'F' is for 'Fast' - Lexus' New Performance Arm

at last.....one of the Japanese automakers has finally decided to introduce a performance division to battle the AMG and M brands from Mercedes and BMW, respectively. Toyota/Lexus definitely has the cash reserves to do it. Let's hope they can add modify the F division to be much more performance oriented than their regular cars(more engine noise, weightier steering, etc....)
May be, just may be Acura and Infiniti will follow suit once Lexus starts the F divison.............

This is just as GAY as the Lexus gay and lesbian 'December to Remember' advertisements.

Will, I'm sorry if I offended you!

What gay Lexus ads?

F is for "far from a threat" lol. the is is not on the same level handling performance, and balance wise with the 3 series i seriously doubt that an even more front heavy, big wheeled is will be able to run with the M3, c63, cts-v or waste of money the rs4 other than on "maybe" acceleration. sounds like a competitor for the old muscles cars just fast in a straight line...way to go lexus...where F stands for foolish

ha

If any Japanese automaker is gonna do it, IS GOT TO BE LEXUS !!!!!!!!! They have the CASH and RESOURCES !!!

But not the experience.

Will be interesting to see how they'll fare. Personally, I don't think Lexus will be going after BMW M. MB AMG will be the target, and to an extent Audi RS.

Experience. Hmmm, that is a word you are using carelessly. Who was it that has a higher reliability rating than any other luxury brand, who has higher quality interiors, which car brand is the most competetive against Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. Hmm, lets think for a second...oh right, it was Lexus. I believe winning all of those categories would qualify them to have some experience, and some experience is better than no experience so they will be able to pull this off seamlessly. They may not have hundreds of years behind their back, but Mercedes' quality has shown us that Lexus' 17 years of experience was better spent that Mercedes' hundred years.

Lexus IS350,

Your comment was so idiotic, I don't even want to lecture you. Here's my simple reply:

You want to talk history? Let's talk history! Lexus has done shit. MB has built reliable cars for over 100 years until now. Through these 100 years, they've had a hard time, more than you can imagine. They had to innovate, keep quality up etc. Now imagine doing that for over 100 years. Not an easy task, I tell you.

Lexus? Give me a break. They've had it so easy. Their parent company is Toyota and they funded Lexus. Did MB have a parent company that funded them? Hell no. In the late 1980s when Lexus was formed, creating a car was a piece of cake. All Toyota had to do was rebadge some Toyota's as Lexus cars and that's it. No passion in the design, no passion in the engineering department. Nothing. Just a rebadged Toyota. So what if the newer Lexus are not rebadged Toyota's anymore? You fanboys are so blinded by the success of Lexus in the US that you invent fairy tale stories like you just did.

Now, tell me what Lexus has over MB? Reliability and value. That's it. Lexus has no motorsport success, no classic cars, no innovations worth mentioning, no worldwide desire or prestige...what's so special about Lexus? Nothing. It's just a well equipped car that is priced cheaper than the European competition and backed up with good marketing. Lexus will never equal the old European brands in cache and prestige, because the golden age of automobiles is over.

So give me a break with your "Lexus has achieved so much in 17 years compared to MB's 100 years" statement. There is no comparison here. Lexus is nothing compared to the European brands.

All that rambling restating history wasn't neccesary. We all know that Mercedes has had a productive century+.

However, do deny the accomplishments of Lexus (and hell, even Toyota for that matter) in far less time just makes you look foolish.

One company's success does not rob the success of another. In a world full of the informed and idiots like yourself, surely there must be room for both Lexus and Mercedes to exist.

BMW530i-

"There is no comparison here. Lexus is nothing compared to the European brands."

There is obviously a comparison, that is why Lexus is defined as a comparable car to Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. You don't see Acura going head-to-head with them, and rarely will you see Infiniti, so there is definetely something about Lexus that makes them comparable.


"Lexus? Give me a break. They've had it so easy. Their parent company is Toyota and they funded Lexus."

