The Lexus LFA could contest the title of greatest supercar in history for any number of reasons, but its greatest claim to fame is its engine. Its 4.8-liter, 9,000-rpm V10 designed with the help of Yamaha needs no introduction—it could make any car it powered memorable. Now’s time to entertain your own notions of what it could power, because a wrecked LFA is about to come up for sale on Copart.
Currently stored outside Atlanta, this 2012 Lexus LFA is reported by Motor1 to have been crashed in January while leaving an event in Georgia. An inspection of the aftermath posted by ThatDudeinBlue suggests the damage isn’t as severe as it looks, but also that it’d still be prohibitively expensive to fix. Between the passenger door, driver-side mirror and rear fender, hood, rear bumper, exhaust, and rear wing mechanism, the car’s owner reportedly got a repair estimate of up to $500,000. Apparently, they decided it wasn’t worthwhile, and presumably released the car to their insurer leading to its listing on Copart.
In theory, this could be someone’s chance to get a “cheap” LFA if they’re willing to fix it up. That’s assuming the frame isn’t damaged though, and it’d take a professional to figure out if it is. If it’s beyond repair, there’s still a reliable backup plan: Parting it out. A new replacement door for an LFA reportedly costs $40,000, so it wouldn’t be hard to get a significant fraction of that for a used one. It’s not like there are many LFA parts cars going around, after all.
The car’s next owner could also sell off the broken parts to trophy hunters who want a piece of something special. If Formula 1 memorabilia sites can get over $100 for a single race-used nut, then I can guarantee you someone will pay that for a broken LFA taillight. As for its engine, though? Putting it into a Lexus LC seems like the move to me, but I also know a fella who wants one for his factory-widebody Toyota Supra TRD3000GT. He’s the same guy who built the CHP’s WRC-ready Toyota Camry cop car, so you know it’s not beyond his ability.
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: [email protected]
