I love photographing cars. It helps to feed my automotive addiction by experiencing some amazing pieces of machinery. However, what tops it all off, is talking to and interacting with the passionate owners of these cars.

This Lexus LFA is extremely rare and carries a mind blowing price tag. It’s one of 500 ever produced (this one being chassis number 348) and one of only 10 that made it to Australian shores. Despite this, owner Charlie insists on getting the car out as often as possible and isn’t shy with the loud pedal!

The passion Charlie has for this car is evident. He pointed out and discussed intricate design cues, the ideas and reasons behind certain elements of the car and how they all function together to create something beautifully perfect. He shared with us the story behind the purchase of the car, shone light on what it’s like owning such a car and answered every question we threw at him.

My favourite moment though was when I got to connect with the LFA. As I sat in the drivers seat taking some interior photos, Charlie leant over and pushed the start button, bringing the 4.8L V10 engine to life. He then told me to give the throttle a push, to which I obliged. I pressed the throttle slightly and the engine began to rev creating a unique note. A smile instantly appeared on my face and I looked over to see Charlie was also smirking. As if to say “is that all you’ve got!”, Charlie told me to give it a real go. I nervously pushed the accelerator pedal further toward the firewall and watched as the digital needle shot up ever so close to the 9,000 RPM limiter. The engine screamed, the noise shooting out the triple pipes at the rear was nothing short of epic. If you’ve never heard what a Lexus LFA sounds like, do yourself a massive favour and look it up on YouTube, your aural senses will thank you.

Enthusiasts like this make the car community such an awesome thing to be involved with. I’m so appreciative that the owner of a rare and expensive collectors item like the LFA is willing to share the experience of it with me. I’ll never forget this one!