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.
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.
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.
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Lexus IS F Pictures Credit: © Marc Lachapelle / MSN Autos