Report: Lexus working on ‘IS-F Evo’ supercar

Yea the McLaren should watch out when it passes this lex on the road.

Find a better day job Lex. King...

I hope you are kidding - Lexus has better retain their focus on M3. Their first shot is usually off target by quite some margin (see original IS300) so I'll wait to drive this EVO. Very original nomenclature - Japanese creativity at its best. They continue to be innovaters, not inventors.

you must be insane.

"Lexus king" your making the true Lexus fans look bad!!

you are the equivalent of a soccer hooligan

agreed with above

LOL

DTM racing does not use road cars. Nothing on a DTM car comes from a road car. Standard Wheelbase chassis for all manufacturers, RWD compulsory, 4.0 V8 engine does not need to be homologated, standard carbon fibre gearboxes for all cars... DTM cars just share their names with road cars.

I sincerely doubt this car will ever be sold.

me too, first of all, the IS is too small to fit a V10 from the LF-A and the IS-F looks kinda ugly with its wide body kit. it also barely matches the performence of the BMW 335 ("3"-0-60 time 4.8 and lexus claims IS-f's 0-60 at about 4.9 secs) and it will barely even match it too the V8-M3. sure the carbon-fiber may help, but it will drive the costs through the roof, and there is no need for because their is also a GS-f on the way.

a GS-F on the way? where did you here that?

and will it have a 12speed now ...

Sure why not, since Merc is coming out with the 11 speeds right behind Lexus.

At LEAST 12 speeds. It would be nice if they had enough speeds to shift for every 5 mph of speed increase. That would be phenomenal!!

the IS-F is already a beauty... i'm really excited to see what they come up with

a beauty? you smoking crack, its hiddeous, i love how there trying to compete with the CSL, they should first try making the IS-F look better to try and compete with the RS4 and M3. This is a joke.

A "stripped down" Lexus performance car.

Now if that isn't at least intriguing to any of you then I don't know what is! I wouldn't use the word "Evo" though, that's Mitsu's thing.

A Corolla S in other words.

I guess NOW everyone can take the opportunity to realize that LexusKing is not really a Lexus fan? He's a Lexus antagonizer under a Lexus username.

That said, you're extremely lame.

i'll believe it when i drive it.
they haven't made a performance car yet....

but what will be left once that take out all the famed lexus luxury will?

Performance.

that wouldn't be a good thing since performance is a lexus weak point relative to competitors.

When it comes to Lexus, nothing will ever be "a good thing" to you, so your comment is truly, worthless.

How many SPEEDS can satisfy u? Or u want?

It shows this time Lexus has really taken SPORTS seriously and are committed to take it to another level.
Just like what they did with Luxury, Quality, Value, Reliability…. just too name a few.

Lexus For Life

BTW, Good luck

JUGNU

blah blah blah.
thanks for the insight.

Sounds good. With carbon fiber hood+roof+trunk, aluminum doors, a stripped-down interior, the weight will be down to 3,200~3,300lbs. IS-F Evo (whatever) with 450hp/8sp is going to be very fast at least.

2008-2009 Lexus F-series: ^0^
$50K IS-F with 450hp 5.0L v8, 3500~3600lb
$65K IS-F Evo with 450hp 5.0L v8, 3200~3300lb
$75K GS-F with 500+hp 4.8L v10, ~3800lb
$170K GT-F(LF-A) with 550+hp 5.0L v10, ~2,900lb

they'll never make these cars.
lexus hasn't even shown another credible F-car beyond the IS-F.
and i'm not holding my breath for the LF-A concept that they've had at the auto shows for three years now.

no one would ever pay 170k for that POS lexus. Never

Now the LF-A will be a good car for Lexus. That's the kind of car i'm talking about! that's what they need.

Damn you're an ass.

they won't.
they know their customer better than almost anybody.
luxury always takes precedence over performance...especially amongst the 50 and 60-somethings who buy most lexus models.

Lexus' idea of reducing weight is removing the cup holders in the rear seats.

I'll put my 2002 M3 convertible up against your IS 350 any day, anywhere!

Put your M3 against my Lexus SC300 TT (2JZ-GTE) and get smoked!!

you have a brilliant sense of humor. ; )

The IS350 and IS-F do not need manuals to win over their intended customers. Lexus has done their homework, and nobody knows Lexus customers better than Lexus.

AMG models have faired particularly well, just fine without manuals. The "manual" argument is usually used as a last resort of protecting M cars in arguments...

to your point anthony...

lexus and mercedes can get away without offering manuals. their customers tend to value luxury over performance.

bmw and audi know their customers as well. their buyers are more performance-oriented and many enjoyed the control and engagement that a manual offer. it's not just a tool used in these arguments.

10% of their sales are manual.

JUGNU STOP USING VOLVOS SLOGAN FOR LEXUS "Volvo for life" and if they use EVO in the actually model Mitsubishi can definitely sue

Lexus Tough son!!!! Not.

