Originally Posted by Carbuzz

Lexus IS F Convertible at the Ring

Japanese M3-fighter is being readied in open-top form. Lexus did one heck of a job turning the IS sedan into the IS F performance machine. But the four-door isn't the only version of the IS. There's also a two-door hard-top convertible, and as these spy shots reveal, the premium brand from Toyota is planning to F it all up, too.Spied undergoing testing at the Nurburgring, this IS F cabrio is identifiable by its new front bumper, wider wheel arches packing larger stock and a massive rear wing (possibly used for testing purposes only). Also, by the very fact that it's at the Nurburgring altogether.

The IS F sedan features a 5.0-liter V8 with direct injection to deliver 416 horsepower to the rear wheels for a 4.6-second sprint to 62. Expect the convertible to mimic these numbers, but with two fewer doors and one big folding roof. That is, assuming Lexus doesn't follow Mercedes' lead by fixing the roof like AMG did with the SL65 Black Series.

Originally Posted by Insideline

Just the Facts:
2014 Lexus IS F convertible is caught testing on the Nürburgring.
GS-derived rear suspension is capable of offering rear steering.
Aluminum lower control arms replace stamped steel currently in use.

NURBURG, Germany — The long-rumored Lexus IS F convertible has finally been spotted testing at Germany's famed Nürburgring, but it's what's under the car that is even more exciting.

Before the camoflauged 416-horsepower V8 convertible went for laps around the circuit, engineers put the IS on a lift and forgot to close the garage bay door, giving us our first look at the next-generation 2014 Lexus IS hiding beneath the convertible skin.

The key giveaway is the clearly-visible rear suspension that is all-new. Aluminum lower control arms replace the steel arms used on the current IS F, a nod to the fact that at 3,812 pounds, the current IS F sedan isn't exactly a lightweight. Separate dampers and springs replace the coil-over configuration in the existing IS. In the above photo, the lower spring perch can be seen as the bowed-out section of the lower control arm just slightly inboard of the shock. Furthermore, a new rear toe adjuster or rear-steer ball joint is evident on this mule, something that doesn't exist on the current IS F. See our suspension walkaround of the 2011 Lexus IS F or the above photo of the 2011 model for comparison.

Taking a closer look at the geometry and setup at play here, this next-generation IS's rear suspension is an adaptation of that found under the 2013 Lexus GS. Accordingly, the 2014 IS could employ adjustable damping as well as active rear steering — features that are currently optional on the larger GS sedan.

Inside Line says: The suspension gives it away. Expect the 2014 Lexus IS to break cover in the next 12 months.

Originally Posted by DOC4LEX

I wish thier could make the next IS-F coupe an GT86 equivelant less kerb weight about 1400kg,make the GT86 platform bigger to accomidate the body size of the IS-F Coupe engine should remain the same or detune the LFAs V10 to V8 with hybrib option.But keep the car simple!!