Lexus LFA: “We could have sold more” but expertise lives on, tells local boss

The boss of Lexus Australia has revealed the company could have sold more of its $750,000 Lexus LFA supercar than the 10 allocated for our market.

In Japan for Wednesday’s Tokyo motor show, Lexus Australia CEO Sean Hanley reported that he has had to turn down solid enquiries for the out-of-production flagship.

“We could have sold more,” he told.

“In recent months, as recently as the last four months, I’ve had three enquiries from private buyers.

“It’s clear to me that genuine performance car enthusiasts want that LFA”.

Although only 500 units of the Lexus LFA were built, Hanley adds that what that car represents for the brand will live on in new models.

“Production has stopped for that car, but the technology, design and the … enthusiasm to bring exciting, fun-to-drive cars to Lexus hasn’t stopped.

“It’s brought excitement, it’s brought intuitive engineering… LFA was a brand-changer for us, where I think [Toyota CEO] Akio Toyoda once said: we did it because we can, because we have the history, we have the technology, we have the expertise and the engineering.

“LFA was brought to market to show people that actually Lexus can do this, we have the capability, and for me it was a benchmark to the future, to the bold new confident Lexus.”

Hanley is confident that Lexus’ traditional values of building quality, luxurious cars with benchmark customer service, fused with a new focus on dynamics, represents not only a turning point for the brand, but may deliver an unbeatable combination against its competitor set.

“We started this journey 25 years ago with the LS, and we said at the time the number one priority is to give an exceptional customer experience … give the best customer service. And I have no doubt that in Australia we tick that box, we tick that box every day.

“In doing whatever we do with LFA, and design, and technology, and performance in the future, we will never, ever, ever depart from that number one core value of giving an exceptional driving experience.

“We take that, which we know we’ve ticked, and then you add the excitement potential of cars that get cues from the LFA… it’s a truly exciting time for our brand.

“That’s the significance of the LFA â€" we’re bringing exciting, fun-to-drive cars to the market”.

The brand’s next production model, the Lexus RC coupe, will make its public debut at Wednesday’s Tokyo motor show.