Review: 2008 Lexus IS F

Having set new standards in terms of quality, reliability and refinement for almost two decades, Lexus now wants a piece of the prestigious high-end performance market cornered by its German rivals. The first salvo is a muscular and taut, V8-powered, 416-horsepower version of the sleek IS sport sedan. It was conceived by a passionate chief engineer and developed under his guidance, with outside help from engine specialists and long-time partners at Yamaha.

Model Lineup
Get acquainted with the F, an exclusive badge that will be reserved for exceptional models within the Lexus brand. Think of the revered M (for Motorsport) label at BMW and the AMG performance division at Mercedes-Benz and you’ll see where this is headed. The F is a reference to the codename F1 — for Flagship One — carried by the original LS 400 sedan that launched Lexus to its current prominence in the North American luxury-car market.

The IS F is the first Lexus production model to fly the F. This high-performance version of the current IS sedan was created in the time-honored tradition of hot-rodders: by dropping in a big 5.0-liter V8 where lesser engines had once purred. It is the brainchild of chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi, a 30-year veteran at Toyota and Lexus.

Yaguchi-san started work on this project himself by bolting a 5.2-liter V8 massaged by TRD (Toyota Racing Development) into the engine bay of a first-generation IS, and then getting to work on the body and suspension. That car was good enough to get Yaguchi’s project approved by the management. He then recruited a quasi-skunkworks team of nearly 300, a far cry from the 1,500 to 2,000 that typically work on a new Lexus.

Per standard Lexus practice, there is only one very well-equipped model of the IS F, carrying a current base price of $56,000. The major options are a 14-speaker, 300-watt, Mark Levinson entertainment system with a six-disc DVD/CD changer that can play both the DVD-audio and DVD-video formats, priced at $3,990; a $2,850 Pre-Collision System; and a voice-activated navigation system with backup camera and Bluetooth technology that adds $2,550 to the sticker. Lexus will also add Intuitive Parking Assist for $500 and your choice of SIRIUS or XM satellite radio for $486.

The IS F carries three stylized F badges with a silver contour on a blue background; two on the front fenders behind the wheels; and the third on the trunk lid. The front fascia is beefier with larger air intakes than the IS 350. The side panels are more sculpted, with subtle skirts and functional scoops cut vertically behind the front wheelwells. They help cool the engine, not the brakes as one might presume.

The rear fascia is also unique to the IS F. The two pairs of vertically stacked, chrome-finished oval “pipes” are not real exhaust tips (alas), which will probably disappoint serious gearheads. Lexus says the four oval tubes are designed to ease the underflow of air at the rear, for better aerodynamic efficiency. A quartet of 19-inch, forged-aluminum, titanium-colored BBS wheels nicely complete the package.

Under the Hood
The new IS F gets an extensively modified version of the 5.0-liter V8 also found under the hood of the LS 600h sedan. With the help of a dual air intake system, direct sequential fuel injection, high-flow cylinder heads, titanium intake valves and fully variable valve timing (VVT-iE), the engine can churn out 416 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 371 lb-ft of torque at 5200 rpm. Secondary-intake plenum chamber flaps open at 3600 rpm, producing a loud, deep, baritone growl during full acceleration. You quickly find yourself reveling and indulging with your right foot.

The engine meshes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox with manual mode through steering-wheel-mounted paddles, or via the gated console shifter. It performs snappy 0.1-second upshifts and downshifts with timed throttle blips when in Sport or manual mode. Lexus claims a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.6 seconds, which seems entirely believable and competitive with prominent rivals such as the V8-powered Audi RS 4 and BMW M3.

The Lexus IS F, on the other hand, is the best of the lot in terms of fuel economy, in spite of its larger-displacement engine. The 8-speed gearbox undoubtedly deserves a lot of the credit for this, but also a low 0.30 coefficient of drag, the product of minimal panel gaps, flush glass and careful underbody streamlining. The IS F’s city/highway EPA ratings are 16/23 mpg, while the 4.0-liter M3 is rated at 14/20 mpg and the 4.2-liter RS 4 at 13/20 mpg. Its 16.9-gallon tank also produces the best highway range of the bunch at 389 miles.

