I have to say putting the price of this thing aside, the car itself is awesome. The interior is beautiful and the seat are some of the best if not the best I have sat in. For those audio people the stereo alone costs $10k. The dash is LCD and can be changed up to display whatever information you want in whatever color you want. I was impressed by the fact that the maintenance for it is like any other Lexus meaning no $$ maintenance bills every three years. Click on the link and you can scroll through the pics by clicking on them:
http://www.facebook.com/login/setash...type=1&theater

 

Beautiful car, we have a IS in our stable. Its a very well made car, too bad the US car makers can't do the same. But at the same time if they did, the price would go up considerably.

 

Very impressive car but it didn't help Kyle Busch's driving record.....

Is it true that Lexus actually chooses the buyer? You apparently can't just go in and plunk down the $400K and drive off. You have to be "cool enough" that the car will be seen, not just sitting in a garage or at a car show.

 

I'll take American built and save $300K. Besides it's Memorial Day so here's to America's sports car

 

If warranted I'm pretty sure the U.S car companies can also build their fair share of "Halo-cars"....

 

Yes, probably, but the shareholders would insist it be built on a Ford F150 chassis, the UAW would object to any outsourced components and the Sierra Club would demand it be made of previously harvested corn husks and run on pine cones, with the exhaust spitting out seeds along the roadside..

I'd be happy just to see Chevrolet continue to refine the Corvette and to honor its history, by way of things like the National Museum, etc. It's all the "halo car" I need.

You know, I must say, given my rapidly increasing age, that the term "Halo Car" makes me wonder if that's what I can expect to drive once my wife kills me? Hope it has good air conditioning.

 

You know, this is the reason I rarely post in this section about RTC and what we are doing. I have tried to share with everyone what else is out there and happens to be in the area that you can actually see. The LFA is a hell of a car and this was your one and only chance to see it in person for a long time to come. We had other great cars like the 1957 Ferrari, the 1967 Corvette, the LP640, the list goes on. I personally like seeing this other stuff regardless of if or can I buy one myself. By getting to know these guys my kids and I have gotten rides in some of these awesome machines. I even declined the offer to drive some of them. I apologize for not posting about the Corvettes that were there instead.

 

So I am not the only one that has been rubbed the wrong way a few times. Well, I live in Redmond and the GTG that you guys have is really convenient for me, so I will participate. The Winery event was a success in my book. I like looking at and learning about all cars and the best way to do that is to get out there and see them for yourself.

 

Interesting take on the responses. I doubt anyone meant any offense.
I didn't read anyone bashing the LFA. I think we would all agree it is an amazing piece of engineering.

I suspect most guys just can't fathom spending that much on a car.--I know I still worry about putting a scratch (or God forbid a dent) in my 8 year old '03.

Keep the RTC posts coming. I, for one, love living vicariously through those of you with real lives. That goes for the Green Lizard stories as well.

Also--When someone says Halo cars, I think ZR-1, Viper, and Ford GT.

Rob

 

Do not know how it is interesting with the first thing out of my mouth is regardless of price the LFA is an amazing car. Then we start getting comparisons and that was NOT what my post was about. It was about an awesome car that few will ever see in person much less watch it get up and go. So what if I were to say it was no where near the MOST expensive car there? It has nothing to do with price but everything to do with rarity. The 1957 Ferrari was an actual race car that is valued in the millions. Will not see that actually being driven down a public street in most peoples life time. The 1957 Aston Martin which was the racing teams #3 car at the '57 Le Mans was another that has come out. Can you even compare these cars to Corvettes in general? I think not. The cars are history and art in motion. The LFA happens to be a modern version IMO.

I do not compare my car to others. I know from a performance stand point it can hold its own with most of the cars that come out. From a quality of construction its a lot different. It is what it is. I enjoy getting to know some of these cars and zeroing in on what my next one will be. This is the best way to accomplish that and I think I see a 550 or 575 coming in the near future. The experience of being in one is so different from any other car I have been in. Just thought I would share it with others.

 

Good Grief! How did this debate get started?

I guess as a long time enthusiast and admirer of everything to hot rods to motorcycles I am pleased that the people who have far more money than me choose to spend it the same way I would if I had it. Even better, they bring their rides out to share with the rest of us.

Even with my low self-esteem, I don't get depressed over my lack of disposable income to afford any of these wonderful cars. What's the fuss over the Lexus? I went back through the thread and can't figure out what got this started.

What did I miss?

