By now many of you have heard about, if not seen, the IS-F from Lexus. Rather than bore you with all the details that you can read or hear about on the Internet in any standard review, we decided to delight our readers with some top notch photography and a real world example of how the Lexus IS-F performs. Let’s face it, for any of us interested in these types of vehicles, the numbers may seem impressive on paper but how does it really fare on the road? We had the opportunity to team up with first class photographer Steve Demmitt (http://www.stevedemmitt.com) and take the Lexus IS-F above and beyond a normal road test. No, we didn’t beat it up on the track; no, we didn’t rip up the quarter mile, and no, we definitely didn’t try to injure any cones. What we did was take the Lexus IS-F on a nice road trip taking in the sights and documenting a real world experience with the vehicle.
We preclude the story by mentioning that we also had at our disposal a 2006 Lexus IS250, which is daily driven by our editor-in-chief, Jason Siu. So needless to say, hopping behind the steering wheel of the IS-F would instantly generate some easy comparisons between the two vehicles. At first sight, the aesthetics have obviously received an overhaul compared to the mundane and much milder IS250. The IS-F’s aggressive front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper fully equipped with a fanciful quad-tipped exhaust system backs up that the IS-F means business even on the outside. Surprisingly enough however, the interior doesn’t see many upgrades from the standard IS-series from Lexus. The interesting mixture of black and white however does stand out from the crowd and we personally believe that was Lexus’ primary intention. Not departing too much from its luxury feel (and trust is, it is by far one of the most comfortable cars in its market) the IS-F really does bring a whole new experience to spirited driving. The seats did feature a stronger frame and substantial bump in side support, naturally fitting for a more enthusiastic drive.
So with that in mind, hopping into the driver’s seat of the IS-F after dropping off the IS250, Jason instantly felt right back at home. Was there a change? Reaching for the Engine Start button that’s in the same exact location as the 250, the IS-F instantly roared to life. A quick blip of the throttle emits a throaty tone from the exhaust as a result of the 5.0L 32-valve V-8 engine reaching higher rpms. Now on paper, the IS-F boasts an impressive 416hp @ 6,600 rpm and 371tq @ 5,200 rpm. And with that powerband is truly where the IS-F shines, for some. Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, those wanting instant horsepower on the freeways and even on the streets may not be as impressed given that the IS-F does indeed need a bit of decent rpms to get up to speed. On the freeway during our trip, it would be no surprise to downshift three or even four gears just to rev up the V-8 to its glory point.
Doesn’t sound exciting? Hear us out. With the way the powerband is built coupled with its wonderfully smooth transmission, the IS-F is one of the most balanced vehicles between luxury and power that we’ve ever had our hands on. We’ve driven countless vehicles from M3s to Modenas to Murcielagos and it’s hard to convince us that any of those vehicles are as well balanced as the IS-F. Needless to say the luxury European cars are far from built to cater to luxury rather than performance, but even in the case of the M3 or an entry from Audi, we are quite impressed with Lexus’ balance of the IS-F. On light to light driving we were able to pilot the IS-F just like a normal day commuter car. In fact, it was mild and smooth enough to think you were behind the wheel of an IS250 or even an IS350. Sure there’s more power at the touch of the throttle, but its efficiency and smoothness almost reads your mind on whether or not you want access to all of that. In other words, when you want a mild quiet drive, the IS-F can offer it. When you’re ready to spin the rear tires and let the V-8 roar, it’s just as quick to oblige.
Any automotive aficionado will quickly realize that we don’t have to go digging into the suspension and the brakes for you to know the IS-F is well balanced in that department as well. Stiffer springs all around as well as beefy sway bars and Brembo drilled rotors easily bring the stock 19-inch wheels to a halt. But needless to say we would be inclined to swap out the wheels for something more attractive taking advantage of the IS-F’s slightly wider body. A slightly lowered stance wouldn’t hurt the IS-F either, but we all know there’s a sacrifice in performance when it comes to that.
In summary, we clocked more miles than we’d like to admit on the IS-F. We included several photos of the actual scenery we took in while campaigning the IS-F. At times we would be hard pressed to remember that we were in a 400+ hp sedan and at other times it was very well known to us. A quick snap of the shift paddle at full throttle keeps the IS-F pointing forward with amazingly smooth acceleration. Roaring all the way to its redline, the IS-F comes to full life realizing its potential knowing that its driver is demanding every bit out of it. And when you’re not? The IS-F does the job extremely well, smoothly and quietly.
We’d like to extend a special thanks to Lexus for giving Tunerzine the opportunity, and Steve Demmitt http://www.stevedemmitt.com for the wonderful photography work.
In anticipation to the success of the IS-F, we will also be doing an in depth follow up build with Fox Marketing on their new IS-F even widebodIER project. Stay tuned to Tunerzine.com for updates, we’re going IS-F crazy!
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