German Car Zone

Merc1 · 05-14-2008, 07:16 AM

MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: This car is by far the best and most enjoyable Lexus to date, and my first impression is that it’s right up there with German performance sedans. The big V8 sounds terrific and imposing, and there is a ton of power and much more torque than in the BMW M3, giving it a character that differs greatly from the M3’s screaming, high-revving V8. Once you get into the mid-range, the engine--and its sound--hits the sweet spot. With the pedal to the floor, you can dispatch 99 percent of cars without a second thought. Perhaps more of a testament to the work done here is that you actually want to drive this IS-F hard at all times. That alone is a Lexus first.

The chassis is hugely flickable. The steering--while not BMW-sharp--never betrays you or makes it difficult to place the car right where you want it or correct things when you get the chassis out of balance. Indeed, you can (finally!) get this car out of line, as Lexus offers an off switch for the traction and stability control.

I wasn’t thrilled with the eight-speed paddle-shift automatic. I mean, really, eight speeds? Fine, it’s a benefit to fuel economy, but when driving the car in manual-shift mode and cruising on the freeway at 75 mph, it’s annoying to have to click down four or even five times on the paddle when you want to make a passing move or just experience a brief rush of acceleration. I will credit the gearbox for executing nicely matched downshifts, though upshifts would be more fun if they went through a bit faster. Overall, the transmission is competent. While I wasn’t thrilled with it, neither was I disgusted.

Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give the IS-F is that it doesn’t feel like a Lexus, and it triggers emotions and actions that none of the company’s previous cars ever has. This car has been on the radar for quite some time, and it was definitely worth the wait.

2008 Lexus IS-F
IN FLEET: April 8-16
AS-TESTED PRICE: $61,674
DRIVETRAIN: 5.0-liter V8; rwd, eight-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 416 hp @ 6600 rpm, 371 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 3780 lb
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 19/15.0 mpg

DRIVERS LOG: 2008 Lexus IS-F - AutoWeek Magazine

M

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German Car Zone

AutoWeek - DRIVERS LOG: 2008 Lexus IS-F