What 1957 Ferrari? I guess I didn't see that one, unless you mean what I believe to be a replica Ford-powered Spyder California, ala Ferris Bueller, but even so, if that's what it is, my compliments to the RTC event for allowing him to participate. It's a nicely done car in its own right and worthy of sharing with us.

Am I missing the point here?

 

You guys type much better than I do.

 

Last901, either you missed the point or I did a **** poor job of articulating. I value your love and enjoyment of other things because you are like me. I took the "buy American" and "we can build a halo car too" the wrong way I guess. Go back to my first post and it says, hell yeah it is expensive but it is one hell of a car too. No where did I ask for comparisions or what others would rather have, just enjoy the fact that E@RTC has the connections and pull to get Lexus to bring that car by truck up here for two days from Cali for people to see and drive. Now I would like to close the book on this since I was the OP.

Now, here is a link of what we had show up on Sunday. I think you will get the most from it: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...type=1&theater

 

Eric, I may have very well missed the point. My apologies. Combined with an inbred reluctance to go back through every post to try and figure out what the point is, I simply base my opinions on where I think the thread is going. Perhaps the wrong manner in which to respond to an opinion, but it is a forum after all, not my Doctoral dissertation.

I did not realize that the new Lexus was an example provided, apparently, by Toyota and, if so, indeed suggests this informal gathering of exotics has some importance so far as Toyota's marketing department is concerned. That's very cool.

I also guess what I was reading into this exchange - perhaps without reason - was something that tends to annoy me ever since I started hanging out on this forum. To be truthful, it doesn't seem to be as bad as it was a couple of years ago, but I've long sensed a sort of inferiority complex among some Corvette owners, vis-a-vis European and even Asian imports. It's more prevalent on some of the model-specific forums, but I fail to understand why some Corvette owners seem to either need to justify their ride of choice or else simply criticize any other performance or exotic car.

I won't bother to go into all the reasons why a Corvette needs not to be justified by anyone to others, but I guess that's sort of the flavor I was picking up on this thread.

So, forgive me.... But it is a forum, isn't it? Keeps me from watching insipid shows like "American Idol".

 

I have an unbelievable whiskey collection I will share with you if it will keep you from watching American Idol. Besides, its sponsored by Ford which happens to be the logo above this box as I type this. Where did we go so wrong to deserve Ford sponsorship on this forum?

 

Wrong? What other forum on the subject of Chevrolet can be so well regarded as to be sponsored by a competitive marque?

This is really a great venue for shut-ins like me.

Okay, time for my meds.

 

So my ZR1 isn't amazing? You don't want a ride in my car? Ouch!

Eric, some of us just have a warped sense of humor.

Thanks for the post and the pic's.

Mike

 

The thing about internet forums is you are simply not going to always get the response you think you will. I saw nothing insulting or such by anybody here - just a conversation about the car you started a thread about. Just because it didn't elicit responses praising the car is no reason to get defensive. Good grief......

 

Eric- I saw the pictures that Jason Tang took, I must agree the interior is awesome on that car. One thing I still can't understand is why they won't put a decent set of seats in the Corvette from the factory. The Boss 302 has a recaro option, the older evo's & sti's came with recaros, even the acura integra type r's came with factory recaros....

I've only attended one ERTC meet so far but everyone I talked to was real cool and down to earth.

I have also gotten to know a couple exotic owners and that led to being taken for a ride in a challenge stradale and an f430 scuderia.

I still tend to notice this quite a bit on the forum. Maybe it's because I'm a car guy and I like everything from cleanly built honda's to exotics and everything in-between. A guy with a much nicer car than I once told me “ it doesn’t matter what you drive as long as you have fun driving it”. Though with that being said I’d still really like to get an artic white c6z someday, with black wheels of course.

If the car is a loss leader for the company than in my mind it somewhat makes sense to be selective of potential owners.

 

Ian, well said.

Oh, BTW, black wheels on a white car tend to make it the "Biscayne" edition of any car no matter how expensive. I do believe that black wheels on any car are the rough equivalent of those "Dog Dish" small hubcaps that used to be on fleet vehicles and taxis. I will however accept them on the premise of being a simple and temporary marketing experiment much like those red, blue and brown colored whitewall tire options on '55 Buicks. Of course I never actually saw anything like that, but my grandfather told me they were really out there.

I'm sure you would agree, right?

Are you out of school now for the summer? I didn't see you on the GTG list for this weekend.