Lexus to Race LF-A in Nürburgring 24-hour Race… Again
After an embarrassingly dismal experience at last year’s Nürburgring 24 Hour race, Lexus is once again set to take on one of the world’s most challenging endurance races with it’s LF-A sports car.
The car will run in the Division 2 SP8 class, meaning that the race car will be close to the production car – which is expected to be officially introduced at the Tokyo Auto Show in the fall..
What we know about the car is that it is powered by a 500hp 4.8-liter V10 engine, with a rear-mounted transaxle that is actuated by a paddle-shift sequential manual gearbox.
For the race the LF-A race car will be equipped with a roll cage, fuel-cell, rear spoiler and additional aerodynamics. Otherwise the “engine, powertrain and frame specifications differ little from those of the base vehicle.”
Lexus intends to use the race to further develop and test the vehicle before it sees production and has hired on the experts at Gazoo Racing (which run Lexus teams in Japan’s Super GT series) to assist in the Nürburgring 24 Hour effort.
The Nürburgring 24 Hour race runs from May 23 to 24th.
Will Lexus have better luck this year?
Official release after the jump:
LF-A’ Prototype to Again Enter 24-hour Nürburgring Race
Lexus announces plans to again enter its “LF-A” premium two-seater sports car in the 24 Hours Nürburgring endurance race in Nürburg, Germany, from May 21 to 24, 2009.
Based on a prototype of the LF-A being developed with an eye toward commercial release, the race vehicle, entering the Nürburg event for the second year in a row, has been equipped with race-grade safety equipment, such as a roll cage and special fuel tank, and fitted with a spoiler and other aerodynamic features. Although engine, powertrain and frame specifications differ little from those of the base vehicle, the race vehicle has been retuned to better meet the demands of the course.
Engineers intend to use feedback from the grueling race to further enhance the LF-A’s performance. Also, mainly by employing young mechanics for technical support, TMC intends to use the race as an opportunity to develop human resources.
Specifications of Lexus LF-A Competing in 24 Hours Nürburgring Race
| Vehicle name | Lexus LF-A (racing specs) | |
| Entry category/class | Division 2 SP8 (engine close-to-production) | |
| Team name | GAZOO Racing | |
| Engine | Type | V-10 |
| Displacement | 4,805 cc | |
| Maximum output | More than 367kW (500PS) | |
| Body | Length | 4,530mm |
| Width | 1,880mm | |
| Height | 1,200mm | |
| Wheelbase | 2,605mm | |
| Material | Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) | |
| Vehicle layout | Front-mid-engine, rear-mid-transaxle, rear radiator | |
| Transmission | Paddle-shift sequential, manual | |
| Tires | Front/rear size | 305/30R20 |
| Type | Racing (Bridgestone) | |
Outline of 24 Hours Nürburgring Race
| Name | 37th 24 Hours Nürburgring1 |
| Dates | May 21-24, 2009 (main competition runs from May 23-24) |
| Venue | Nürburgring (Nürburg, Ahrweiler, State of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) |
1Official name of this year’s race is 37th ADAC Zurich 24h-Race 2009