Lexuslvr91

MOTORTREND

"Haven't you driven this thing A BUNCH of times?" asks my half-awake girlfriend, Tiffany, as I begin packing my test-drive essentials -- an iPod cable, sunglasses, water bottle, and snack bar. It's barely 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, which means nearly everyone except for yogis, boat rowers, and surfers are sound asleep. More important, they're off the roads.

The "thing" Tiffany is referring to is the speed-hungry 2012 Lexus IS F sedan. Yes, I drove the IS F quite a bit a few years ago, when our 2008 IS F long-term tester resided in the MT garage. I admired that car for its torquey attitude and luxurious accoutrements, but it wasn't exactly surefooted and its ride wasn't all that supple, to name but a few niggles. It wasn't a sedan you wanted to drive "a bunch of times" unless you had to, especially on L.A.'s clogged, unkempt paths.
"Technically speaking, I haven't," I respond.



With that simple answer -- and a few grumbles from the lady -- we set off on a half-day adventure, searching for a proper pavement playground for this 416-horsepower sled. Forty minutes east of San Diego, just past Pine Valley -- a sleepy town at the base of the 6000-foot Mount Laguna -- we found the perfect serpentine path.

Climbing behind the IS F's leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, it's hard not to recall a few memories of our old long-termer. First, it was (and is) one of the most fuel-efficient high-performance sedans around. Compared to the BMW M3 (14/20 city/highway mpg) and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG (13/19), the IS F boasts the best EPA ratings (16/23), and our long-termer averaged 19 mpg during its one-year loan (our long-term 2009 M3 averaged just 16 mpg). Second, the 2008 F, with its eight-speed automatic, was obnoxiously fast in a straight line, thanks to rapid downshifts that kept the 5.0-liter V-8 in its broad torque band. Further, when riled, the IS F sounded, well, extremely angry, which only heightened the appeal of the attention-grabbing muscular fenders, super-sized Brembo brakes, slammed stance, and forged 19-inch wheels.



But our long-term IS F wasn't perfect. The most notable gripes included a stiff ride that nearly loosened fillings, an electrically boosted helm that provided too light and synthetic, and brake rotors that squealed like piglets. That's not all. It understeered at the limit, which meant its tail loved to wag under hard braking. This in and of itself hindered the IS F's chances at overthrowing the undisputed king of the elite four-doors, the BMW M3.

Resting at the base of Mount Laguna, strapped into the 2012 F's beautifully stitched F-branded bucket seat, I toggle the steering-wheel mounted Sport mode and slide the gearshift into Manual (together they dial down the electronic steering assist, sharpen the throttle/gearbox mapping, and loosen up the traction control settings). Time to give the all-aluminum V-8 a big dose of throttle.



Above 3600 rpm, the stacked tailpipes ditch their civilized rumble for a throaty Super GT war cry. Producing such a demonstrative bellow and more mid- to high-range power requires an opening of the second intake hidden within the right front wheel well. Cross the barrel-chested rumbles of a Mercedes-Benz SLS with the metallic roars of an Audi R8 4.2, and you'll understand the tones permeating my ear canals.

The IS F's rear 255/35R-19 Michelin Pilot Sports barely chirp during their search for grip, but once they grab, the 3800-pound Lexus needs a mere 4.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. While I won't get to experience the thrills of a quarter-mile blast today, our test crew recorded a run of 12.9 seconds at 111.4 mph, which is nearly on par with that of the aforementioned long-term M3 (12.7 at 110.6).

Graciously, Lexus and Brembo have endowed the IS F with substantial braking abilities. Halting from 60 mph takes 105 feet (same as the M3), thanks in large part to the huge 14.2-inch front/13.6-inch rear rotors and six-piston front/two-piston rear calipers. On the skidpad, the IS F averaged 0.96 g of stick, putting it ahead of such big league players as the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe (0.94 g), Cadillac CTS-V sedan (0.95 g), and yes, the BMW M3 sedan (0.94 g).
Improving upon our long-term IS F's figure-eight number by a full second and 0.07 g (24.8 seconds at 0.79 g compared to the old 25.8 seconds at 0.72 g) took significant tuning on Lexus' part. For model year 2011 and beyond, chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi introduced new nutrients to his baby's formula, namely stiffer front and rear spring/damper calibrations, larger anti-roll bars, thicker bushings, longer bump stops, and revised power steering logarithms. He also gave the IS F a standard-issue Torsen limited slip differential. Since they were deemed up to snuff, the team left the 90-degree eight-cylinder and paddle-activated gearbox untouched.



