08 Jan 07
Talk about a baptism of fire. The first product from Lexus's new 'F' sub-brand, the IS-F, will go straight into combat with no less a foe than the new BMW M3. The first hot Lexus goes on sale later this year armed with a 5.0-litre V8 engine, an eight-speed gearbox and a quirky arrangement of tail pipes with which to take on what should be Bavaria's finest.
The naturally aspirated engine will produce more than 400bhp and 350lb-ft of torque, and we're promised a 0-60mph time of just under 4.9 seconds. That propulsive power will be matched by retuned suspension, and Brembo brakes and BBS forged alloy wheels both designed specially to Lexus's specification.
Outside, there's a new grille, bigger wheel arches, a bulging bonnet and a modest rear spoiler. Inside there are new sports seats, and paddles for changing through that fancy gearbox, which has an 'advanced manual' mode that enables the driver to change up in 0.1sec. Downshifts are accompanied by a carefully programmed blip of the throttle. The torque converter has a lock-up system that, among other benefits, allows the IS-F to have a form of launch control for ultra-rapid starts.
The engine has a two-stage intake manifold, and is fitted with both an engine oil cooler and a transmission fluid cooler. The electronic management systems for the engine and chassis can be switched to Sport mode for rapid responses, and the traction control can be switched right off when you're feeling particularly heroic.
Lexus general manager Bob Carter said: 'The result is a car with more grip, more responsiveness, more driver feedback and more agility than anything we've ever produced.'
He stressed that the IS-F was far more than just an 'IS500', which would have been too conservative an approach. Instead, the car was developed by a team of insiders who took the initiative themselves.
'These are free-thinking performance freaks who developed their own vision for a Lexus performance car, a carefully planned and engineered vehicle that was not part of our carefully planned corporate programme.'
He added: 'They developed this vehicle while endorsing the Lexus "musts", a rigorous set of development standards, and added a couple of additional musts: must be balanced; must be authentic; must haul ass.'
The IS-F won't be the last F. Carter hinted extremely heavily that the next one will be a production version of the LF-A supercar concept.
