Edmunds Insideline's take on IS-F

Rather than shoehorning a 5.0-liter V8 into the nose of an IS 350 and simply calling it the IS 500, Lexus has instead cooked up a far more dedicated sport sedan with its new 2008 Lexus IS-F.

According to Lexus, the "F" in Lexus IS-F is derived from Toyota's initial "Circle-F" designation of 20 years ago for what would become the Lexus brand itself. Circle-F later morphed into Flagship One or F1, which in turn became the internal code for the first Lexus car, the LS 400.

Lexus is using this convoluted pedigree to help explain the importance it attaches to the IS-F. It promises that this and subsequent F-type cars will give Lexus real performance credentials, and it hopes that the F sub-brand will become as synonymous with performance as BMW's M Division and Mercedes-Benz AMG.

Frankly, we would've been just as satisfied with a simple "IS 500" badge and far more subtle exterior styling. But from now on, it's all about the F-word....

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M35MT - 10/24/2007 9:01:14 AM

+6 Boost

Compiled test numbers for the 3 publications:

C&D:

4.2 to 60
.92G skid pad

Edmunds:
4.8 to 60
.93G skid pad

MT:
4.7 to 60
.91G skid pad

Bmw8ter - 10/24/2007 9:12:10 AM

+4 Boost

some of those skid pad results were just an average, too...

bmwdrvr - 10/24/2007 9:25:51 AM

+4 Boost

edmunds didnt sound very enthusiastic about this car, wow the exhaust tips arent even part of the muffler, and it still doesnt handle that well, doesnt sound like a good thing. it sounds like an is with tacky body kit, rough ride, and some teenage addons. its going to be hard to beat that price though

Czelinski - 10/24/2007 9:35:03 AM

-7 Boost

A value performance car. From Lexus, no! Lexus aren;t a value luxury brand. They've just undercut the competition...again.

Rupert - 10/24/2007 9:49:49 AM

+4 Boost

This is generally what I expected from Lexus.
No big surprises, except for the good automatic shift times.

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 10/24/2007 10:39:18 AM

-3 Boost

They're not that special. ZF and AMG already had 100ms shift times for a couple of years.

M35MT - 10/24/2007 12:54:55 PM

+3 Boost

he said they were "good" dipshit.

Rupert - 10/24/2007 5:05:13 PM

+2 Boost

What was good was the big improvement over the standard gearbox.

Star - 10/24/2007 9:53:46 AM

-6 Boost

"Short-travel suspension rides like aftermarket job; zippy exterior designed by a little kid; electric power steering still doesn't communicate feeling."

Disappointing? Not really, considering that nobody was expecting much from Lexus. It looks like this car is ready to be placed at the bottom of the list in any comparison with the phenomenal C63, M3 and RS4. Again Lexus is trying to sell this car based on the lower price instead of performance. Good job Lexus...keep trying and maybe sometime(in the next century) you will get it right.

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 10/24/2007 11:47:55 AM

-2 Boost

Spot on.

Hwany - 10/24/2007 10:16:13 AM

-1 Boost

WOW... and the quad pipes were FAKE.

Now, I can say this is a poser car. I thought it looked good until I discovered that it was all fake.

Hwany - 10/24/2007 12:42:50 PM

0 Boost

guess what. I will not buy one. I was thinking about it though because I love the IS350 but this is just rubbish. Tacky boy-racer bodykit...lol

SevorbeupstryIsBack - 10/24/2007 10:40:21 AM

-4 Boost

Those silly looking exhaust pipes are fake?

*can't stop laughing*

theonemikahel - 10/24/2007 11:21:22 AM

-4 Boost

``It looks like this car is ready to be placed at the bottom of the list in any comparison with the phenomenal C63, M3 and RS4.`` Base on what ? C63 higher Hp, on the M3`s 100 pound lighter (with 100 pound-feet of torque less) or the AWD of the RS4 (still as less torque with 317)?

On what are you referring to base your judgment ?

We got 3 take on the same car and some place it on par or in from of the M3 in performance... Which I think is the best sports car of the 4 (all around performance track wise).
And tell me after that you are not a GERMAN FANBOY ?

Kinger - 10/24/2007 11:38:48 AM

+1 Boost

Where in any of the reviews does it say the car is better than an M3?

Czelinski - 10/24/2007 12:04:33 PM

+1 Boost

"Where in any of the reviews does it say the car is better than an M3?"

Kinger, we both know the Japanese fanboys will make anything up to back up their arguments. They seem to think only German fanboys exist, despite the Japanese fanboys being the worst.

bmwdrvr - 10/24/2007 3:13:05 PM

+1 Boost

stop wining, the m3 doesnt have fake pipes, neither does anything else in this class...not only that but at least the other cars in this class use real aluminum, carbon fiber or wood trip.....uhm...aluminum composite, you mean plastic that looks like metal. even the g35 has real metal. this car is very boy racer, the sti, and evo x dont even look like this. good luck finding anyone other than teenagers, and wanna be teens that want recapture their youth in buying this thing. not to be taken seriously at all, and it cant handle.

theonemikahel - 10/24/2007 3:26:58 PM

+1 Boost

A genius, the fact that somebody test both cars is kinda of a fact that fanboys will NOT make anything up to back up their arguments.
''This first F (there’ll be more Lexus models with the F treatment soon, most likely) is a V-8–powered sledgehammer that rockets to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds—fleeter by 0.1 second than the new M3''.... this is cote to the CARandDRIVE.com
Probably you don't know them ....
Beside if you have read my talkback : We got 3 take on the same car and some place it on par or in from of the M3 in performance... Which I think is the best sports car of the 4 (all around performance track wise)
You would understand that we are not saying it's the best car in the world like you do ...

gsh23 - 10/24/2007 1:23:14 PM

+6 Boost

i dont like the is-f either, but slow down guys. the "fake" quad pipes are just as real as any other quad pipes. look under the bentley continental gt and you will see *gasp* fake exhaust ports.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/24/2007 7:03:02 PM

+1 Boost

Well, the RS4 has massive dual exhausts, and they're real. So there. LOL.

Porschinator - 10/24/2007 3:23:03 PM

+1 Boost

I would like to know if CD used higher grade fuel. I do not know how they squeezed -.5 seconds from the rest. Typo? lol All other test numbers are consistant with other mags. Interesting...

bimmer - 10/24/2007 3:45:34 PM

0 Boost

Well... those exhaust pipes should be part of riceboypage dot com.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/24/2007 7:05:03 PM

+1 Boost

I was very excited from the Motor Trend review, but this has dampened my enthusiasm... harsh ride? Numb steering? The engine and transmission are fantastic, but they are in all three of the others, too.

I will still drive it. But the thing about the Germans is, they have very well-sorted suspensions that can do your daily routine AND a day at the track. They have comfortable rides AND excellent steering/handling. That's why I'd rather have them. I don't see how the Lexus fanboys could argue with that.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/24/2007 9:24:14 PM

+2 Boost

Alright, I said I'll drive it. Calm down!

minimalist - 10/25/2007 12:08:14 AM

+1 Boost

cant wait for the mcmuffin warming review! can the is-f really warm 4 mcmuffins with its exhaust tips like it claims?