Lexus IS F Reviews

Later, the Mercedes C-Class was also in Lexus’s sights as Mercedes quietly moved it from the boring sedan into the sporty sedan segment.All Lexus are immaculately finished inside and out in a tradition that has been with the marque since day one in 1989.The quality of materials and workmanship not only makes the car a delight to look at and sit in, but also makes for high level reliability.Interior space is good for a rear-drive car, but the little Lexus has less room than a front-wheel-drive of this size would have.Try the back seat for size if adults will be frequently using it.The quality of materials and workmanship makes the car a delight to look at with high level reliability.In its earlier iterations, it’s possibly best to regard it as being a two-plus-two rather than a four-seater for adults.Later models are better but still nothing special.That’s for the sedans, the IS hardtop convertibles, launched in July 2009, are very tight in the back seat, as is generally the way in this class.The first Lexus IS generation used straight-six engines, for smoothness; and rear-wheel drive for precise handling balance.Later it changed to V6 powerplants to free up space at the front.Power for the IS200 originally came from an engine with a capacity of just 2.0 litres, hence the ‘200’.While many praised the car others said it didn’t have enough grunt to match the chassis so a 3.0-litre IS300 was introduced in 2001.Splitting the difference is the IS 250, (yes, 2.5 litres) which replaced both the 200 and 300 with the introduction of the second generation IS Series in 2005.The third generation Lexus IS retained the 2.5-litre V6 in uprated format and added a 3.5-litre V6, to the lineup.Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F.Things became interesting in the powerplant field with the introduction of a hybrid powertrain, the Lexus IS300h, in the gen-three car in July 2013.This time around the engine is a four-cylinder petrol 2.5-litre assisted by an electric motor.The ‘300’ indicates the hybrid provides the sort of performance normally requiring a 3.0-litre unit.After years of competing only against the mainstream models of BMW and Merc, Lexus decided to tackle the German marque’s high-performance divisions with a hot model called Lexus F in October 2008.With a 5.0-litre V8 engine and semi-race suspension, steering, brakes and serious aerodynamic enhancements it’s something right out of the ordinary from a Lexus point of view; deliberately so, the Japanese marque really wants to make a statement.Note that the Lexus F shouldn't be confused with the Lexus F Sport, which is a far tamer model, sold from 2010, with the same engine output standard IS 250 or IS 350 on which it is based, but with uprated suspension, steering and brakes, as well as a sportier look in body details.Spare parts and servicing are reasonably priced for a car in this class.Lexus dealers are fairly limited in number, particularly in rural areas, though that situation has changed in recent years as major country cities are now being serviced.Some senior Toyota technicians are trained in most aspects of the car. Toyota is, of course, the parent company of Lexus.Insurance is generally moderate in price for a car in this price and social class and we haven't noticed any worthwhile variation between the major companies in normal premiums.Look for damage to the bodywork and the interior trim and remember the car should be close to immaculate in all areas.If not it may have been mistreated by an uncaring owner.During your test drive check for anything out of the ordinary in the way the car drives, sounds and feels.Look over the complete vehicle, preferably with the owner’s handbook in front of you, these are complex cars.At the very least, test each of the functions on the stereo, climate-control, windows and door locking.Make sure the engine starts virtually instantaneously, idles so smoothly that you can barely feel it and doesn't hesitate when accelerated.The automatic transmission should operate almost imperceptibly and not hold onto any gears unnecessarily.A manual gearbox should be smooth and light not baulk on any changes, no matter how fast you make them.Unless you’re very confident in your technical ability it’s silly not to call for a professional inspection.Don’t rush into specific details of a car when checking it out - rather do an overall walk around to get a big-picture of its condition.

