The Car Enthusiast tests the LEXUS ISF

The Car Enthusiast tests the LEXUS ISF
For Lexus, this section is key to the IS F being taken seriously as a performance car for real driving enthusiasts. The competition is not only fierce, but established. Car nuts know what to expect from BMW, Audi and Mercedes in regard to focused performance cars, but until now Lexus will not have featured in their shortlist of sport saloons.

If our first inklings are anything to go by, that will change very quickly. At first, the engine dominates the experience, which is hardly surprising given the mouth-watering prospect of a 5.0-litre V8 that outputs 417bhp and 372lb.ft of torque. Though based on the design of the LS 600h's engine, so many changes were made for the IS F that it can be considered to be a new unit. As well as lightening components and strengthening the structure to cope with extended hard use, Lexus employs several innovations, all aimed at enhancing performance, as well as improving overall efficiency. The fuel delivery system for instance employs both conventional inlet port injection, in tandem with direct injection, the latter assisting with charge cooling, which allows a high compression ratio - resulting in greater efficiency in all conditions, plus enhanced performance.
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r15mohdr15mohd - 3/27/2008 12:08:06 PM
+6 Boost
these pix do wonders to the car...very impressive photography. i agree with them saying in person, the vehicle is a looker. I've seen a few selective colors and am biased to the gunmetallic and this white.

descent review...few short-comings, as expected, but again a GREAT first attempt.

good work Lexus!


Designer1Designer1 - 3/27/2008 12:17:46 PM
+2 Boost
The car rocks no matter how loud the Germen fan boys scream.


BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 3/27/2008 12:22:48 PM
-1 Boost
we dont have to scream that loud, since the lexus is 0 and 4 vs the mighty M3. I have the seen the ISF in person and still dont care for the flared out fenders and the stacked exhausts.


r15mohdr15mohd - 3/27/2008 12:33:23 PM
+11 Boost
well if you're keeping tabs...

ISF 0 M3 4
C-AMG 0 M3 4
RS4 0 M3 4

everyone has agreed the M3 is the superior sports sedan...there is no question. but doesn't mean that the ISF is a failure. it landed in the middle of the pack with performance and no "foundation" to build off of.

is it the best, no. does it have competitive numbers, yes! so once it is COMPETITIVE to the rest, it is a success! whether you fail to acknowledge that information or not is completely based on your bias towards a manufacturer or sect.




M35MTM35MT - 3/27/2008 12:44:13 PM
+6 Boost
Wow good review. Looks so much better w/o the electric blue color.


07G35J07G35J - 3/27/2008 1:25:38 PM
+3 Boost
It looks awesome in white. I also loved those pictures.


JUGNUJUGNU - 3/27/2008 1:47:51 PM
+2 Boost
That are the best pictures yet of IS-F. In their pictures they have covered nearly all the angles of IS-F and not from a single angle it looks bad. Seriously i was expecting atleast one angle from which it doesn't look good. They have done a good job and showed the true design of IS-F. Totally love the IS-F.
can't wait for the coupe.

JUGNU


StickShiftCamryStickShiftCamry - 3/27/2008 1:51:46 PM
-10 Boost
Not bad standard equipments. Should be priced lower, Lex. is too confident with this price.


BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 3/28/2008 11:58:02 AM
-2 Boost
psst. Michael it has already lost 4x in head to head comparisons to the M3. yep, unbeatable.


stash84stash84 - 3/28/2008 2:15:01 PM
+2 Boost
m3 is not a luxury car either, just look at its interior, its a sports car, its a manual, of course it handles better, if it were to go against a 911 turbo, it would be 10 to 0, with the m3 losing EVERYTIME !!

would that make the m3 a piece of sh..?







BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 3/28/2008 2:55:50 PM
0 Boost
stash ... the lexus IS-f was designed to compete with the BMW M3. When lexus fans claim their car is unbeatable, then history tells something else. The M3 was not desinged to compete with the Porsche turbo, was it? What is the point of your analogy?

Fact : IS-F was designed to compete with the BMW M3. Unfortunately, it is a good first shot, but it is not the " M3 Killer " as most of you have stated on here. Actually, it is not even close.


stash84stash84 - 3/30/2008 9:32:58 PM
+1 Boost
"the IS-f was designed to compete with the BMW M3."

first of all, who says that the isf was made to compete with the bmw? you? lol..i think youre misunderstanding..also, what people say on this site is not necessarily true, nor logical. alot of times, its written to stir up an argument. im sure when they were designing the ENGINE, they looked at the m3s numbers and wanted to match/beat them..they also determined price by using the m3 but they didnt make a manual and they didnt change the electric steering AND they only come fully loaded, etc..obviously if they wanted to compete with the m3 directly, they would have thrown in a cheap looking lightweight, boring interior and they would have pushed their 5.0 v8 to its fullest potential. they DO have the money. the isf matches the m3 in acceleration but it does lag behind in agility. lexus created a lexus, a luxury version of a sports sedan. an m3 is less luxury, more sport. of course it is more agile. i chose the isf because its probably more reliable and i care more about comfort/interior looks than i do racing. i just want the upper hand in traffic situations. im not trying to race someone around the curve...

and if i wanted a 60k stick shift , agile car, id go with the porsche cayman..


ps..i dont like the white accents in the isf..i hope the is350 ones fit


SSP350SSP350 - 3/27/2008 7:01:00 PM
+4 Boost
Did I read it correctly? The IS-F has better steering feel than the M3?? Let the flame begin. I guess not all Lexus has subdued steering feel after all.


BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 3/28/2008 11:57:18 AM
-2 Boost
Xero you are ridiculous. So far the IS-F is 0 and 4 vs the M3, but you are going to come on here to say that the steering and handling is better.


EL34EL34 - 3/27/2008 9:21:10 PM
-1 Boost
1.) MB C-Klasse 451

2.) BMW M3

3.) Audi RS4

15.) Lexus ISF


bazoongabazoonga - 3/28/2008 1:52:52 AM
+7 Boost
How many of you here actually know how to drive?


ChicaneShooterChicaneShooter - 3/28/2008 5:02:07 AM
+2 Boost
unruly CHILDREN like el34 and stoolchecker makes it a valid question.


LexSucksLexSucks - 3/28/2008 3:20:05 PM
-1 Boost
So much for the IS-F redefining the class. A few weeks ago all the Lexus Retards were saying that the IS-F would send the M3 back to the drawing board. What happened? LOL!


lexusrox123lexusrox123 - 3/29/2008 1:08:30 PM
+3 Boost
another good article turned bad by little kids and idiot fanboys...


LexSucksLexSucks - 3/30/2008 5:22:41 PM
0 Boost
"Idiot fanboys"?

- Have you looked in the mirror lately?




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