TTAC Celebrates Lexus LFA Week, And You Go Behind The Scenes

by Bertel Schmitt

Published: July 8th, 2012

ttac celebrates lexus lfa week and you go behind the scenes

This coming week is LFA Week. From Monday, July 9 through Friday, July 13, TTAC will run a five-part series documenting the production of the Lexus LFA. Readers of TTAC will receive unprecedented access to the LFA Works in Motomachi. You will receive a behind-the-scene look, exclusive, never before published proprietary pictures, and a glimpse into the future. Here is a preview:

This is not one of those “sponsored content” promotions. It would be silly: The production of the LFA is limited to 500, all are spoken for. Even if you would pay the $375,000 the car costs, you would be turned down. (There’s always eBay.) When this year ends, the production of the LFA will end with it.

During LFA Week, LFA Chief Engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi and his deputy Chiharu Tamura will show you how the LFA is made, from the first strips of carbon fiber to the test drive. You will see the mysterious circular loom up-close, and you will see what is made in that loom. You will get a peek into Tanahashi’s diary. You will go on the track with test driver Nobuaki Amano.

Monday, July 9: From A Bar To Bar None. How the LFA really was born, how it got is name, and how Tanahashi nearly had a heart attack when he was told to make it out of carbon fiber.

Tuesday, July 10: In The Clean Room. We don protective clothing, we get vacuumed from top to bottom and enter the clean room where the LFA is made from the strongest and most expensive type of carbon fiber available.

Wednesday, July 11: Call Me Names. During a short bus ride, Chief Engineer Tanahashi tells how the LFA really got its name and what LFA really means. Also: What the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and the Lexus LFA have in common (a muffler.)

Thursday, July 12: Balance Of Power. We watch the V10 engine go into the LFA, we hear about balance, and we show you how 50 years from now, the history of each of the 500 LFAs can be traced to two little rooms in Motomachi.

Friday, July 13: Exam Week. We go on the test track with test driver Nobuaki Amano. And we examine Chief Engineer Tanahashi about how the LFA influences future car, and what will come after the LFA.

#BertelSchmitt #Japan #LexusLFA #LFAWeek

Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 44 comments

Daiheadjai on Jul 09, 2012

There will always be critics. Toyota generally gets the brunt of the flaming from the "enthusiasts" First "they're boring" for making reliable appliances that the rest of the world (who don't prioritize driving like we do) buy. Then, when they make something that is a marvel of engineering, "it's too expensive" I'm sure there'd be critics even if Toyota makes a $20,000.00, 1,000hp Every-wheel-drive, 2,000lb manual wagon with a turbodiesel engine.

Like Reply
WildcatMatt on Jul 18, 2012

Could I make a minor suggestion about the TTAC watermark? Adding a white drop shadow to it would help keep the black portion from disappearing into dark portions of the picture and stand out a little more.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Redapple2 jeffbut they dont want to ... their pick up is 4th behind ford/ram, Toyota. GM has the Best engineers in the world. More truck profit than the other 3. Silverado + Sierra+ Tahoe + Yukon sales = 2x ford total @ $15,000 profit per. Tons o $ to invest in the BEST truck. No. They make crap. Garbage. Evil gm Vampire
Rishabh Ive actually seen the one unit you mentioned, driving around in gurugram once. And thats why i got curious to know more about how many they sold. Seems like i saw the only one!
Amy I owned this exact car from 16 until 19 (1990 to 1993) I miss this car immensely and am on the search to own it again, although it looks like my search may be in vane. It was affectionatly dubbed, " The Dragon Wagon," and hauled many a teenager around the city of Charlotte, NC. For me, it was dependable and trustworthy. I was able to do much of the maintenance myself until I was struck by lightning and a month later the battery exploded. My parents did have the entire electrical system redone and he was back to new. I hope to find one in the near future and make it my every day driver. I'm a dreamer.
Jeff Overall I prefer the 59 GM cars to the 58s because of less chrome but I have a new appreciation of the 58 Cadillac Eldorados after reading this series. I use to not like the 58 Eldorados but I now don't mind them. Overall I prefer the 55-57s GMs over most of the 58-60s GMs. For the most part I like the 61 GMs. Chryslers I like the 57 and 58s. Fords I liked the 55 thru 57s but the 58s and 59s not as much with the exception of Mercury which I for the most part like all those. As the 60s progressed the tail fins started to go away and the amount of chrome was reduced. More understated.
Theflyersfan Nissan could have the best auto lineup of any carmaker (they don't), but until they improve one major issue, the best cars out there won't matter. That is the dealership experience. Year after year in multiple customer service surveys from groups like JD Power and CR, Nissan frequency scrapes the bottom. Personally, I really like the never seen new Z, but after having several truly awful Nissan dealer experiences, my shadow will never darken a Nissan showroom. I'm painting with broad strokes here, but maybe it is so ingrained in their culture to try to take advantage of people who might not be savvy enough in the buying experience that they by default treat everyone like idiots and saps. All of this has to be frustrating to Nissan HQ as they are improving their lineup but their dealers drag them down.