We get behind the scenes of a routine inspection of the fastest, most expensive and most complex Lexus ever
Good morning, Lexus lovers. Let's start this week with a fascinating journey into the Lexus LFA, the halo and hero model ever to come out from the skunkworks of the Motomachi plant in Japan.
But we're not going to talk about speed, or acceleration or the oft-praised baritone of the V10 engine. No, today, we're going to ask a simpler question:
How do you service it? It's not going to be regular, I assure you. These images come courtesy of Lexus UK, whose customer's specimen of a blue Lexus LFA was despatched to Europe's LFA Centre of Excellence at Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany for its 3-year maintenance and service inspection.
The person in charge of the LFA Centre of Excellence oversees not just this Lexus from the UK, but all Lexus LFA sold in Europe. You can imagine a car even more rare than a Bugatti Veyron, a car the average Joe would never be able to clap his eyes on, this man sees more often than just about any other person on Earth. His name is Peter Dresden.
Every Lexus LFA is treated like royalty
To set the premise for servicing a Lexus LFA, Peter offers no ambiguity and no concessions as to the superstar treatment it gets the moment it comes in. "We treat the LFA like a Le Mans car. The principles of servicing it are the same as a normal Lexus road car but it's quite a lot more complicated to do certain things and access certain parts. In reality, the LFA is closer to the racing cars in terms of how we take care of them."
Microscopic attention to detail
First, the supercar is raised on a jig made exclusively for the Lexus LFA and no other vehicle. Specially-positioned mounting points have been designed to evenly-distribute the force of pressure applied to the undercarriage when it is raised. As most supercars largely depend on a flat underbody to achieve slippery Cd figures when it is driven at high speeds, the way the jig was constructed ensures technicians have access to components whilst not causing unwanted dents to the streamlined undercarriage.
Next, all panels surrounding the parts - such as suspension, steering, subframe and hydraulics - are removed. Under Peter's watchful eye, every bolt and nut is checked, inspected and assessed for hairline cracks. Once that's done, the same process starts from the beginning all over again. Any panel, part, nut or bolt that veers a fraction even slightly off factory specifications is immediately changed. Nothing is left to chance.
The third task is perhaps the most crucial job on the list: the brakes. Remember, this is a car that gets from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and back from 60-0 in less than 94 feet (28.7 metres), pulling 1.05G before coming to a complete stop. All four discs and pads are removed and painstakingly-detailed assessment begins to dig out cracks in the carbon-fibre brakes. Mostly, these inspections are trusted to human experience, human touch, human intelligence but Peter explains that the LFA Centre of Excellence is equipped with nothing less than an X-ray machine that can detect minute fissures invisible to the naked eye. If it passes that test, next the brakes are weighed to ensure they are within specific wear and tear limits. Anything off, even marginally, is immediately replaced, no questions asked.
And still, the job is not done.
Next on the checklist is the carbon-fibre reinforced plastic body shell - essentially, the tub you sit in and the frame that gives the Lexus LFA its superstructure:
It is at this part Peter and only one other trusted colleague take over from the other technicians. Essentially, a high-intensity LED torch is shined to the nooks and crannies, in accessible and hard to reach spots, and what Peter and his colleague look for are stress points or anomalies which differ from a brand new body shell. So far, Peter reports, all the Lexus LFA he has serviced have never encountered any issues but he still maintains a consistent level of meticulousness when inspecting every Lexus LFA entrusted to him.
Once everything has been given the all-okay, the thumbs up, the green lights only then is the Lexus LFA serviced like a routine Lexus. The air filter is inspected and changed, the air conditioning filter too, the spark plugs and engine oil are replaced with new supplies.
Then, the car is finally ready.
Except, that it's not.
Service completed, the Lexus LFA has to be tested. This is only Peter's domain, one that he personally relishes. It is first taken for a short drive around the Toyota Motorsport GmbH complex, then for a longer spin in the vicinity for 3-4 kilometres and lastly for an even longer run on the motorway to ensure the car gets up to speed as defined by the Lexus LFA Motorsport division. Once Peter is satisfied, only then is the car handed back to the owner.
And how much does all this cost?
Peter is tightlipped about this to protect owner privacy but an Arab owner was recently rumoured to have spent US$10,000 for a similar servicing and inspection. The Lexus LFA sure isn't a cheap car to purchase to begin with and the servicing and maintenance costs are pretty much what you would expect from a high performance supercar.
At least, the likes of us should be happy we'll never get slapped with such a bill but we're sure grateful to see how the other 'half' lives!
Cheers!
All Lexus
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