The $350,000 Lexus LFA: Automaker Only Allowing Elite Buyers Who 'Drive In The Right Places' (VIDEO)

Lexus is proclaiming its new $350,000 LFA model, which can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and hit speeds as fast as 202 mph, a "two-seat supercar."

But potential buyers interested in owning the sports car will need to do more than just come up with the cash: they'll need to be individually approved by Lexus. The brand, which plans to manufacture just 500 of the cars at a rate of twenty per month, is requiring prospective buyers to submit to a kind of coolness background check before being "approved" to buy the vehicle.

Lexus says applicants will be assessed based on their location, the other cars they own, and, above all, their driving habits. One Lexus manager indicated that the Toyota brand's chief concern is that the car be driven frequently, and in the "right" kinds of places. He told the
WSJ:

"We want people who will drive the car, who will be seen in the car," said Paul Williamson, national manager at Lexus College, Toyota's dealer training school. "We want it to be seen on the right roads, in front of the right restaurants and not just being enjoyed by one individual in their private garage."

But more than anything, the LFA approval process appears to be an effort to enhance the brand's exclusivity -- and establish it as a competitor with the most distinguished brands in luxury high-performance cars like Porsche, Lamborghini, and Ferrari.

As The Big Money's Matthew DeBord, who saw the car at the L.A. Auto Show last December, put it: "Take that, Ferrari! Ka-pow, Lamborghini! Not just anybody can buy an LFA, the greatest Toyota [ever] created by humans on Earth."

Check out DeBord's video of the Lexus "supercar":

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Comments

[blastocyst]

09:17 AM on 01/27/2010

Comes with a pry-bar to lever the accelerator pedal from off of the floor.

[Simeon M]

02:51 PM on 01/25/2010

"Sell to the right people" ~ Lexus can toss my salad.

[JScott]

01:50 AM on 01/20/2010

Last Lexus I liked was the 2000 LS 400, after that the styling got too cliche trying to look like other brands,
I don't particularly care for this one. If I had the $ and the cool factor I can PROUDLY SAY TO LEXUS
N O T H A N K Y O U !!!!!!!! Even if they paid ME to have the car.

[duskdemon]

01:31 AM on 01/20/2010

how is free market capitalism working now? huh...

i bet the first criterion is that you have to be a republican. after all, this is their type of capitalism in a nutshell.

[MajorKong]

08:02 PM on 01/19/2010

I tried to interest my wife in a Lexus GS350 once.

She said "Sorry, but I don't like it."

I said "Don't be sorry. You just saved us $45,000!"

[ertho]

06:18 PM on 01/19/2010

Is it just me or is the idea of an exclusive Lexus for only the "coolest" people somewhat laughable? Lexus is the brand of middle-aged McMansion owners who need the luxury label to keep up with neighbors but not the excitement of anything too edgy. When you buy a Lexus, you do get the Toyota reliability and quality, but at the price of your soul.

[67bug]

07:34 PM on 01/19/2010

Those little convertible ones look pretty fun.....IS250 I think?

[brooklyncitizen]

09:55 PM on 01/19/2010

I kinda have to agree. All Lexus owners are middle aged boomers...one owns a luxury SUV and another a sedan..don't know which model but they are both pricy...some people really go for that branding stuff. All t

[67bug]

10:40 AM on 01/20/2010

I'm a middle age boomer*sigh*......I drive a '95 Miata, no way will you catch me buying a Camry!

[67bug]

10:43 AM on 01/20/2010

Also, where I live, people of all ages drive Lexus ( Lexi?), 20-somethings too, although they drive the smaller sportier models. There's lots of rich people in So. Cal!

[DandaPanda]

03:18 PM on 01/19/2010

japkrap

[MajorKong]

02:59 PM on 01/19/2010

For around $13,000 you can buy a sport bike that will outperform it.

Assuming you're brave enough to ride one, which I'm not.

[67bug]

02:50 PM on 01/19/2010

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz"

[67bug]

02:50 PM on 01/19/2010

I like the new Maseratis better, they are really beautiful cars!

[seroquel]

01:45 PM on 01/19/2010

If you want status, Bentley does a nice job.

And if you prefer a Toyota(Lexus IS part of Toyota) then that's what you want.

If I want speed, I'm going for the established super cars-Lamborghini, Ferrari...

I don't think it's sour grapes in that it's still a Toyota, which to me means fuel economy first.

I agree-it reminds me of a Mitsubishi sports car. I wouldn't spend 350 K on it.

[KriTiKiT]

01:43 PM on 01/19/2010

two words~ Toyota elitists

[MajorKong]

12:43 PM on 01/19/2010

A Ferrari has a soul.

A Lexus, while a technological masterpiece, does not.

[johnnygoodwud]

12:17 PM on 01/19/2010

i own my own bus. work hard and own a lexus and porsche. obviously not like this one. one of my customers asked me, 'are you expensive', and my reply was, 'that's a relative term'. the same is true for this car. expensive to most, but not to others. did i buy my two cars because i'm short (i'm 6'2") have a small wee-wee, (also not short) inferiority complex, mother issues, or want to 'be seen'. nope, bought the lexus because compared to a benz, bmw, it was a bargin, bought the porsche, because i like the way it handles. i would suggest all you sour grapes probably have never driven a real road car. life is short, and on occassion i like to treat myself to something i truly enjoy, driving nice cars. finally all you commentators who are going to respond by telling me your corolla is just as good as the lexus, or whatever, save it. different strokes for different folks.

[gvscmr]

12:36 PM on 01/19/2010

Agreed and you made the exact point Lexus is a great car and a better bargain than a MB or BMW. However, a Ferrari is More Established, a better bargain and a far better car than Lexus. Had they priced this car around $100K it would follow your logic and their original marketing logic when they went after BMW and MB. Their logic is backwards on this one.

[RButler]

12:16 PM on 01/19/2010

Don't care for the sharp angular, triangle headlights or those massive taillights which are similar to what we've been seeing on many cars the last few years. I suspect that in the future when a 'new look' emerges, these will look so dated rather than classic.

However, I would have to sell my house and take out a mortgage to buy it and then live in it which I don't think Lexus would approve of.