Originally Posted by ImportConvert

I'll take the opposite stance.

The LFA is great and cutting edge--for early 2000.

Toyota screwed up in every way on that car. Had they not incubated it so long that it spoiled before it hatched, it would have been sex. Now it only looks and sounds like sex. Every other car in its segment tears it a new one on the track.

Toyota designed it over a very long period and did not evolve the technology they put in it over that evolutionary period. Their design plan was not plastic enough to make accommodation for the fact that it would be nearly a decade from pencil to pavement. So they ended up putting on pavement a car that had the same limitations that were around when it was on paper.

Horrible R&D/Design concept. At least it looks good.

Nissan, on the other hand, used cutting edge technology in the GT-R regarding the engine, suspension, transmission, etc. Their plan was plastic enough to incorporate technology into the car as it became available both internal AND external to Nissan as a company. Engineering-wise, I think the GT-R is one of the most impressive cars out there under $100K. The other, is the Z06/Z07 package. Both cars embody technology that is NOW. Even though their design began before that technology was mature.

I'm sorry, Toyota is probably the least impressive company I can think of at present time regarding modern automotive innovation.