They did have it easy, which is why their dependability took off right from the start. They didn't have to work at their reliability issues or anything like that because Toyota had already perfected it. So Lexus is the better choice, because they started out great, they didn't work at it and fail like Mercedes.

Lexus IS350,

In the United States, Lexus is comparable to MB etc. Worldwide, it is a totally different story. Your average American luxury buyer wants a well-equipped car, Lexus offers this and all for a cheaper price. That's practically their biggest selling point. People don't care about their lack of prestige, classic cars or non-existing motorsport success, no, they come well-equipped and are excellent value-for-money: that sells them coupled with good marketing.

German cars have taken a beating in quality because of Germany itself. When East Germany was merged with West Germany post 1990s, the West had to pour billions into bringing the communist East back on track. The financial repercussions of this hit German firms hard, and companies were forced to cut costs drastically. Hence, costs were cut. I won't go into the detail, but this is basically the reason why quality slipped for German cars. The firms that produce them became extremely cost oriented an cut costs in the wrong places.

Look at the German economy now - they're improving, and so are their cars.

Why would they choose a letter if it didnt stand for anything? What kind of message does that send? If anything, Lexus needs to start standing for something, don't throw this opportunity away! It shouldnt be just "well the 'F' looks good as a badge or sounds good...please! Exactly the problem I have with Lexus as a brand, doesnt seem to stand for anything.

Well, Lexus names their cars after the initials of words, like the IS stands for Intelligent Sport, the SC stands for Sport Coupe, the LS stands for Luxury Sedan, etc.

Lexus I-ntelligent S-port F-ast

Lexus IS F.

just for fu-n

IS-F actually has a ring to it. If they keep the numbers off like IS-F 500, I think that name will work.

Hmm It needs to be more catchy , even Spec V sounds cooler ... AMG calls their car with 1 digit less (i.e. C63) and BMW calls its car M3 / M5 / M6

If I were lexus , I will drop the Prefix IS and just call it F something

IS-F will sound like CTS-v ,IS-F500 sounds too un cool.

This must be done and we must not let the German big 3 dominate this segment like they have for the past 100 years so we must begin a copy project.

We must win!!

I think EL34 was just talking out of his rectum again.

Lexus talked about the theme for ages , it may ends up like TRD , making trucks , body kits for Camry TRD ( pointless car), Celica TRD package .

I highly doubt their Racing effort , even honda dose a better job for their Type R and Type S. I wish they r committed this time around.

AMG was created in the mid 1960s I believe and immediately teamed up with Mercedes.

They were bought out by MB in the late 1990s I believe. Something like 1997 I think, not sure.

When is Lexus coming out with a convertible?

SC430 Soarer ?
u said conv, not sports conv =)
or u was trying to say Roadster ?
No roadster in sight , sir , yes sir

It's a simple question with no jabberwocky.

I really think after the failure of the "L-tuned" program that Lexus knows what is needed to make the "F" program a success.

I'm rooting for Lexus. More competition from more companies will cause the Germans to push even harder, producing even more exciting M, RS, and AMG cars. This is exciting news for everyone.

This is The comment! Thanks Anthony.

I agree...but don't forget about Cadillac's V-Series though. They are competitive as well

AMG, M and RS's philosophy differ from each other. M does not try to be AMG or RS, AMG does not try to be RS or M, RS does not try to be M etc. Each of these tuners offer a different driving experience relevant to the brands they represent.

That said, I like all of them. M, RS or AMG, you can't go wrong. And I also agree that the entry of Lexus in this market will make them better.

F=fast

Not creative

We will see what the supposed IS500 (or ISF500) brings.

I hope Lexus bring a revolution in this field of performance divisions.

And as usuall comes out as a winner.

Lexus For Life.

JUGNU----->THE CARMAN

Lexus needs cars to compete with Cadillac and I think that's what all the new ones are doin'.

AMEN!!

Well they need to compete with Cadillac, Lincoln and every other luxury marque out there. It's called BUSINESS.

