There aren't many Lexus LFAs in the world. Just 500 examples were built over the car's entire production run. You're probably thinking there's one less LFA now, based on the image above and the video below. Thankfully that's not the case, because this one's getting repaired.
The owner of this particular LFA got a little throttle-happy back in January after a car event in Georgia. Video published to social media, shows the car being loaded onto a flatbed post-incident. In the video below from ThatDudeInBlue, the owner explains how he simply hydroplaned on wet roads and sideswiped a fire hydrant. A close-up inspection shows the damage is extensive.
The most obvious piece of damage is the gaping hole in the carbon fiber passenger door. The taillights and portions of the rear bumper are missing, while the driver's side rear quarter panel—also made from carbon fiber—sports a nasty tear. The wheels are bent, the glass is broken, and the LFA's signature triple-exit exhaust has seen better days.
Curiously, what we don't see are deployed airbags. The interior looks to be in great shape, as does the engine bay, where the high-revving V-10 looks no worse for wear. Going by the video this LFA's bones are in good shape, leaving the brunt of the repair work to the chewed-up exterior bits.
Ordinarily, replacing a few body panels and trim pieces would be pretty simple. But you can't just order cheap junkyard for parts a limited-edition Lexus supercar like you could on a Camry. According to the owner, the current repair estimate is between $400,000 and $500,000. The door alone is $40,000. And the driver-side mirror is basically unobtanium at this point.
If this LFA were valued at its original sticker price of $375,000, it would be headed to auction for parts. But with current auction prices ranging from $800,000 to over $1 million, it's going to get fixed instead. Sure, you could buy a new Ferrari 812 for the price of this repair. But that car isn't worth a million bucks. At least, not yet.
The repair process could take a year or more to complete, but it's nice to see a wrecked supercar being saved. Especially one as legendary as the LFA.
