The new convertible is based on the previous LF-A coupe concept that’s been doing the round of international car shows over the past 12 months. Like the coupe, the roadster features a front mid-engine placement along with a rear-mounted transaxle and rear-mounted radiators for better balance. The V10, capable of more than 500 horsepower and test-track speeds greater than 200 mph, is mounted in front of the passenger compartment but behind the front-axle centerline. It's connected via a torque tube and propeller shaft to a transaxle that is controlled by paddle shifters. The torque tube is a structural member that adds rigidity to the drivetrain and chassis while also reducing vibration.
Though the LF-A is billed as a concept several prototypes have been spotted testing at the Nurburgring, which means this is one concept that will be headed for production. The first cars are tipped to hit showrooms in the first half of next year.
Lexus LF-A Takes on Roadster Form - An Open Version of the Supercar Concept Revealed
DETROIT, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The engineers and designers at Lexus
continue to use their groundbreaking LF-A premium sports car concept as a
medium for expressing their ideas about what a high-performance sporting
vehicle not only can be, but should be. In this latest expression of the
LF- A, they have removed the car's top to create a high-performance
roadster.
The LF-A Roadster is based on the sturdy yet lightweight carbon-fiber
and aluminum body used for the LF-A coupe, which helps maintain the
structure's strength and rigidity even without a top.
Like its coupe counterpart, the LF-A Roadster is powered by a
high-revving V10 engine that approaches 5.0 liters in displacement. The
V10, capable of more than 500 horsepower and test-track speeds greater than
200 mph, is mounted in front of the passenger compartment but behind the
front-axle centerline in what the LF-A's engineers refer to as a
"front-mid" configuration.
The engine is connected via a torque tube and propeller shaft to a
transaxle that is controlled by paddle shifters. The torque tube is a
structural member that adds rigidity to the drivetrain and chassis while
also reducing vibration.
Styling is rooted in the Lexus L-Finesse design philosophy, conferring
the LF-A Roadster's front end with a compact, low-profile, aerodynamic
shape. Like its coupe counterpart, the LF-A Roadster stands just 48 inches
tall, but the Roadster configuration adds a speed adaptive rear wing.
The rear is marked by a pair of wrap-around, arrowhead-shaped
taillights that bracket a pair of large grilles. These grilles vent the
heated air from the car's two rear-mounted radiators into the LF-A
Roadster's aerodynamic wake. The radiators are fed cool air by two large
intake ducts mounted just above the rear wheel wells. This aft radiator
positioning not only allowed the designers to keep the car's front profile
low and tight but also aided the LF-A's chassis engineers in their search
for optimal weight distribution.
Helping to provide balance and scale to the design, which features an
overall length of 175.6 inches and a wheelbase of 102.6 inches, are high-
performance tires on turbine-styled alloy wheels. The front tires are
265/35R20s, while the rears are 305/30R20s. Like the LF-A coupe, the brakes
consist of 14.2-inch cross-drilled, vented discs up front, and 13.6-inch
cross-drilled, vented discs at the rear. The front brake calipers are six-
piston units and the rear calipers use four pistons each.
An "F" logo, located on each front fender of the Roadster, indicates
the vehicle's status as a part of the new "F" marque. The name is derived
from the original "F" designation for the first Lexus LS prototype. That
vehicle was internally coded "Circle-F," with the "F" standing for
"flagship." The Circle-F designation further evolved into the code name
Flagship One, or F1, and the first F1 concept developed into Lexus' first
vehicle, the LS. Since then, the "F" code has come to signify a special
vehicle program within Lexus that falls outside the normal engineering and
development process. In addition, Fuji Speedway is the IS F's home circuit,
and the shape of the F- logo was inspired by many of the track's turns. The
all-new Lexus IS F sport sedan is the first production vehicle to carry the
F marque.
Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept Preliminary Specifications
Body Type: Two seat roadster
Powertrain
Type: Front-mid-engine, rear-mid-transaxle
Engine: V10 (under 5.0-liters)
Transmission: SMT (sequential manual transmission)
Horsepower: More than 500
Top Speed: More than 200 mph
Tire Size
Front: 265/35R20
Rear: 305/30R20
Dimensions (inches)
Overall Length: 175.6
Overall Width: 74.6
Overall Height: 48.0
Wheelbase: 102.6