"F"? C'mon. How about a CREATIVE NAME. Hyundai could do better.

MB has Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach (AMG), Bimmer has ///M, Audi RS/S, and Lexus F? Creative....

F stands for FUBAR.

LOL! JUST what I was thinking!

At least it's not just "SS" or "P". I'm glad they're being creative.

This is good news indeed. More competition is always good.

But couldn't they have come up with a better name? I hate to say this, but "F" just sounds dull and uncreative.

I know..like R..or perhaps S..

S is already an Audi trademark.

I was thinking more along the lines like "SPR", an abbreviation for SuPRa perhaps. "F" doesn't get me excited.

AMG, M and RS all sound attention-grabbing in their own way, and add a certain type of emotion or passion to the cars they represent. But "F"? Sorry, I'm not feeling it.

Excellent. A performance arm creating a Camry with big rims. Isolation in a performance arm. Only with Lexus.

What abort TRD?

TRD reminds me of "TURD", forget it.

I know! TURD!

TRD = Toyota Racing Development

TRD's initial focus was for toyota off-road racing TRUCKS. as a marketing tool, it was largely just suspension upgrades on tacomas and tundras.

take any STOCK toyota TRD truck. take any of your pretty boy german alphabet tuned car. plop both OFF PAVEMENT, and prepare to have your "heritage" heavy poseur mobiles EAT DUST.

for regular street cars, TRD offers mostly just trim packages. and the occasional supercharger for Scions.

Lexus has to maintain a more refined image. even for their performance line.
and as for experience, they have all of toyota's racing experience to draw on.

Now the LS600hL will be one of these "F" cars or will there be a more powerful LS coming.

BTW, F stands for FOP.

Yeah 'F' doesn't sound that great at the moment because theres no history to the name. But if Lexus does do a very good job with the up coming ISF 500 then it'll make a name for itself. Honda's Type-R badges wouldn't be such a rice boy symbol if it wasnt for the hardcore tuned DC2 Integra nor would the M if it wasnt for the E36, E46 M3s etc etc...

Wouldn't it be the IS500-F, and not the ISF 500?

Or maybe even simply the IS-F?

I'm confused.

LOL!

The A4 4.2-S! That's my car!

A Fast yota ? Whats the world coming tooo.. whatever happened to cruising in the right lane at 60 mph in your Lexus barge as it drives / parks / massages your feet and cooks you dinner while showing your fav tv station with its 21000 speaker ML system on your nice "drive" home.

LOL!!!

You could do that right lane "cruise" you speak of in an LS, or you could best a Boxster at a stoplight run.

That's the beauty of a Lexus, you get that choice.

yup. that's the beauty of toyotas and lexi. you can have your cake and eat it too!

i can have my VVTi motor just loaf along and give mximum mpg.

or i can have it step up to the hot cam and HOWL! best of both worlds.

btw, did not the backward germans have to COPY the 'copycat japanese' vith 'variocam' and other vtec immitators?

I think that the F badge should stand for Formula,as in Formula 1,even though Toyota is not doing so well in F1!!

They should name the new Lexus IS500,the IS-F5 or IS500F!

If lexus makes a better car than BMW, I will buy it.

No matter what the F means everyone will think it stands for Fart.

Yeah, Lexus is like driving a couch.

You are truelly stupid EL34!!F is for Fart,a little kid would not make a comment that stupid!!

Maybe the F stands for *feminine*.

How premature...EL34
vcowman, if that's the case u should go ahead and buy one now.

Sorry.

The Japanese like to use non-creative 'boyish' like terms if you will...For example Acura's 'Super Handling AWD' & now this, F for Fast.

By the way someone was asking before what MB AMG, BMW's M, & Audi's S/RS stand for...MB's AMG is the initials of the companies founders, BMW's M is for Motorsport, & I'm pretty sure Audi's S/RS stand for Sport/Racing Sport.

Then F maybe could have derived from F1.If u r so serious about it MunichRob.

