15.01.08 LEXUS REVEALS LF-A CONCEPT AT DETROIT MOTOR SHOW

Lexus has revealed a convertible version of its LF-A super car concept at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show - dubbed the LF-A Roadster.

The LF-A Roadster is based on the sturdy yet lightweight carbon-fibre and aluminum body used for the LF-A coupe, which helps maintain the structure’s strength and rigidity even without a top.

Like its coupe counterpart, the LF-A Roadster is powered by a high-revving V10 engine that approaches 5.0 litres in displacement.

The V10 engine is capable of producing more than 360 kilowatts and test-track speeds greater than 330km/h.

It is mounted in front of the passenger compartment but behind the front-axle centreline, in what the LF-A’s engineers refer to as a "front-mid" configuration.

The engine is connected via a torque tube and propeller shaft to a transaxle that is controlled by paddle shifters. The torque tube is a structural member that adds rigidity to the drive train and chassis, while also reducing vibration.

Styling of the LF-A Roadster draws from the Lexus L-Finesse design philosophy, with a compact, low-profile, aerodynamic front end.

Like its coupe counterpart, the LF-A Roadster stands just 122cm tall, but the Roadster adds a speed adaptive rear wing.

The rear of the LF-A roadster is marked by a pair of wrap-around, arrowhead-shaped taillights that sit atop a pair of large grilles which vent heated air from the car’s two rear-mounted radiators.

The radiators are fed cool air by two large intake ducts mounted just above the rear wheel wells.

The rear radiator positioning not only allowed the designers to keep the car’s front profile low and tight but also aided the LF-A’s chassis engineers in their search for optimal weight distribution.

The LF-A Roadster also features high-performance tyres on turbine-styled alloy wheels. The front tyres are 265/35R20s, while the rears are 305/30R20s.

Like the LF-A coupe, the brakes consist of 361mm cross-drilled, vented discs up front, and 345mm cross-drilled, vented discs at the rear. The front brake calipers are six-piston units and the rear calipers use four pistons each.

Lexus LF-A Roadster Concept Preliminary Specification
Body Type: Two seat roadster

Powertrain
Type: Front-mid-engine, rear-mid-transaxle
Engine: V10 (under 5.0-litres)
Transmission: SMT (sequential manual transmission)
Horsepower: More than 360kW
Top Speed: More than 330km/h

Tyre Size
Front: 265/35R20
Rear: 305/30R20

Dimensions (mm)
Overall Length: 4460
Overall Width: 1895
Overall Height: 1210
Wheelbase: 2606