Lexus LFA 2012.

                                           Lexus LFA 2012.

The Lexus LFA is a two-seat supercar from Lexus.The 2012 Lexus LFA starts at $375,000 and features a 4.8-liter V10 engine that generates 552 horsepower. A six-speed automated manual transmission routes power to the rear wheels, and the LFA maintains a relatively light weight thanks to its body, which is constructed of aluminum and carbon-fiber.

The interior is restrained but tasteful. The car we drove had a mixture of supple leather, carbon fiber, Alcantara, and “satin metal” adorning the cockpit.The supportive bucket seats have eight-way power adjustments,and the driving position is superb. The minor controls are as easy to find and use as in astandard Lexus sedan, and the LFA even has the same mouse-style operation for its  multifunction. The most remarkable interior features are seatbelt airbags—which inflate in a crash to spread the impact’s forces over a broader section of the body than a traditional belt—and the instrument display, which is as cool as liquid nitrogen. Alter the vehicle settings, and the large central tachometer, which also incorporates a digital speedometer and a gear indicator, changes appearance. In sport mode, the background color goes from black to white and the increments between the tach’s numbers get bigger. Pressing the display switch on the steering wheel causes the tach to appear to scoot sideways in the instrument panel. This opens a submenu that allows the driver to access features such as a lap timer and even to change the point at which warning lights appear on the tach.

The Lexus LFA is exclusively powered by a sophisticated new high-revving 4.8-liter V10 engine that generates 552 horsepower at 8,700 rpm and 354 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 6,800 rpm. The engine is mated to a unique six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) with paddle shifters that enables ultra-quick gear shifts (0.2 seconds) with four driving modes – AUTO, SPORT, NORMAL and WET for exceptional versatility.

Lexus' supercar accelerates from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds and achieves a maximum speed of 202 mph thanks to an independently controlled throttle body for each cylinder, high-volume 12-hole injectors, dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), low-friction engine components, and equal length exhaust manifolds.

Standard features include 20-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, leather or faux-suede Alcantara upholstery, Bluetooth and a 12-speaker stereo with a six-disc CD changer and USB interface. The Configuration 2 package adds a Mark Levinson surround sound stereo and navigation. The Configuration 3 package adds the above features plus Lexus’ Enform telematics system and XM Radio with traffic and weather updates.

Unlike most other halo models, proof of concept vehicles and supercars, the Lexus LFA does not make any compromises. It is a pure single-mission driving machine seemingly very content in its very own niche.