Mr Zo is interested in buying a used Lexus ISF, but because they are quite expensive he wants to be careful and know what he's getting into. He wants to know about common problems, servicing expenses, and the cost of parts etc. NEWThe F is to the IS what the M3 is to the BMW 3-Series. It's the seriously quick model that gives a tinge of credibility to the rest of the range.Since beginning with a single luxury model in the 1990s Lexus has grown into the fully-fledged prestige marque that holds its own with the acknowledged prestige brands from Europe.Like the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class the IS gives the masses the opportunity to participate in the dream, or at least aspire to be part of it.Much of the development of the IS was done on racetracks around the world. Indeed the F is said to stand for Fuji, the Japanese track where much of it was carried out. The result is a car with real sports credentials.One look at the compact sedan tells you it's conceived for speed, with a wide airdam, sweeping lines, and bulging wheel arches full of massive alloy wheels, low profile rubber and huge brakes.The sporting feel carries through to the stylish cabin with its real sports seats, carbon-fibre accents, leather trim and F badges.But it not only looks the part, it has the performance to back it up.Lift the bonnet and you discover the dual-injected double-overhead camshaft 5.0-litre V8 that delivers the punch. It's related to the V8 in the LS luxury saloon, but has been enlarged and enhanced with unique heads, conrods, pistons, intake and exhaust. With all that working in unison the result is 311kW at 6600 rpm and 505Nm at 5200 rpm.A new 8-speed auto transmission processes the engine's output and sends it back to the rear wheels. It features paddles on the steering wheel to change gears and boasts quick-fire shifting.In addition to the normal driving modes there's the F sports mode, which locks the torque convertor in second to eighth gears and changes the throttle characteristics, steering assistance and chassis settings.The IS F brought a new feeling of freedom to the otherwise staid Lexus brand, one with an impressive performance edge heralded by a throaty roar. NOWLexus has a well-earned reputation for the quality of its build, which is a great start to a long and reliable life of driving.There is the odd report of a problem with the IS F, but there are no serious problems we can report.If pressed some owners complain about the firm ride, but that comes with the territory, the F is a performance car and the suspension settings reflect that.For anyone contemplating buying one it's important that they carry out a test drive to thoroughly familiarise themselves with all aspects of the car and reassure themselves they can live with it.The one issue that does often crop is the life of the brakes. Again that is one of the things that can affect a performance car, and it seems that it does with the IS F. Most owners accept that it's a part of the ownership experience. When conducting a pre-purchase test-drive listen for squeaking rear brakes, it's a sign the brakes will soon need replacing.Like all cars servicing is crucial to maintaining reliability, and regular oil and filter changes are necessary to help keep the engine firing in fine fettle.Check the service book to make sure your potential purchase has been serviced as per the Lexus recommendation.There was a recall in October 2014 to rectify an issue with the gasket between the fuel pressure sensor and fuel delivery pipe that could result in a fuel leak with the possibility of a fire.

Peter Anderson road tests and reviews the 2014 Lexus IS F, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

People imagine being a motoring writer involves nothing more than stepping out of one Ferrari and into another.

Never have those in the market for a prestige sports sedan been so spoilt for choice.My fairy godmother has yet to fund me for such a beast but if you're fortunate enough to be looking for a four-door that can embarrass sports cars and still cart the kids, there are several options.The bent-eight compact prestige brigade was largely a German affair until Lexus launched the IS F in 2008, with a musical powerplant and no vertical give in the rear end.It's had two upgrades since then and the latest update of the swift and sonorous model claims to have reduced the rear end's uncomfortably rock-hard ride - sadly that's not the case.VALUESitting amongst the M and AMG badged Germans that dwell around $150,000, the $126,800 Lexus sedan has a solid head start on price.There's dual-zone climate control with rear vents, leather trim, sports leather-wrapped steering wheel with shift paddles, reach'n'rake adjustable steering, keyless entry and ignition, power-adjustable front seats with memory, sports pedals, alarm, Bluetooth phone link (but not for the sound system), a 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system (USB) with wheel-mounted controls, sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, power windows, auto-dimming centre mirror and folding auto-dimming exterior mirrors and automatic xenon headlights.TECHNOLOGYThe 5.0-litre V8 engine is seen elsewhere in the Lexus catalogue but in this incarnation produces 311kW at 6600 rpm (the redline is 6800rpm) and 505Nm of torque at 5200rpm. The direct-injection powerplant (with work done on its top end by Yamaha) uses dual variable valve timing for inlet and exhaust cams to provide flexible and