On east San Diego's mountaintop roads, Yaguchi's simple tweaks render drastic improvements. The IS F's electro-boosted helm now responds as a proper sport sedan's should -- direct, communicative, silky smooth, and organic -- which is key to the quicker, highly responsive lateral jinks the F performs on its forged BBS footwear. At my wannabe Senna limits, the Lexus loses much, but not all, of its usual snowplow behavior. Kill the computer-programmed nannies associated with the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, and the IS F turns into a slide-happy beast that is nevertheless easily controlled via the 371 lb-ft of torque.

Yaguchi also paid special attention to the F's interior. A central tachometer sits squarely below the driver's line of sight, making it easy to utilize on a fast-paced outing. Near the 5000-rpm hash, LED shift lights turn neon orange for the sake of the V-8's livelihood and longevity. Nearer to the 6800 rpm redline, they turn OMG-you'd-better-pull-that-right-paddle red.
Gatling gun-like shifts in 0.1-second increments have me thinking this regular automatic must have another clutch hiding somewhere. Delectable WOMMMMP! WOMMMP! exhaust barks follow every auto rev-matched downshift, which on my 25-mile run make me feel like a 24 Hours of Nuerburgring racer.

Twenty-four miles into our hour-long 4000-foot climb and descent, after countless bends and redlined straightaways, the Brembos continue their barrage of hard bites without wane or squeal, and the smooth V-8 pulls just as powerfully as it did in Pine Valley. Amazingly, the 5.0-liter's oil temperature gauge hasn't flashed once, nor has its coolant gauge glowed red -- true testaments to this car's brutal development regime and high pain thresholds.

Yaguchi-san hasn't merely transformed the IS F into a more astute gripper. No, he's morphed it into a true M3 chaser, and quite possibly, a legitimate mauler of Munich's (and Stuttgart's) current best. Nowadays it properly orchestrates its power and speed with admirable agility and livable ride quality. For an updated first-generation player, this Lexus has what it takes to make M and AMG quiver; that is, until the new batch of Germans arrives. Would I happily drive this Lexus "a bunch of times" more? (IS) F yes.

greg0126

iTrader: (2)

Good review. On a side note I want those rims for my IS350 but I can't find them on Sewell!!

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

They are very nice and would be big bucks.

adamaoc

looks great! Can't wait to drive one!!!

lamar411

Wow its come a long way

greg0126

iTrader: (2)

Very true.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Here's some '11 IS-F discounted wheel costs to give you an idea of the '12 costs.


http://www.trademotion.com/parts/201...agramCallOut=1

LexFather

That was a great review and again many of us have said it, it is really ENCOURAGING to see Lexus use their Kaizen philosophy to improve the drive of the IS F every year. They didn't let the lone Asian entrant in this class just go 5+ years with no changes. The new suspension really seems to have improved things.

There is simply no bad car in this class, you simply buy what appeals most to you.

Great job Lexus!

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Mike pretty much summed up my thoughts so I don't have much to add, but I have a lot of respect for how Lexus handled this car: they always kept trying to do better and ultimately succeeded. Even though the IS F is now at the end of it's life cycle, think of all that they have learned, and how that will translate into the 3IS F. Great work by Lexus

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

great job lexus on making significant improvements to a rather crude initial offering - making the IS-F the real deal.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

well said Mike

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

Finally ISF has attractive factory wheels. The color combo shown is just perfect.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

yes, like the LFA, finally awesome rims and fitment from lexus.

natnut

I wonder how the ISF will perform if the new suspension tuning/know-how and rear steering of the 4GS was incorporated or if the 2012 ISF already has the new suspension tech of the 4GS.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Looks great in white and I love the wheels.