It's simply shows how ignorant u r,just give Lexus credit for providing us,The World another exciting range of cars.

Leuxs for Life

JUGNU

MDalle, RS stands for Rennsport, which in German means motorsports.
I am not sure about the F, but something tells me it may be "Formula" as in Formula Motor sports.
AMG stands for "Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach" which is the last name of 2 engineers that founded it and the Town name:
1.Hans-Werner Aufrecht- Engineer
2.Erhard Melcher- Engineer
3.Großaspach- A small town close to Stuggart

F could stand for Fumbleweed.

EL could stand for "extremely lame".

MDalle AdmiralT20 is more correct than both you and I were...Of course S/RS aren't meaningless like MDalle would have you think!

JUGNU I don't understand how I'm so ignorant for stating a neutral opinion that doesn't even slam Lexus for that matter. I wasn't even discrediting them, but hey mabye it's smart guys just like you coming up with all these well-thought-out terms for the Japs.

For the record though I really could care less what the 'SH' or 'F' on the rear of my vehicle would stand for.

F=Faux... as in Lexus trying to be something it just is not...

it's about time lexus upped the ante to offer a full range of competitors to the german dominants.

now before you trolls jump on the bandwagon, let's get one fact out of the way: lexus achieved success by riding mercedes and bmw's coattails. it was created solely to compete against them. albeit audi has improved significantly and it is also considered a luxury brand, not just an extended arm of vw (as we all considered it to be in the 1990's).

so everybody that is arguing that lexus achieved more in 17 years than mercedes in 100 years. go slap yourself and attend a history class somewhere. they did this because they drafted their designs upon the old mercedes and bmw engines and features. that's the reason they are so "reliable."

they basically copied the designs, fixed the nicks and bugs, and voila, ladies and gentlemen, you've got lexus.

this is the reason they aren't able to get respect in the hearts of true enthusiasts that know what the machine was built to do and is capable of doing. albeit, they are improving vastly in that segment with the features they are including in the new ls.

this is basically lexus' plan: take the current version of their competitors and weed out the problems that people are complaining about and release it as a new product. unfortunately for them, their competitors are also working to improve on their current models to produce as future models. it was only with the ls that lexus finally started adding features that werent currently on the cars of mercedes or bmw. that's why a few of you are blindly worshiping the lexus cult.

needless to say, they build good cars, yes. (this is for you, Will)

...but i would rather be driving an innovation than a carbon copy of a previous generation. (this is for you, BMW530i)

=]

Which car was the original Lexus SC copied from?

Just wondering.

the sc had elements from the sl. it branch out in a different direction in the fact that it did offer 2 extra seats and, if i'm not mistaken, the hardtop roof before the sl did. it was created to capture a big chunk of that market, which it did.

The Lexus SC was copied from the Volkswagen Karman Ghia.

the original SC had the distinction of being the first vehicle whose shape was designed and sculpted in 3D before being rendered to flat 2D on drawings.

it is a classic, flowing design that remains timeless.

It does have a ring to it. But F for fast...thats fucking stupid. Leave it to a godamn Japanese-English translation to ruin the entire Toyota groups good Model names.

It does have a ring to it. But F for fast...thats fucking stupid. Leave it to a godamn Japanese-English translation to ruin the entire Toyota groups good Model names.

Lexus F stands for Fuzzhead.

If you are shopping for Christmas gift for EL34, I recommend a dictionary.

Think of all the amazing "F" words he could delight us with then!

Imagine the commercial.
My Lexus F'ed your M
or You just got F'ed!!!!!

It still has a long way to go...thwey have to prove themselves with the LA-F and 500 to be given ANY type of credit

few have been the LEAPS lexus achieved, in re-doing the 4.3 to the new 4.7 engine.

a MERE addition of 0.4 liters. a GAIN of nearly 100 hp.

the new tundra 5.7 is expected to get well over 400 hp.

toyota and lexus are only just now, HITTING THEIR STRIDE, translating their CART, IRL, F1 experience to STREET cars.

watch out, world!