relatively frugal motoring.The engine sends drive aft via an eight-speed automatic transmission (with a proper manual paddleshift mode) as well as a rear limited slip differential and is capable of accelerating IS F from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds and claims fuel consumption of 11.4 litres per 100km.The suspension remains a bug-bear - the Japanese luxury brand says the IS F sits on springs, dampers and bushes with revised rates "to combine high performance with enhanced ride comfort," says Lexus .... nup, not yet people - keep at it.The IS F also gets the radar-controlled active cruise control, which maintains a following distance when cruising, but sadly still can't hold a set speed down hill - the Germans can do it with simpler controls on the non-radar cruise control, Lexus has had the system in several models over several model changes but as yet have not got it right.DESIGNThe IS F's exterior has a purposeful look to it - without screaming to authorities that it has street-machine smoke-making potential. It gets the day running lights - LEDs of course - but there are more changes on the dash than anywhere else.The instrument panel is dominated by the tachometer, which now has a tricky redline-imminent light display, as well as a digital and small analogue speed display. The snug-but-comfy four-seater cabin also has carbon-fibre centre-console inserts, more colour options for the leather trim and a revised sports steering wheel.SAFETYThe sedan gets all the bits to warrant its five-star NCAP safety rating - anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution,  stability and traction Control and eight airbags - dual front, side, curtain and driver's knee units.Also on board is the pre-collision safety system which uses a radar sensor in the nose to monitor the distance of the vehicle from objects ahead and if it senses a collision is likely it emits a warning and prepares the car's safety systems for action.DRIVINGTime spent behind the wheel of this car on a track amply displays its pace and talents on smooth tarmac with no speed limits. In real world driving, the IS F can ooze through traffic on a muted V8 burble, a refined note, with the ability to make more noise as required and leave the dawdling masses behind.The eight-speed auto is swift of change and has a genuine manual mode (thank you Lexus) but it can be indecisive, which would be more of an issue if it weren't such a slick-shifter. Daily traffic duties soon show that the chassis engineers still have work to do - on some nastier undulations and bumps the IS F actually pitches and harsher bumps are transmitted more than they should be.The cabin is snug but not uncomfortable for most occupants, although rear legroom is tight, as is front headroom for those over the old six foot mark. Lord knows how I managed to - at 191cm - get behind the wheel of this very car at a racetrack with a helmet on.The cabin design is starting to look a little dated but nowhere more than the digital clock - a Breitling or Omega timepiece is traditional, the digital unit is very 1980s and too naff.It's only a four-seater too, unlike its German opposition, Lexus says its four buckets are for better seat comfort. The IS F has a USB input for iPhones and other devices, but no music aspect for the Bluetooth; there's also no splitfold rear seat and the boot floor panel over the spare is a cumbersome set-up.VERDICTThere's a lot to like about the IS F, in particular the drivetrain that has the tight and hard sound as well as the outputs to back it up. It can also be swift and subtle, with a comfortable cabin. But the luxury arm of Toyota has had enough chances to get the suspension and radar cruise control right and they haven't.LEXUS IS FPrice: $126,800Warranty: 4 years, unlimited kmResale: 54%Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 10,000km or 6-monthsEconomy: 11.4l/100km, on test 16l/100km, tank ; 270g/km CO2Equipment: eight airbags, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control, pre-collision safety system.Crash rating: 5 starEngine:  311kW/505Nm 5-litre V8Transmission: 8-speed autoBody: 4-door, 4 seats Dimensions: 4660mm (L); 1815mm (W); 1415mm (H); 2730mm (WB)Weight: 1700kgTyre size: 225/40 R19 fr, 255/35 R19 rrSpare tyre: Space saver

IT'S all very well coining your own equivalent to the fabled M and AMG performance badges of the German marques. Laudable even. And it's more than possible that the Lexus "F" line will come to be written in the same sentence as these.Certainly it's deserved. Still, that'll be then and this is now, and I can't help wondering whether the consonant "Q" isn't more apt - as in that old buffer's term for performance cars whose blazing light is hidden beneath a mild exterior.Visually it's almost as innocuous as your common or garden IS250. Indeed, to a very certain point, the revised and upgraded IS-F drives in the excessively polite manner of Toyota's luxury marque. And then ...VALUEIn this context - as a rival to BMW's M3 and Merc's C63 - we can begin to talk of a bargain.As is the case with even the humblest $56K IS, the F is priced considerably to the south of the nearest equivalent German and stuffed with standard spec, not least of which is a reverberating Mark Levinson stereo and a brilliantly intuitive touchscreen through which to operate all systems from satnav to aircon.TECHNOLOGYThis is a one-vehicle expo of drivetrain tech, sophisticated but sans the needless complications of the M3's myriad drive