Shoehorning big engines into small cars has proved a recipe for success many a time in the past, and Toyota has now adopted this recipe with the Lexus IS-F. With a 410 bhp V-8, the Lexus IS-F is set to deliver terrific performance from an almost ordinary looking car - what we used to call Q cars years ago. A truly sporty sedan, the Lexus IS-F can get to 60 mph in under 5.0 seconds, and would be good for over 160 mph without a limiter.
The Lexus IS is a good basis for a sporty sedan, with rear drive, double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. That's a recipe for a sporty car. Toyota has been using all-alloy V-8s in the top Lexus models for years, so to produce the IS-F they needed to squeeze that under the hood, and soup the engine up a bit. With power up to 410 bhp from the 5.0 liter V-8, the car is going to be quick.
Lexus V-8 tuned for power not smoothness....
Needless to say, the engine has been tuned completely differently from the other Lexus V-8s to rev freely and yet give good low-end power. Maximum torque is 360 lb ft (490 Nm), and the engine has a sporty exhaust note.
and 8-speed automatic
Toyota decided to opt for a fully automatic transmission with lock-up clutch, but has gone one gear further than Mercedes – the car has an eight-speed box. Of course, it can be controlled manually through a pair of paddles behind the steering wheel – obligatory on sporty automatics. This one is definitely tuned for sporty use, blipping the throttle for you when you shift down at speed.
Sound very good, but begs the question: if you've got a big V-8 in a small and fairly light car, why oh why do you need eight gears, or even seven? I'll tell you: it is simply to go one better than the competition. If this V-8 is half decent it should be able to give very good performance on the road with a six-speed automatic, and would leave most cars standing with five-speeds. Never mind, no doubt the eight-speed box will be fun, especially when you get on a track.
Firmer wishbone suspension
The suspension is set up more firmly than on the IS, and the car rides an inch lower, which helps make it look sporty. Of course, there is a stability control in addition to the usual electronics such as ABS and traction control, but the stability control can be set to normal or sporty, which should let you hang the tail out a bit. You can also switch it off, so you can let yourself go – but not too far, hopefully. It remains to be seen whether the car will handle well at the limit, but the basics are right.
Stopping power is provided by a Brembo system with 14.2-inch (360 mm) diameter cross-drilled discs at the front with six-pot aluminum calipers; at the rear, there are two-pot calipers and 13.6-inch (345 mm) diameter discs, also cross-drilled. That's a lot of stopping power.
To make the car look the part, and put plenty of rubber on the road, BBS has supplied special forged 19-inch aluminum wheels for the IS-F. The front tires are 225/40, and the rear ones are 255/35 to cope with the power.
Looks just a bit different – but different enough?
But does it really look different? Well,no Toyota is not spending money on many panels to make it a coupe, say, but instead has gone for a longer nose with a three-part grille at the front below the Lexus grille, and air outlets behind the front wheels. The outlets look a bit overdone from the side.
At the rear, the wheel arches bulge just a shade for the bigger wheels and tires, and there is a small spoiler. And then there are four oval exhaust pipes, arranged in pairs one above the other, but staggered slightly. Looks a bit gimmicky, and the spoiler is also quite small.
Could have better really, but maybe their market research shows that the potential buyers want a car that most people will think is a normal Lexus, but sports car fans will recognise as an IS-F. Or maybe that's just Toyota.
In any event, this Lexus IS-F is sure to be a really hot sedan in a class where there is room for plenty more. and The F at the end of IS-F? This stands for flagship, and heralds Toyota/Lexus new performance models.