*actual

Uh...maybe I'm crazy but the EVO nomenclature hasn't been held solely by Mitsubishi

One exmaple:
The BMW E30 M3 Evo I, II, III

So Lexus is now using Mitsu's "Evo" name and using a entry level luxury sports sedan to compete with an M3 CSL. What is the world coming to? First off a sedan should only compete with another sedan, not a coupe. IS-F is not a sports car, it's a sports sedan.

Well this clearly shows that Lexus is incapable of creating a proper sports car with 2 doors so they must resort to the 'sports sedan' the IS. Why don't they spend more time and money redeveloping the huge failure, the SC and quit fussing about the IS-F in competing against cars in different categories.

All numbers don't mean a damn thing when the overall driving experience is crap. M3's driving experience is of high grade. It has heritage and pedigree that makes it a true sports car. You think in an exotic car dealership an IS-F will be in there? Cause I know for sure the M3 will be.

There's that difference again. Different tiers. MB/Audi/BMW in one, Lexus leading the other tier along with Infiniti and Acura trailing behind. Then the 3rd tier would be the eco brands such as Honda, Toyota, Nissan, KIA, Hyundai, and so forth. Of course no Lexus fan would accept my comment but if you look at a world wide scale that's how it's perceived. Lexus is a good brand don't get me wrong, but I think their jumping into things that's not right for them. The simplest idea of making a sedan a coupe contender is mad!. Lexus should concentrate on creating a proper sports COUPE and then say they're competing against the coupe categories. As for luxury sedans I think their doing well enough for themselves that it should be the least of worries for the company.

They are losing focus on what they brand is all about. Their losing focus on what their true competitors are as well. However, in the US Market i'm sure a good number of people will like the IS-F but not world wide. Just remember the US/Canada market is NOT the WORLD.

They should worry about maintaining their lead in sales in the US/CANADA instead of trying to out-do their rivals in markets that don't favor Lexus... at least NOT YET.

No need to type that long to indicate your "worry". Competition is always good for our customers.

Where were you when BMW started doing more luxury-oriented cars? Where were you when Audi started going upmarket? Where were you when Benz started producing sportier cars?

What's so wrong about Lexus wanting to do anything?

"They should worry about maintaining their lead in sales in the US/CANADA instead of trying to out-do their rivals in markets that don't favor Lexus... at least NOT YET."

Your arguments make absolutely NO sense. Why does Lexus need to worry about maintaining their foothold in North America? They could accomplish this with their eyes closed at this point! The idea of Lexus going global is lost on you I guess (out of jealously? what then?). In order to get foothold in other markets, they're going to need to produce more models on a wider array of the spectrum.

Worry? it's not worry. Lexus should come out with proper coupes to take on coupes. Make a proper sports car then talk.

supra:

"Competition is always good for our customers"
so you work for the company!
that's explains your bizarre bias.

supra:

"Competition is always good for our customers"
so you work for the company!
that explains your bizarre bias.

Ignorance explains yours.

answer:

how am i ignorant?

Lexus is very serious about giving their customers what they want. I am sure the IS-F will not be a let down.

it wont.
it will provide more luxury than the RS4 or M3 at the expense of performance.
they know their customers.

Don't forget, a lot more quality and reliability.

ah, yes, reliability.
that's why people high-end cars.
thanks for reminding me david!

well, then don't ever buy an aston, maserati, rolls, bentley, ferrari, lamborghini, bugatti, or range rover.

i'm pretty sure they're all over $50k and have less than average reliability.

funny, buyers don't seem to care!

Now that the M3 info. is out - they are reacting.

The people at Porsche didn't think having an automatic in the 911 turbo is less than sporty.

i hope this thing comes out, but they should make this wersion the coupe, so it loses weight and a its true sports car.

aww. a turd on wheels.

Tiptronic doesn't. Have you ever driven one? SMG and DSG do shift much faster then any human can, except Will_, he is awesome!!!!

Agree.

You soak up prescribed culture like a sponge.

Think for yourself sometimes. You might enjoy it.

Maybe thats why BMW now offers a six speed manual with the M5 and M6. Launched with the seven speed SMG. People complained. C'mon whats better than dumping the clutch in a high horsepower sports vehicle. <-- to quell the arguements of car Vs. sedan jargin.

Lexus is going to take over this segment, and will be the new "KING" in this segement. Ha...ha....ha...he...he...he...

Lexus for Life

German fanboys be scare, be very scare because this new Lexus IS-F/Evo is going to kick some serious butt. :) ha...ha....ha...ha...he...he...he...he....

The German fanboys are probably shitting in their pants right now as they're reading this post. Ha...ha...he...he....

Lexus the one and only

as always, thanks for the insight.

Lexus' were designed for females.

EL34 your a moron,I'll take my SC300 TT over any new car,and I drive my car like a real man,time attack,drag race and drift!!!

So a real man's supposed to do drifts and drag race illegally on city streets? I sure hope you go on a track and do all this. However I'd never do this with a daily driver of mine :-). A real man does not spend time in jail. A real man roams freely.

You can't call EL34 a moron because you're SC300 is a Soarer aka Toyota Soarer. He's not refering your Toyota, but the Lexus brand.

in an SC300? don't hurt yourself.

Did I ever say I do those thing on the street,NO!!I do that at the track!