modes. You won't soon tire of the thrumming 5.0-litre V8. Fettled with dual VVT-i, dual injection (port and direct) and a dual-intake air system, it achieves 311kW at 6600rpm and 505Nm at 5200rpm, dispatching the 0-100km/h dash in 4.8 seconds.If ever you've wondered at the point of certain DSG-style transmissions, to say nothing of their (dys)function, the Lexus's eight-speeder clinches it in favour of the torque converter. Barely perceptible changes in Drive are sharpened when sport mode is activated.A meaningful manual mode - as in one that holds gear selections on redline - is accessed by flipping the gearstick sideways and going to it with the shapely paddle shifters, which also provide temporary manual overide in Drive.Let's hear it for the mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential that last year replaced the electronic device. This one actively redistributes torque instead of stifling power.Previously the IS-F's ride has been a boon to the dental and osteopathic professions. The suspension's been revised in a manner that acknowledges real-world conditions, and makes for a ride that's much more than tolerable even on Australia's third-world roads. Oh, it's still as firm as it must be but it's forgiving with it.DESIGNWe take a back seat to but a few when it comes to praise of the IS series, which is wise in the F model, because there's but two pews back there. No loss this -- the centre position is token. But for that, and what a colleague calls the "Ginza boy" carbon-fibre accents, this could be a much lesser IS with optional bling.Bespoke bits run to unsubtle quad exhausts and lovely smoky 19-inch alloys. The seven-year-old design means there's not a lot of room, forward or aft. The bloody sun roof leaves next to no space between a tall driver's skull and the ceiling. And why is there a driver's grab handle if not to bruise the right side of his fine, shiny cranium?SAFETYConsider the safety acronyms, active and passive, present and correct and the five-star crash safety rating a given. More pertinently, given there's 1700kg of 270km/h-capable sports sedan to stop, are massive Brembo brakes, six-piston calipers up front acting on 360mm x 30mm ventilated discs, and twin-piston calipers aft doing their thing on 345mm x 28mm ventilated discs.DRIVINGAnd, as we were saying, then ... But before just that, this year's IS-F is as amiable a commuting companion as could be wished for in a performance car. The pleasantly persistent engine growl is most unLexus-like and most welcome.You can live with it every day without arousing the inner beast. Indeed, the first time you introduce the throttle to the floor, there's a throat clearing pause, and then the fluorescent blue needle reaches 4000rpm, the engine roars, your passenger shouts "s---!", and you're leaning on the brakes at the end of the road  where you spend the next 10 minutes digging an iPhone out from under the seat whence its flown.With Sport engaged and the open road before you, this exercise is a bit more linear. Gears are held longer, the exhaust report is crisper and throttle response is livelier. The Lexus engages our favourite hillclimb of 15-25km/h indicated corners as though developed specifically for this stretch, sitting flat and true. The stability control cuts in deftly and aptly at such extremes as your humble servant is prepared to chart on public roads.VERDICTIt's quiet and capable then roaringly rapid, like a respectable salaryman given to 'roid rages. It's hard to find logical reasons not to want this Lexus.LEXUS IS-FPrice: $126,800Warranty: 4 years/100,000kmResale: 56 per centService interval: 12 months/15,000kmSafety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, BA, TC. Crash rating 5 starsEngine: 5.0-litre V8; 300kW/505NmBody: 4-seat sedanDimensions: 4580mm(L), 1800mm(W); 1425mm(H)Weight: 1700kgTransmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel driveEconomy: 11.4L/100kmAlso considerAUDI S5Price: $138,900Engine: 4.2-litre V8; 260kW/44NmTrans: 6-speed auto: AWDBody: Two door coupeThirst: 10.8L/100km"Looks good, feels good, but limited. A German muscle car"BMW M3Price: $149,000Engine: 4.0-litre V8; 309kW/400NmTrans: 7-speed automated manual: RWDBody: sedanThirst: 11.9L/100km"The most capable here but about to look old hat"MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMGPrice: $150,980Engine: 6.2-litre V8; 336kW/600NmTrans: 7-spped auto: RWDBody: sedanThirst: 13.5L/100km"Wagnerian noise. Pass anything except a petrol station"

Although reported claims by the carmaker that it’s a triumph over the BMW M3 may be a bit optimistic.Based on the IS platform, the IS-F – the ‘F’ stands for Japan’s Fuji Speedway - delivers power, speed and agility in a smart looking package and may just give those staunch Bavarian auto fans something else to think about.EngineThe IS-F is powered by a DOHC 5.0-litre V8 engine that produces 311kW at 6600rpm and 505Nm of torque at 5200rpm.Power is transferred to the wheels via an eight speed Sports Direct Shift automatic (with paddle-shifters), electronically controlled with lock-up torque converter (2nd - 8th speeds).On the way to a top speed of around 270km/h, the IS-F rockets to the 100km/h mark in 4.8 seconds.Fuel consumption will vary depending on driving style but the press kit claims 11.4litres/100km. Combined CO2 emissions come in at 270gm/km.ExteriorThe IS-F retains the sporty shape and aggressive stance of the IS 250 on which it is based but the F is clearly a gym junkie – a sinewy