Here are five of the coolest things we learned about the Lexus LFA.

Thanks to its naturally aspirated Formula 1-derived 4.8-liter V-10 engine, the LFA sounds amazing. I've never heard a car that sounded this good. Ever. The growl is so pronounced and natural, I was getting goosebumps in the nearly 90-degree weather. The note from the triple exhaust gives you chills, and the more you push it, the better it sounds. Although Yasukawa didn't get even close to the 9,000-rpm redline, the sound was simply spectacular.

The few tight curves we drove showed off the rear-wheel-drive car's excellent grip. The tires stick to the ground really well, and the suspension does a good job balancing the car. You can feel the car leaning into the corners in a natural way, and the LFA always felt stable. I'm sure Yasukawa could have pushed it more, but you have to be careful on Costa Rican public roads.

I was just as surprised as you are when I read that the Nissan GT-R beat the LFA in a 0-60 mph MotorTrendcomparison back in 2010. Although that was most likely because of the GT-R's all-wheel drive (and its ability to launch quickly), the Lexus wasn't that far behind (3.8 seconds for the LFA versus 3.5 sec for the GT-R). But the LFA soon caught up; it barely beat the GT-R in the quarter mile (11.8 seconds at 123.7 mph for Lexus and 11.9 seconds at 120.1 mph for Nissan). On the road, the LFA is pretty quick, but it wasn't mind-blowing. Perhaps it would be a different experience at a closed racetrack, where there's no speed limit or traffic to worry about.

With 552 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, the LFA is a beast. Every time Yasukawa stepped on the gas, my back would push hard against the seatback. The six-speed auto-clutch manual transmission felt sharp, and the shifts produced the sensation of being inside a race car.