Lexus LFA's exhaust note is so precisely calibrated it can shatter a champagne glass and there's an entire experiment to prove it

Years ago, Lexus wanted to showcase the exhaust note of the V10 that powers the Lexus LFA, and they did so with an interesting experiment.

Apparently, the LFA’s exhaust note was so precisely calibrated it could shatter a champagne glass.

This was a key selling point for the LFA, which everybody agrees is one of the best-sounding cars ever made.

Sadly, at least one champagne glass was harmed in the making of this video.

The Lexus LFA wasn’t that well-received when it came out

The LFA was unveiled in 2010, back when supercars were the prerogative of brands like Ferrari or Porsche or Lamborghini.

No one was expecting a supercar from Lexus.

And it also cost a fortune.

Today, it is shockingly easy for a new car to cost over $100,000, and even $300,000 or $400,000 cars are relatively common.

Back then, a six-figure MSRP was a serious thing.

And the LFA cost $375,000, which was wild back then.

It would’ve been crazy for a Lambo or a Bentley, let alone a Japanese brand that was mostly known for mid-size SUVs.

Critics called it an ‘overpriced Celica’, a cheeky reference to the fact that it had been built by a brand that was (and is) under Toyota’s umbrella.

People were laughing.

But then people started driving it, and no one was laughing anymore.

The engine noise alone made it worth every penny

Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson has gone on record, on more than one occasion, stating that the Lexus LFA is the best car he’s ever driven.

Years ago, at an automotive event in London, I was lucky enough to run into him and I asked him whether he still stood by that claim.

“Yes. Primarily for the V10 sound,” he told me.

The sound of the V10 is almost always cited as the first and main reason people love this car.

And the experiment proves that the Yamaha-tuned V10 was engineered to perfection.

In the ad, titled ‘The Pitch’, the V10 supercar shattered a champagne glass by matching the exact resonant frequency at which the glass couldn’t take it anymore.

We hope that glass wasn’t expensive.

The next LFA will be silent

Toyota is still committed to supercars, but the automaker has made a clear strategic decision.

While the new Toyota GR GT carries a high-revving internal combustion engine, the new LFA concept is entirely electric.

It’s a massive gamble because it removes the exact element – the V10 exhaust note – that made the original LFA iconic in the first place.

Will it work?

Time will tell.

The original LFA cost $375,000 and was capped at just 500 units.

Today, you need well over a million dollars to buy one.

We will soon see if the electric successor can age just as gracefully.