ball of muscle.Wheel arches have flared further to house big 19 inch wheels. The wheels are lighter than conventional alloys and are made by the official supplier to Formula 1 – BBS.The radiator grille and lower cooling ducts are larger to allow more air to be sucked through to the engine and brakes, which gives the car an intimidating look head on.To accommodate the big V8, there is unmistakable bonnet bulge and the front overhang is slightly larger than on IS 250.High Intensity Discharge(HID) headlights with Lexus’ Intelligent Adaptive Front Lighting System improves the IS-F’s guidance through corners.Interior IS-F badges throughout the cabin are a constant reminder of this car’s sporty nature.Supportive leather sports seats hold you in place round tight corners and the wrap around dash - with back-lit instrument cluster - provides a cockpit feel.A seven inch colour touch-screen display is the primary information resource, controllable also by the leather sports steering wheel.To make things more comfortable a satnav and a six-disc Mark Levinson audio system are standard, as is Bluetooth and MP3 capability.SafetyAlongside the comprehensive airbag package, the Lexus IS-F safety list features anti-skid brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, traction control and vehicle stability control.PricingThe Lexus IS-F starts at $129,000.DrivingWigley saysThis car goes a long way in shaking the ‘boring, prettied-up Toyota’ tag that has attached itself to Lexus for a good while now. Adding a true performer to the line-up is a positive move to attract a whole new type of buyer and adding one this good lifts it another notch again.For a start the IS-F looks the part, with a chunky exterior and big, gunmetal alloys.Inside is equally as impressive. The soft leather seats lock you into a perfect, stable driving position and the smart-looking dash is easy enough to work out without fumbling through the manual.But on the road is where the beast comes alive. The throaty gargle on start up rumbles up through the floor and into your feet and legs, bullying you to squeeze the throttle.Lexus have done well to create a healthy combination of firmness and comfort in the IS-F. Potholes and ruts are swallowed up at all speeds and the multilink front and rear suspension allows the car to be thrown into corners with minimal body roll. The great cornering can also be attributed to the big Brembo brakes, made specifically for Lexus.The paddle shifters were fast and smooth – 0.1 second upshifts – but not using them exploited the somewhat random gear selection in full automatic mode. Not surprising really given the eight gears to choose from.There really weren’t too many downsides to this car, although we did find the B pillars made for massive blind spots, and it does feel a touch on the heavy side.And the constant hum inside the cabin of the V8 could get a little grating. Actually scratch that last point – what am I saying??But it was the acceleration in this car that really sold it for us. At 4.8 seconds it’s no slouch and when that second induction opens up just past 3000rpm, the noise is exquisite. Nice one Lexus.Verdict - 8.8/10Halligan saysThe IS-F is somewhat of a watershed car because we have to begrudgingly stop calling all Lexus vehicle boring.And we’ll have to stop because the IS-F is not boring. Its styling is not boring, its performance is not boring and there is certainly nothing at all boring about the way it sounds. When the second stage intake ports open just above 3500rpm , there is little else that can beat it for aural pleasure.The IS-F was designed to compete with the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 in the global four-door family sports sedan market. It doesn't do too bad a job. But while this is a great car and anyone who buys one based on their personal preference is making a good choice, it is still the least car of the three.That also includes having the least price, which – depending on what you are looking for – may be a benefit or not. At this price point I don't think it is much of a factor in the decision making process.There is nothing much to criticise about this car, and its easy to love, but its easier to love the Merc C63 more. The IS-F is not as quick, not as entertaining and not the Q-ship that the C63 is.But you hear there are a considerable amount of people who won’t be seen in the C63 or M3 as they fear being stereotyped.Luckily we live in a fabulous time where we have a choice of three performance sedans with four doors, a boot to fill with family luggage, a high output V8 with more than 300kW on tap and superb handling.... hang on a minute, aren't we missing something here. Aren't there two more badges that fit that criteria – HSV and FPV. So it's not really a choice of three, it's actually five. Great days.There’s a big argument for the Lexus on performance and price, and the main argument against is that it’s still a Lexus.Rating - 8.8/10

