Chapter Closed
The Lexus LFA, with its legendary V10, is one of the best-sounding cars of the last decade and the last century. In terms of pure aural bliss, few cars come close or rival the LFA, so when Lexus announced that the new LFA would be all-electric, there was backlash.
Consider me part of that crowd, because even if EVs are very powerful and fast, getting to that insane 0-to-60 mph time no longer feels like an achievement. Launch control feels more like launching an app, and the driving experience lacks exactly that: feel.
Lexus will rectify that with the new LFA, and “fix” what’s wrong with EV supercars, or at least try to. However, Lexus engineers won’t be solely relying on the soundtrack that put the LFA on the map.
Toyota
Still Not Final
Just like the previous LFA with its howling V10, the new LFA uses the best that Lexus can get their hands on. At this point, we know that the production LFA will come with solid-state batteries, a technology that Toyota and other Japanese brands are working towards and are close to implementing in full production cars.
Next is the lightweight aluminum architecture, which is shared between the LFA and the GR GT. Speaking to Autocar, Shogo Kasamatsu, the concept designer of the LFA, stated that “the LFA itself was a very humble design, very artistic, and based on its true function.” Side by side with the GR GT, it’s more refined but still carries an athletic build, and you could say it looks nothing like other Lexus vehicles in the lineup – which was on purpose, according to Kasamatsu. “The design is ‘almost’ indicative of the final production car, which is ‘almost’ finished,” he continued.
Toyota
Noise, Vibration, and Hope it Sticks
To call back to the icon that is the V10 Lexus LFA would be to pipe in artificial engine noise, add some software wizardry to simulate a gear shift, and call it a day – but Lexus wants to do more than that. Lexus claims that “many people don’t believe that battery [power] is exciting right now,” and the lack of demand for EV supercars is “our biggest challenge,” stated Yukihiro Yukita, the General Manager of the LFA program.
The premium automaker wants to change the game for EV supercars, stating that it wants to give supercar owners a compelling reason to switch to electric power and that the brand wants to be the “leader” of that movement. However, Lexus does not believe that solely playing fake engine noises will lead to that; instead, something more has to happen. Unlike other brands like Porsche, Hyundai N, or even Toyota itself with its simulated manual EV, it looks like Lexus is not shying away from the fact that the LFA is all-electric.
The thing about EVs is that even if you’re really stepping on it, there is no drama, no feedback, no sound or vibration to tell your senses that something amazing is happening, apart from the G-forces, of course. Because there is no engine in the EV LFA, the driver doesn’t get the noise and vibration (or awesomeness) of a V10 under the hood, but Lexus wants to reintroduce those vibrations and sensory inputs so the car feels more alive and authentically connected.
The goal is not to hide the benefits of an EV sports car, which are linearity and responsiveness of the electric motors, but to highlight them and not pretend that there is still a gasoline engine under the hood. “We’re not just wanting to replicate the sound of the engine: we want to redesign the sound itself,’ said Yukita.
