BNR34

iTrader: (1)

M3 and C63 are ISF competitors.........I brought up the exotics just to say this apply to just about every cars.....from Smartfortwo to Veyrons.

What is being done on the ISF is just common practice for Japanese performance cars, you must have never got into the GTR, STi, EVO, NSX scenes..........constant tweaks every year, non-stop. I think it happens to all cars that are popular to modders, they need constant changes to stay interested, so the manufacturers do what they want. It is all planned out, is not like they realize what they can improve on over time. Is like movie sequels, is all in the original script.

That's why I always buy the last model year if I can.........I want to have the big finish.

LexFather

This is not true, it is NOT common practice. Name another car that revised the entire instrument cluster IN the same generation. Name another car that gained a LSD during its life. Name another car that got a complete suspension change in its life cycle.

Its very RARE and its rare for Lexus and its rare for a car that sells in low volume. This is something maybe Porsche does.

I mean the IS F has no Japanese/Asian competitors, it battles the Germans on its own.

Most changes are minimal, colors, trim, a facelift. The IS F got serious engineering changes during its life, very rare.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

with the hot v8, tricky tranny, lsd, hot (but not bone-breaking) suspension, upgraded interior, better wheels, this might have just become one of the best performance luxury bargains out there.

are pics of new interior out there?

spwolf

especially since competition seems to be downsizing to V6's... i hope Lexus keeps V8 for next gen too.

as to the pics, nothing...

spwolf

i didnt know IS-F had that nice interior... 2011 black and white seats.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Fun, quiz times! Well again, obviously you have never been deep into the EVO/STi/GTR scenes so you don't know. It is common practice for those cars, actually those cars have much more little changes then what Lexus is doing to the ISF now, changes they do to those cars every year are ridiculous, sometimes we question is it really necessary or make a differences we can feel at all. It is an annual thing that we fanboys of those cars expect every year, it is pretty exciting, see the strategy works........it keep us fanboys excited.....lol.

You want specific examples..........wow I don't remember anymore, I know everything you asked for have been done multiple times on bunch of different cars, yes for the same car and yes in the same product cycle. Let me find you some examples and I'll make a separate post to keep it clear

It is just rare for Lexus since it is Lexus's first F performance car. But is been that way in the JDM world ever since the Japanese started making cars.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Let me stick to one I am more familiar with, I still have my 2004 WRX STi.

I was so bummed when the 05' specs came out, I almost traded in my 04'!

Here is a comprehensive list of the differences between the 2004 and 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi as sold in the US:

This is real and not exaggerated at all, it looks fake because it is just ridiculous. You won't believe it unless you were there at the time!

Engine/Suspension/Drivetrain
larger wheel hubs and bearings
larger wheel bolt circle diameter (from 5x100 in 2004 to 5x114.3 in 2005)
17x8 wheels (17x7.5 in 2004)
1 inch wider rear track
revised power steering rack
power steering fluid cooler
stiffer steering rack mounts with one less mount bushing
3-point rear suspension crossmember
aluminum rear suspension lateral links
helical limited-slip front differential (Suretrac LSD in 2004)
revised DCCD system
new Yaw sensor for DCCD (part of the lateral G sensor)
revised ABS controller
optional short shift kit

Exterior
aerodynamic underbody panels
rear wheel arch flares
redesigned rear bumper
revised exterior badging (black instead of chrome STi badges)
smoked headlight lenses
new paint color - Crystal Grey Metallic

Interior
smaller diameter steering wheel with black center area
redesigned center console
2 cupholder indentations in center console (no more dashboard pop-out)
redesigned center stack with aluminum-look trim
automatic climate control with automatic vent selection feature
80-watt, 6-speaker AM/FM stereo with integral 6-CD changer standard (04' did not came with any radio at all)
revised seat cushions with new side bolster material
revised interior door trim
side mirror controls moved to driver's door (from center console)
DCCD controls relocated on center console
upgraded sunvisor material
redesigned anti-glare finish on windshield behind mirror (no more center visor)
Immobilizer key
redesigned keyless remote keyfob
Added rear passenger cupholders

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

So that one car alone ^^ answered both your request, it didn't gained a LSD, but they changed the type of the front LSD from Suretrac to Helical because the Suretrac was considered too hardcore. I think this is more nuts, ISF just went from an open diff to a LSD. On the STi they changed the type of the LSD due to "feels" concerns.

Suspension change? How about changing the wheel's bolt pattern? Is that hardcore or what? So with that, new wheel's hub, new struts because the new hub is bigger, they won't fit the old struts, then they revised the valving of the new struts because the old struts was too harsh riding. They changed the rear suspension arms from steel to aluminum. Gosh is too much to list.........I guess you would call that complete suspension change right?

Gauge cluster is a good one, I know planty of cars did it, don't remember exactly which one.

In case you wonder if the 04' and 05' WRX STi is in the same product cycle, since the change list is so ridiculous, some cars don't even change that much to the next generation. Let me post you some pics of the 04' and 05'. Things to look for is headlight housing color, wheel's look different on the center hub part, look really close and you'll see the nuts are farther apart on the 05'. And the 05' got a fender lip flare on the rear fenders:

Let me post the 04' first, then 05'

(bitkahuna: let's not put huge pics in of a subaru - here's links if anyone is interested)

http://www.velocityjournal.com/image...wrxsti6003.jpg
http://impreza-sti.net/wp-content/up...za-WRX-STI.jpg

spwolf

that looks like an facelift, this was just MY change.

we can see by raft of various new MY changes that Lexus PR'd this week, that almost none of the cars changed, almost at all.

So IS-F is treated differently and I hope they do it more... after-all thats what supposedly Kaizen does.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

No, 04'-05' was a MY change, it looks like a facelift because the amount of changes was absolutely ridiculous.

04' was the 1st year of that car, 05' had all those changes, 06' was the facelift, which they actually put an entirely new front end on the same body and chassis, talk about taking the meaning of facelift seriously!! 07' was the last year of that car.

So 4 years product cycle, did the facelift at 2 years. From 04' to 05', I can assure you it was a MY change.

This is the 06':

http://www.worldtopcars.org/wp-conte...A-1280x960.jpg

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

And this happened to every GTR, EVO and STi ever created, every year, same thing, repeat over and over again.

R32/33/34/34 GTR from 1989 to present.

EVO I to X from 1992 to present.

WRX STi version 1 to I lost track, my 04' was a version 8. From 1994 to present.

Same with Porsche 911, from 1960 to present?

spwolf

thats pretty crazy and not what toyota does :-)

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Toyota does it too, but mostly only to the sporty enthusiast type cars.......MR2 Turbo, Celica GT4, Supra Turbo........etc.

1SICKLEX was just challenging me saying no other company does the same thing as the ISF is going thru now. Actually other company does it to tons of other cars much more intensely.

spwolf

i dont get it, what other company?

all those toyota models are dead for 10+ years...

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

I do admit the gauge cluster change on the ISF now is very huge and very impressive, I can say I don't remember any car have that huge of a change before. Other cars did have some big changes to their gauge cluster, but not as huge of a change.