While the hybrid range appeases a green conscience with performance as well, the brand lacks a hero. The IS F is deigned to be a halo car for the Japanese brand that the bulk of its opposition already has - BMW has its M cars, Benz has AMG-badged weapons and Audi offers S and RS performance models, many which have character and soul in spades.The IS bearing the F badge - inspired by the Fuji Raceway track that was used in the model's development - aims to change that for Lexus, taking the V8 from the petrol side of the LS600hL hybrid, giving it to Yamaha and asking for some singing and dancing lessons.The brand says it has always had an element of performance within the bulk of its range but has never made a big deal about it - with the ISF the company has what it calls a new breed of Lexus and compares its significance to that of its 1990 launch.Lexus Australia chief executive John Roca says the performance market is new for Lexus, but the Japanese company has not entered the segment with a carbon-copy of its opposition.Its a lot of pressure on the car but we have to, being as conservative as they’ve been in the past, if it wasn’t for Yaguchi-san (chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi) this car wouldn’t be here.The board made a decision in 2002 - when he first talked about this car - not to develop a performance arm to the brand they felt it wasn’t what Lexus was all about, smooth quiet, well-crafted but he's an enthusiast, he wanted something he would like to drive.They will go easy with this car until it is successful, being cautious in terms of production and supply it has to succeed because if it doesn’t there wont be any more F models.The F started life as something of a side project for Yaguchi, a 25-year veteran of the company and its Toyota parent.Within the huge carmaker development approvals are not won easily but after experimenting with various mules the car was given the green light in 2004.Driving fun was more the aim, rather than outright lap times, says Yaguchi-san, with Yamaha, Brembo and BBS among the suppliers, the IS F has taken shape.Using the hybrid limo's V8 within an IS300 shell, Lexus has massaged every bit of the car and produced a four-seat four-door offering 311kW, 505Nm and a claimed thirst of 11.4 litres per 100km.The five-litre powerplant boasts variable intake, port and direct fuel injection, valve timing and a raucous note change at 3600rpm - 0-100km/h times of 4.8 seconds and a top speed limited to 270km/h are the claims and track work suggested those numbers were achievable.The eight-speed conventional automatic has two top gears for fuel economy and the remainder are closer-set, with a torque-converter lock-up between 2nd and 8th for better response; shift times are 0.1 of a second on up-shifts and 0.3 of a second on the downshift, complete with throttle blip.Yaguchi-san said the small development team had limited time and funds, making the brand's existing eight-speed automatic a more viable option than trying to develop a double-clutch automated manual now being used by BMW.At 1700kg it's no featherweight, but it's by no means the porkiest in the segment, says Lexus, which defends the weight figure in deference to a comprehensive features list.Full leather trim, heated sports front seats, a satnav-equipped Mark Levinson fourteen speaker sound system, radar cruise control, switchable stability control are all standard in the four-seater.It also has plenty of clever aerodynamic and cooling tricks, including 19in wheels - 30 per cent lighter than the 15.5kg 19in wheels from the LS600hL - that are directional and specific to front and rear axles, for pushing air onto the large vented and cross-drilled Brembo brake package.As a first-up effort in the prestige compact performance segment, the IS F does most things in a way that will put it on the shopping list occupied by BMW's M3 and the C63 AMG - Lexus certainly now has its hero car. DRIVINGThe high-performers of Lexus have been hybrids up until now.The little four-door sedan has a V8 that sings, quietly at first but 3600rpm is when it opens up and really belts out a note.The tune is accompanied by plenty of thrust, more than enough to whop the eight-speed auto into a frenzy and see off 100km/h in around five seconds.The ride quality is firm and on the abrupt side, big yumps and bumps are relayed with little compliance.It's not bone-jarringly bad but M, RS and AMG are a little easier through road imperfections.The steering has a nice feel to it, gathering extra weight in sport mode to make the driver take charge; the paddleshifts are crisp and generally smooth, although in sport mode there's a little more shift-shock than some double-clutchers sampled in recent weeks have displayed.The seats aren't large but they are supportive and comfortable, with little numb-bum displayed during the launch drive; the racetrack showed the lateral support, which felt ample on the road corners, was up to the task on the racetrack.The IS F was bred for trackwork and it shows, lapping the Phillip Island circuit with considerable pace and plenty of balance.The firm ride quality that slightly tarnishes the on-road performance is paid for in spades by its abilities in the corners, with minimal body roll, decent turn-in and plenty of grip.Switch the electronics off and there's plenty of fun to be had - the track's two tight corners can be easily dispatched with plenty of attitude and a session on the skid pan demonstrated the electronic stability system's prowess, as well as its ability to be completely turned off, something its German counterparts could look at closely.Lurid powerslides and other activities that would get the IS F confiscated on public roads can be indulged in with impunity on a racetrack skidpan, with plenty of smoke.The circuit work showed the IS F has what it takes to corner quickly and gobble up straights in competitive time.While absolute straight-line speed and outright pace point-to-point might still have a German at the top of the podium, the IS F is on the money. 