Inner Space
The IS F may be a hot rod, but it needed to be a true Lexus in terms of interior fit and finish, as well as equipment. It’s an inviting place that also provides all the requisite items for a seriously fast sport sedan. This includes a proper three-branch sport steering wheel with a just-thick-enough rim wrapped with dimpled black leather around most of its circumference. On the bottom part of the rim sits a small ‘F’ badge. The pedals and the wide, flat footrest have drilled aluminum plate surfaces with round rubber inserts that ensure grip even if the driver’s soles are wet.

The well-sculpted and comfortable front seats are 10-way adjustable and heated. There’s nothing boy-racer about them, but they do offer decent lateral support even on a track at speed. Unlike its rivals, the IS F is a strict four-seater, while both the M3 and RS 4 can accommodate a fifth passenger in a pinch. The rear seats are cozy and comfortable, once you get there. Clearance is a little tight near the sill for swinging in your feet.

Control ergonomics are generally great — another Lexus strength — although the menu-driven commands for the audio, climate and navigation systems do require careful attention at first. Other standard elements include power tilt-and-telescope adjustments for the steering wheel, along with three memory positions that include both front seats and all three mirrors (also all auto-dimming); rain-sensing automatic wipers; keyless entry with pushbutton start; and a programmable garage door opener.

On the Road
Chief engineer Yaguchi and his team devoted great effort and attention to the IS F’s suspension, brakes and overall dynamics. The development team put the final polish on the car’s handling by logging laps around famous tracks such as the legendary Nürburgring in Germany, Laguna Seca Raceway in California and Fuji Speedway in Japan. Lexus says the stylized logos on the IS F were inspired by the contours of Corner 1 at Fuji.

We first drove the finished product on city streets, highways and secondary roads, and racked up laps around Ontario’s fast and technical Calabogie race track. There we also tackled a tight course combining a slalom layout and a wet skidpad while experimenting with the IS F’s standard stability system, dubbed VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management).

Compared with other IS models, the IS F’s tuned suspension has springs and shocks that are 90 percent firmer in front and 50 percent firmer at the rear. The brakes are by Brembo, and the 14.2-inch vented and drilled front rotors are clamped by six-piston aluminum calipers. The 13.6-inch rear discs get two-piston calipers.

The IS F can run lap after lap around a track and not break a sweat, but it immediately reveals softer responses (including steering feel) than you would expect from the hard-edge sport sedan it is touted to be. Cornering is quite stable and balanced, although the car can both quickly rotate and the rear axle step out if you brake hard or late enough into a corner. This might explain why we were not allowed to switch the stability system completely off during our track stint. Only the VDIM Sport setting was permitted, with its higher tolerance for slip angles, yaw and lateral acceleration. It does work.

Right for You?
Although the Lexus IS F is a capable track car, with all due respect to Yukihiko Yaguchi, it remains most pleasant in normal driving. The firm suspension never gets harsh, even on rough pavement, and there is always the temptation to stomp the pedal and let the engine roar. In fact, the IS F felt happiest and most capable in the point-and-shoot world of city driving, where it can — and will — take full advantage of the slightest gaps in traffic while letting you enjoy the full benefits of a cushy Lexus cabin. It can run with an M3 or RS 4 on the weekend, but also keep a smile on your face for the rest of the week.

A professional auto journalist for more than 25 years and the founding editor of Sympatico / MSN Autos, Marc Lachapelle is a two-time winner of the Canadian Journalist of the Year award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, an avid photographer and a licensed racer.

In the market for a new car? MSN Autos is pleased to provide you with information and services designed to save you time, money and hassle. Click to research prices and specifications on any new car on the market or get a free price quote through MSN Autos' New-Car Buying Service.

ghgfhhgf