Lexus Proves Fast Learner w/Entry in High-Performance Class
Guten Tag: The top-selling luxury carmaker in America is learning German.
The 2008 Lexus IS F marks Toyota Motor Corp.’s entrance into the high performance sports car segment, taking on the likes of BMW’s M Series and Mercedes Benz’s AMG line.
This is just the first. The future, no doubt, will bring more F’s into the Lexus fold. How fortuitous for us. The IS F has the parts and pieces to run with the competitors on the Nurburgring. Big Brembo brakes, a mach schnellV-8 and skads of gee-whiz technology.
Lexus is learning the lingo but hasn’t yet mastered the language. The IS F hits all of the performance marks but still loses something in the translation. It nails the Hassel, but misses the Hoff.
The exterior is dramatic and dark. Der Struwwelpeterwould approve.
The oversized intakes below the bumper line suggest its power — or at least the car’s need for big gulps of air to keep the engine and brakes cool. The slope of the hood and the way the wheels fit so high in the wheel wells looks forced, as if a giant hand pressed too hard on the clay model.
The sides push inward after the big vent on the bulging front fenders, giving it the appearance that it’s sucking in its gut. The rounded roof draws a nice curvy line, but there’s too much metal below the beltline.
Racing cars tend to look sleek and eloquent, but the IS F looks portly — though it’s actually very trim, weighing in at 3,780 pounds. It’s a beautiful machine in a bulky turtleneck sweater.
Loves to go fast
The backside looks bigger than it is. The stacked chrome-tipped exhaust pipes add to the vertical feel and the LED taillights cut a nice line across the back.
Front to rear, the IS F is dramatically different and has the potential to draw customers looking for a performance car without the more reserved design cues of BMW or Mercedes. The problem with being the first for Lexus means the F logo, which will adorn all future performance Lexus models, might as well be a question mark. People don’t know what it means.
But they will learn, as soon as they get behind the wheel. The IS F loves to go fast.
The 416-horsepower 5-liter V-8 runs in three modes. Touch the gas and the IS F gives you a nicely moderated, around-town mild acceleration; press it a little more and you can pass nearly anyone at 70 mph, and, if you floor it, hold onto your lederhosen. The engine’s note is a little too quiet for my liking, except when the pedal was mashed against the floor — then it is Wagner on opening night.
Going from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, the IS F races into respectability. She’s fast all right, but the Bavarian-bred M3 still tops her.
The eight-speed automatic transmission is more art than technology. (Yes, eight speeds.) Lexus says it upshifts in .1 seconds and downshifts in .2; in both cases, it’s lightning quick and smooth — nearly too smooth.
I’m not sure of the ultimate value of eight gears in the box but the EPA gas mileage (premium fuel only, please) is a respectable 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.
Many German purists will shun the rear-wheel-drive Lexus. There’s no standard transmission (paddle shifters are standard, though), 54 percent of the vehicle’s weight is in the front (which can make for slopping turning) and it’s not German. But that’s just foolishness.
Everything on the IS F is designed for performance. Brembo built the big 14.2-inch drilled rotors in the front (with six-piston opposed aluminum calipers and high-friction brake pads) and 13.2 rotors in the back with a slightly smaller and similar setup.
The suspension includes a double wishbone front and multi-link rear tuned for hard, fast corners.
The ride is stiff but still smoother than many similar track-tuned cars. The 19-inch extreme low profile tires add harshness to the ride but stick to the road. They may not last long in cities like Detroit, where sharp pothole edges chew up low-profile tires.
Discreet and stylish
Inside, the IS F stays true to the luxury side of Lexus, though it does put the new F logo on the steering wheel, the floor mats and the seats. No owner will ever forget what he’s driving.
But overall, even the Fs remain discreet. The entire leather interior is clean and stylish. The soft blue needles on the gauges soothe your eyes, which is important in a vehicle that is electronically limited to a top speed of 170 mph. But it feels more luxury than speedster and that’s my only disconnect with the vehicle.
The second row is cramped, but that merely means Lexus nailed the similarity to other performance sedans. There’s just 30.6 inches of leg room in the back, compared with 43.9 inches of leg room in the front.
Most features are standard, such as the keyless start, 10-way power adjustable seats, Bi-Xenon HID auto-leveling headlamps, rain sensing wipers and other gizmos.
Options include: the Mark Levinson 300-watt 14 speaker sound system; navigation system, which includes a back-up camera; intuitive park assist; radar adaptive cruise control, which will mark the speed of the vehicle in front of you and maintain a safe distance behind it; and headlamp cleaners.
Lexus may not be fluent in German yet, but 19 years ago, it’s English wasn’t that good either when it arrived in the United States. But it found a way to speak to American consumers who wanted excellent service, luxurious interiors and incomparable reliability.
No doubt it will master Deutsch as well in time. This could create an interesting race where the ultimate winner is the enthusiast.
The F has arrived. Willkommen.
via Detroit News
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More information
Report Card
Overall: ***
Exterior: Good. Big and curvy, the exterior hides some of the IS F’s abilities.
Interior: Good. Comfortable and clean lines. The IS F lives up to Lexus’ standards of luxury with intuitive controls, lots of standard items.
Performance: Excellent. Quick off the line and sports tuned suspension gives the car good road manners. Very quiet ride adds to the luxury ride.
Safety: Excellent. Electronic stability control uses different settings to allow for performance as well as safety. Comes complete with the latest safety items.
Pros: A luxury sedan that will offer performance that can handle amateur track days.
Cons: If you crash it on the track, you’re out $60,000. Also, second row unusable.
2008 Lexus IS F
Type: Rear wheel drive high performance sedan
MSRP: $56,765
Engine: 5-liter V-8
Power: 416-hp; 371 lb-ft torque
EPA Mileage: 16 mpg city / 23 mpg highway (Premium fuel only)
Dimensions (inches): 107.5-inch wheelbase, 183.5 length; 71.5 width; 55.7 high;
Source: Kelley Blue Book and manufacturer
By the numbers
4.6: Seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph
170: Electronically limited top speed in miles per hour
13: quarter mile time in seconds
.30: Drag coefficient
Source: Lexus