And it’s that – sporty, sexy and swift. But it’s also everything we’ve always thought Lexus was: refined, restrained and (even in this guise) still responsible.In some ways, the IS-F is for Lexus what the Celica was for its parent company, Toyota … a saucy little package designed to lure a new buyer to the badge.But where the Celica was mainly seen as being style over substance, the IS-F has a fair dose of performance to back up its appearance.The car has been developed with that focus in mind, and the project included considerable track testing, mainly on the challenging Fuji circuit – owned by Toyota, and for which the F in the car’s name stands – but also at famed spots like the Nurburgring, Laguna Seca and (closer to home) our own Phillip Island. Lexus says it was also tested over the appalling bitumen of Sydney’s Double Bay, a suburb that – despite its middle-class obsession with appearing upmarket – has some of the worst surfaces in Australia.The IS-F returned this week to Phillip Island as part of its Australian launch, which has been held over by Lexus until it could kick off with the lightly revised model rather than the initial one.The revisions are largely a slight face-lift to visually enhance the car interior and improve functionality of some of the switchgear.ExteriorThey should be able to hold off for a while in having to upgrade the sharp body styling – much of which has been designed to increase downforce — with its wide air dam and strong crease lines flowing from the grille along the edge of the bulging bonnet and through to the flanks.Among the best cues on the car are the arch-stuffing 19” turbine wheels – each one of the four cast slightly different to pull heat away from the 360mm front/345mm rear six-piston Brembo brakes – and the functional gilles behind the front wheels.Then there are the staggered oval quad exhausts tips in their mesh housing, which both sets them off and camouflages that they aren’t really connected to the pipes. Lexus admits this is partially a cosmetic feature but says it’s also functional and that the flow travels from pipe to tip. And there’s a diagram demonstrating that somewhere in Japan.InteriorSprinkled with F logos, the cabin is handsomely upmarket, except for the silvered carbon-fibre accents on the centre console that unfortunately survived the face-lift. Yes, it’s the genuine material, but cunningly disguised to look like a cheap plastic transfer.The front seats are well-sculpted with high side and wing bolsters to hold you snug, while the back is deeply divided into two wells that firmly restrict this to a four-seater.EquipmentThe list of goodies for the IS-F is lengthy, but the star turn is the brilliant Mark Levinson audio system, which has been given 1000 hours of tuning to match it to car’s acoustic characteristics.Supporting roles are taken by the likes of a touchscreen nav, Bluetooth and power-controlled everything, including memory seat settings for both driver and front passenger.EngineThe engine is the most powerful to every be carried by a Lexus – a dual-injected 5-litre quad cam V8 related to the unit in the LS460 but bored to the larger size and given a unique cylinder block, heads, crankshaft, pistons, conrods, intake and exhaust.The unit develops 311kW of power at 6600rpm and 505Nm of torque at 5200rpm, redlining at 6800rpm.The engine’s titanium inlet valves allow faster opening speed to boost performance, with timing controlled by the dual VVT-I (which was outlawed and removed from the 5-litre Lexus race engine used at Daytona).It has been tuned for sound as well as fury, and with the first dual intake on a Lexus, the secondary port opening gives a great induction snarl at 3600rpmWhile it prefers the higher octane, the engine will run on 95RON, and Lexus claims an economy figure of 11.4L/100km.TransmissionOutputs are delivered to the wheels via a new eight-speed transmission – also developed from the one in the LS460 — with paddles on the steering wheel and a simulated manual mode that Lexus says can give up shifts in 0.1sec and downshifts in 0.2 sec, helped by a throttle blipping control that matches engine speed to the gear.The transmission can be used in normal mode, snow mode or – for all-out fun – F sport mode in manual, which locks the torque converter from second to eighth gears to unleash the beast within, and the system changing throttle characteristics, steering assistance and the dynamics control settings.SafetyKey to safety in the IS-F is the integrated dynamics system (VDIM) that dovetails stability, traction and throttle controls with anti-skid brakes, brake assist and force distribution. The system is intended to anticipate when you are likely to skid out of control and bring the technology into play to prevent it. The stability control (VSC) can be switched off, leaving only the limited slip differential and ABS in control.The car rolls on Bridgestone Potenza tyres, which Lexus admits may not have ultimate dry grip but are judged by them to have the best wet/dry compromise.SuspensionUnlike rivals such as the Audi RS4, the Lexus doesn’t have adjustable suspension, but works with an independent double-wishbone front and multi-link rear system with coil springs and gas dampers. Lexus believes that unless you can adjust both spring and damping rates, you shouldn’t risk having adjustable suspension.However the system has been given a different calibration to the IS250, with stiffer springs and stabiliser bars, plus larger dampers to give a sportier result.Pricing and salesWhen the car was first shown at the Sydney Motor Show a year ago, there was strong inquiry and deposits were taken on an estimated price of $150,000. However the final tag has emerged as $129,000 – an aggressive swipe at targeting the BMW M3 at $157,00, the Audi RS4 at $164,500 and even the Mercedes-Benz C 63 at $146,000.While the price may make it attractive, there could be a dampener in the waiting time. With just 25 a day being built by specially trained workers at the Tahara plant in Japan (where another Lexus rolls off the line every 87 seconds) – and about 6700 sold in the first year – the Australian queue stretches out to February delivery.DRIVINGThe Lexus engine voice up to now has always been a restrained purr, so the note of the IS-F unit came as a stirring surprise as it opened its throat in a wonderfully undignified induction snarl and an angry blurt at the auto-blip on the downshift.There’s plenty of urge there to match, too, with the engine responding forcefully to requests. We managed 0-100km in just a smidge over 5 seconds in a very rough test, so the Lexus claim of 4.8 under proper test conditions looks more than reasonable.Gear changes are swift and smooth, and the ability to use the paddles while still in full automatic mode offers a good option for the occasional times when you need an extra burst of power of engine braking in highway cruising or city traffic.And the well-weighted steering is the best we’ve seen on a Lexus, although there’s still a feeling that it’s missing the absolute directness of some of its more expensive rivals.But we were able to throw it around with a lot of satisfaction, and a bit of time on the skid pan switching between the varied options of the stability control system proved not only the benefit of the technology but that you could have your safety in whatever degree you felt comfortable with.All this adds up to a very good car. But if there was one aspect that undermined it, you could feel it in the seat of your pants – or any other part of the body that was jolted around by what turned out to be a surprisingly bumpy ride.We expected it to be firm – the price you pay for sportiness – but it was also far more jumpy than we would have imagined at this price. 

