferrari claims they're crap, the same issue of Evo that mentions about the change of tyre pressure weighed the Scuderia at 1374kg kerb fully fuelled (1350kg claimed on half tank - Issue 121, page 94). This car is the closest match to the F458 so there's little doubt that the F458 kerb weight will be genuine.

Comparing previous Ferraris is ridiculous for 3 reasons however:

1) They're not the cars being discussed.

2) Most of your quotes are from Sport Crapo.

3) There is no method of conducting the same comparisons for Toyota because, guess what, that's right, Toyota haven't made any supercars before. Another fact that counts against them.

 

The Autocar video didn't say anything about the lively rear end. They did say the slides were easy to control. Tell me that is a bad thing, and I'll laugh in your face.
Evo also rated the Zona Cinque only 4 stars, yet called it "sensational." According to your logic, they weren't too impressed with the Zonda.

Why would a Brit car mag suddenly resort to being polite? They have a history of being candid about American cars (rubbish interiors, wayward suspensions, etc). No need to start now. So gearbox = entire vehicle. Nice logic.

None of those links says anything definitive.

Except to this day, nobody has ever bought such ice cream, while Toyota GT's have sold at auction for a 28-fold increase in MSRP. Once again, your logic is what tastes like dog crap here.
People can pay $28k for Virgin Mary toast on eBay, a site generally geared toward people trying to get a good deal...

The range of kerb weights tells us nothing about whether we can compare against Ferrari's figures. This car is still being developed.

Holy crap, guy. What's your strange obsession against Sport Auto? Take Sport Auto out of it, if you want. The Autocar-tested F430 still weighed more than Ferrari's claim by a wide margin.

Did they? Then why did they publish a figure of 1402kg?
Since you believe there is no set definition of kerb weight, then you are in no position to compare 458 weight against LFA weight.

Sure, go ahead. Take that picture. Based on the two v-t graphs that I'm looking at for these cars on Bedford, the R500 is faster in the corners. While you're at it, check the Bedford lap for the Gumpert. It's only marginally faster than the CGT in most corners. Put some modern P Zero Corsa R compounds on the CGT and do the test again...

GT2? I never mentioned GT2. Please, try to follow better.

Convenient excuse. Car Magazine, DR, and Autocar have all tested cars at some point on the 'Ring. This is a helluva lot more examples than for those that have actually independently tested downforce numbers (which still stands at zero).
What modifications make it heavier, and by how much? Sources, please. The Speed was also run on a softer suspension setting to better deal with the track's numerous bumpy sections (per 0-60 Mag). How do you know for a fact that the Apollo Sport was set up the same exact way? And this is even before taking into account camber variables, which can affect cornering speeds.

Not really. In a free market economy dealing with bespoke items, those items don't have to be better than another to command higher prices.
Thanks for admitting that you BS'ed about me saying the LFA being better when I said no such thing.

Who said it would??? Your leap in logic is simply incredible. A Ferrari 599 is more exclusive and bespoke than a ZR1. Are you going to expect that it will outrun a ZR1? I think perhaps only you would.

1) It doesn't matter if they're the cars being discussed. If they're built by the same factory, weighed on the same factory's scales, then it provides a case history on which we can make judgements about curb weights; had it ever occurred to you why not a single Scuderia or ZR1 or Z06 (all cars which are available with only a few options) has ever met the manufacturer's curb weight claim?
2) My quotes are from Sport Auto and confirmed by other mags (Evo, Autocar) and C&D; you asked for comfirmation from 1 UK mag and 1 US mag, and I did just that. Now that you see that the figures don't match your preconceived notions, quit crying about it.
3) Didn't stop Pagani or Koenigsegg. At least Toyota has some reputation in building high-quality, reliable cars, and a history in motorsport too.

 

Something for the Lexus rip offs to think about.

5 Zonda Cinque @1.500.000 per unit. Revenue USD $7.500.000

500 LFA @375.000 per unit. Revenue $187.500.000

If you go by Lexus maths it should make the Cinque a bargain.
Revenue for Lexus of this is car, $187.500.000 and the price unit per Zonda Cinque which is $1.500.000. That comes up to 125 Zonda Cinque they need to make in order to achieve what Lexus wants to make for this car.

If Lexus wants to make the Zonda Cinque, they need to charge $ 37.500.000 dollars for every unit. To achieve the $187.500.000 the revenue Lexus is going to make for the LFA.

If Lexus were to build a Cinque it should costs $37.000.000 vs the Zonda Cinque which costs $1.500.000

If Lexus wants to price the LFA that high, they should only be producing 20 LFA's.
Zonda Cinque Revenue $7.500.000 divide into LFA price per unit.

Correct me if am wrong... This is just my theory...

 

I don't think it's that simple. Zonda Cinque isn't an entirely new car, but built from existing Zonda line (Zonda F, Zonda F Club Sport, C12S, C12). Much engine R&D already done by engine supplier Mercedes-Benz. Pagani is also a small specialty manufacturer, so the numbers just aren't there anyway. It's not a comparable comparison. If you compare Ferrari numbers, you'll see the F430 with much more revenue: $1,454,238,000 using a conservative production figure and MSRP of the base F430 ($173,000), while many of these will be the more expensive Scuderia, 16M, and Challenge cars. The revenue from the Scuderia alone already exceeded Lexus's projected revenue for the LFA by $40M, and this was back in June; that car's production run isn't over yet.

More relevant example than super-limited Zonda (using a car also with a bespoke body; the body being the single most important and usually expensive component of any car): BMW Z8. BMW, also a mainstream mfr like Toyota/Lexus sold 5700 of these. 5700 x $132,000 = $752,400,000. That is 4x's the revenue Lexus might bring from this car. Did it cost 4x's to develop and manufacture? No freakin' way.
Or try from another mainstream manufacturer with bespoke chassis: Ford GT. 4038 x $140,000 = $565,320,000 in revenue. Much, much more than Lexus are asking for this car. And that car was not tested through 2 24 Hours of Nurburgring races. Its frame is aluminum, not CF. No carbon brakes. Supercharged vs natural aspiration. Relatively spartan interior. Contract-assembled or -finished by Saleen.
Or try another mainstream mfr with a non-bespoke chassis: MB SL65 Black Series. 350 x $300,000 = 105,000,000. Not too far off from Lexus, but no CF tub. No CF brakes. Transmission, engine, and interior as found in other MB models.
ZR1, based off of other Corvettes (a line in continuous production for ages), with identical interior, already produced $141,500,000 in only a single model year. It has more to come.

In any event, at MSRP and even if they sell that many, Lexus are likely losing money on each car, as reported by Autocar:
"Toyota won’t make any money from the Lexus LFA, which was finally revealed at the Tokyo show after six years in development. Virtually everything on the LFA is new, with just five parts of the LFA common to other Toyota and Lexus products.
The high cost of development and construction means Toyota will likely make no profit, but insiders say this was not the aim of the project. The brief was to create a halo car for the brand."