2009 Lexus IS-F Review

2009 Lexus IS-F Review

2009 Lexus IS-F is on the road as the luxury carmakers Lexus is taking aim at the performance market with the 416 hp version of the IS sedan.… Toyota’s luxury brand says its new $64,400 IS F super sports sedan, its first “truly authentic” performance car… Lexus says the IS F’s intention is to broaden the IS brand, attract buyers who may never consider a Lexus, and maybe even snag some Lexus GS owners looking for a little more hardcore driving action.

Based on the compact rear-wheel-drive six-cylinder IS five-passenger sedan (which starts at $31,900 for the 204 hp IS 250), the new high-performance iteration is the first Lexus to wear the brand’s new “F” badge, an internal code for special Lexus vehicles that “fall outside the normal engineering and development process,” says the carmaker.

With a unique V8, transmission, suspension, dynamic safety systems, brakes, bodywork and interior, the first F-badged Lexus is anything but a quickie tuner chop-job. To match its German rivals, Lexus has stuffed a 5.0 L V8 under the IS F’s bulging hood. It’s an enlarged version of the 4.6 L unit found in the LS luxobarge.

With a generous amount of aluminum in its build, and unique engineering – like an oil-scavenge pumping system that keeps the engine juiced even with the IS F in smoky doughnut mode – the basically all-new mill pumps out a competitive 416 hp with 317 lb.-ft. of torque. The only transmission available is an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. It can run in straight-up automatic, sequential, or full manual modes.

Lexus claims that its new super sports sedan betters the 414 hp M3 in the 0-to-100 km/h run by 0.1 second at 4.8 seconds (the 475 hp C63 AMG is even quicker at 4.4). If you’re beyond splitting tenths of seconds, the sound of the IS F’s V8 at full throttle is an aural delight, as yet unheard of in any of the brand’s quieter models.

On the way to its 6600 rpm redline, there’s a tonal change at a little more than 3000 rpm when the dual-path intake system opens the secondary plumbing. Sweet. Normally, “real drivers” would guffaw at an automatic. But if automakers like Lexus (plus Audi and Mitsubishi) keep making these quick shifting gearboxes – with properly placed paddle shifters – using a clutch may go the way of roll-up windows.

Upshifts are shaved by a full second (1.3 to 0.3) compared to an IS 350, says Lexus. There’s also a delicious throttle blip on downshifts to match revs that will make any driver grin in false self-satisfaction.

Have some specs !