The Japanese luxury maestros may have taken their time in risking anything approaching an emotional project but, in the ISF, the company renowned for refinement has produced a performance firecracker.A small sedan stuffed full of five litres of in-your-face V8 punching out 311kW, 505Nm and 0-100km/h sprint times of 4.8 seconds may be difficult to reconcile with the same company that produced the SC430 and called that a sports car — but this time they're serious.“What's important to us about this car is that it gives us a performance car in the range, which is something we've never had before,” Lexus Australia boss John Rocca said at the first Australian drive of the ISF at the Fuji Speedway in Japan last week.“We haven't just put a V8 in this car and shouted job done. We could easily have called it an IS500, but we didn't because this is a thoroughbred built for racing. This is really a car built for the track and adapted to the road.“Whereas in the past we could have been criticised for putting a big engine in a car and calling it a high-performance vehicle, this time that's not the case.“It gives us a totally new customer and sheds an entirely different light on a company that in the past has been criticised for being bland and unemotional. There's nothing bland about this car.”Based on the IS — known to Australians in its V6 IS250 guise and expected down under in October at around $145,000 — the fact that the ISF ever saw light of day is due almost entirely to the passion of a man who spent much of his early time with Lexus divesting the driver of sensory inputs by developing the eerily quiet interior noise levels of the original Lexus limousine, the LS400.Ironically, it was those efforts in refinement that won Yukihiko Yaguchi the kudos in senior management circles that allowed him the leeway in 2002 to play with his own private “skunk works” within the strictly structured Lexus world.“When I started there was no budget ... many people didn't understand what I wanted to do,” Yaguchi recalled. “It was hard.“On the other hand, some top management knew me well from my involvement in ensuring that the LS ran extremely silently. That was a huge achievement so they understood that I was capable of developing something no one ever had before.”Lexus holds firm orders for 38 of the ISFs and Rocca is confident the supply-restricted 120 cars a year available to Australia will do little more than whet the appetite as the car's reputation spreads.Styled to be aggressive without being threatening, the ISF isn't the poster kid for athletic design. With its bonnet swollen to contain the impressive engine, the first impression is of a boxer who's taken one too many on the nose — tough but not necessarily attractive.There's no doubting the power of this car. It's evident from when the first tickle of the throttle lights the wick until the final burble of the exhaust dies away on shutdown.It's not a slap-in-the-back car. Neither is it brutal in the manner of the C63, but rather more refined without being overwhelmed.The dedication to detail and the uncompromising determination to tick all the boxes adds credence to the claim from Lexus that the ISF is a track car transferred to the road rather than the reverse.Under the bonnet, the 5.0-litre V8 has been lovingly built up in the company's “clean room” engine facility. The quad cam multi-valve unit features Yamaha-developed high-flow cylinder heads, variable valve timing with electronic control on the inlet actuation, titanium inlet valves, high-lift camshafts and a full stainless steel dual exhaust.The fuel tank even has a 10-litre sub-tank to ensure constant fuel feed under track loads.Coupled to the eight-speed automatic from the LS460 — again the question is, do you really need that many cogs with the amount of torque the V8 is turning out? — the engine will spin to 6800rpm in what seems like no time at all. The urge to drive the ISF hard is nigh-on irresistible, if only to induce the secondary induction to open up to full roar from around 3600rpm.The active system is hardly unique, but it still makes the hairs on your arms stand on end.Thrown through the Fuji circuit, the ISF retains impeccable poise through a combination of solid engineering — double wishbones up front and a multi-link set-up under the rear, each with high-rate coil springs and upsized stabiliser bars — and the compulsory electronic wizardry.Traction control, stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and electronic brake assistance are bundled together in the Lexus's Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management system.Australian cars will also come standard with the pre-collision system and eight airbags.The speed-sensitive steering, adequate in its basic configuration and much more enjoyable in the sharper sports mode, is as good as anything Lexus has ever done and combined with a serious set of Brembo brakes — six-piston grippers on 360mm front discs — imbues a sense of wellbeing.If BMW, Mercedes and Audi thought Lexus was a thorn in the luxury battle, then the premium-performance angst is going to be all the greater.