You're the expert there.

Why are this site focusing sooo much on Lexus ? Pretty boring for readers that are not speaking about lexus 24 hours a day. There are alo other news from others brands no ? sheeesh....are u guys paid by them or what, never seen so pathetic & childish arguments about a car brand.

The IS-F/IS-F Evo will probably hold its ground against staples such as BMW's 3-series and M3. This is a company, like any other company, in the business to make money. When the first IS was released it was tuated as the 3-series competitor but it wasn't the case, in which I believe the car did not sell well in comparison to te BMWs. Imagine the faces and feelings of the men who took part of the project. Building a vehicle is a team effort, but the key word is effort. Just imagine the effort of developing a car you think is very good but ends up being second rate in comparison to your competition.

When a company develops a successor, there is a need to improve over the predecessor. The IS300 was not a bad car because it did a lot of things well but never excelled in any one area. I think back and recall the original IS300 scored fourth place out of eight cars within its segment in a Car and Driver group test. The IS350 scored a second place out of eight cars in a similar comparison by Car and Driver to be outdone by BMW, which is alright because BMW is the staple. The very fact that Lexus made a vast improvement on its car cannot be ignored.

The very fact that the IS250/350 could make prospective 3-series buyers reconsider is noteworthy. Sure, some 3-series owners will never consider a Lexus but the core of the issue is that Lexus has produced an alternative option for consumers. The engineering effort to produce a strong case as the IS350 speaks volumes. It goes to show how serious Lexus takes BMW as a sports-luxury brand, as it is only the next logical step is to enter the ring with an M3-competitor.

a balanced, thoughtful comment.
agree.

Are you sure? http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/7785/comparison-test-review-2004-acura-tl-vs-2004-audi-a4-30-quattro-vs-2004-bmw-325i-vs-infiniti-g35-vs-2004-jaguar-x-type-30-vs-2004-lexus-is300-vs-2004-saab-9-3-arc-page5.html

Hilarious!!!!

despite all the trash talking that goes back and forth forever, i love you guys. yes even the idiotic fanboys and e-thugs. heres to the future of automobiles!

btw, id rather spend my money on a GT-R.

We all have different opinions about our tastes in cars. Many of us have sworn our allegiance to a particular brand and model of car. But... I can be confident to say that a true auto enthusiast can subjectively appreciate all forms of performance and the directions certain manufacturers take to acheve their "halo" car. On another hand auto makers often strive to be the lead in a particular segment. Hence the ever going battle to chase BMW in "i dare you to trump the 3-series war." Look how the uber-sedan market has exploded in form of flexing maximum horsepower. Take a look at exotics and producing the highest specific output and the highest Vmax. Competition is what drives the industry to make smart choices and have the ingenuity to make the next generation better than the previous.

Take it for what its worth...

I give credit to Lexus. As far as reliability and stability Lex takes the crown. Lexus does have its own style when it comes to luxury. Not too much and never to little is what I call their quality fleet of vehicles. Now they're stepping up to the plate in performance which is good.

Seeing as the kink was oringinally created by a neanderthal on a dirt floor, it is not a BMW creation. It's like claiming to own a 62 degree angle. Stupid.

I don't know why a design student would fail to recognize the foundation of design is personal taste.

Funny how you brag about being a design student, but what comes accross is that you are a poor one at best.

Saying Lexus has no design, followed by their designs are copied from BMW is hilarious.

I thank BMW. Because of Bangle, Japanese cars are looking more Japanese than ever these days. Why the Asian influence of Chris Bangle goes unnoticed is beyond me.

Just because you study design it doesn't mean that you are an authority. This is obvious from your comments. Read and study some more.

agree with you gogo. they've borrowed so many design cues. worse yet, lexus are still tough to recognize on the road. easy to confuse with toyota, easy to confused and LS with an ES, etc.

that's why they need to write LEXUS on the back of every car. if they just put the model number and the logo people would think it was a toyota.

I started working for Lexus in 1995 and also spent 4 yrs with BMW. Having represented both, I can see the BMW fans argument about Lexus being a fancy Toyota givin that it does have that parent company. You need to keep in mind that the BMW buyer is after performance and the Lexus buyer is after nicer leather, wood, fit & finish, etc. I must admit that over the years it has become obvious that in order to keep price point down to compete with Lexus sales, you'll notice the Germans start to use cheaper materials such as plastics, brushed aluminum, etc, which takes away from the luxuriousness of the product. I have noticed that alot of first time luxury car buyers will go with either BMW or Mercedes because of the name alone. After a couple years of ownership, they then switch over to Lexus because the novelty of driving a Beemer or Benz wears off and they are left with a car that although nice, isn't that "luxurious". We get far more german cars traded in here at Lexus than I ever got Lexus traded in for Beemers....go figure.

Why this blind allegiance to a particular car brand? These cars are all good for all of us car enthusiasts. Arguing over which one is better is a waste of time for everyone.

The performance envelope is being pushed and now Lexus is involved which is good for everyone. I suggest you all wait to see the IS-F when it's on the street and is actually being tested and compared before you make any final decisions on which one is best in your mind.