flipside909

The pictures look weird because the photos were taken with a high power zoom lens, causing the car to look flat and uninspiring.

llamaboiz

Its the hood... I got my IS350 a month ago and at first i started regretting that i didnt wait for the IS-F, i dunno thou, sure the hp would be nice but now... IS-Fugly. Thats one of the main reasons i never bought a evo/sti, they're just econo box bodies with bodykits. The Nismo and Mugen boiz got something to rip on us now... Almighty TRD please help us in our hour of need.

Well, i would like to know what it lapped at the Nurburgring thou, those pics are in europe (germany?) after all. Under 8min? I sure hope so.

Richie

Weird, normally the test mules from Toyota/Lexus in Europe have a Belgian plate on the car since the euro HQ is in Belgium.
This one has a german plate on it. The only big thing Toyota has in Germany is TTE and the F1 team. Both of those are located in koln.

Mr Johnson

So any word on whether a black pearl grill surround, or body colored, will be offered?

The exhaust still makes me want to puke but the rest of the car looks good especially in something other than the blue.

Revman

Well, if as one poster suggested, the high powered lens flattens the car, that would be why I like it more in these pics. I just cannot come to grips with the bulging hood. Just can't. The IS is a beautiful car to me. I mean, when it came out, I said, "...a great step forward." Then, they tried to make it into something that it isn't with the IS-F. They needed to be able to trick it out without ruining the lines. The lines are gone with the IS-F. The car is visually out of balance.

Revman

snaKe

I have seen it last weekend, same plates. It was heading towards Nurburgring, looks better in person, trust me

LexFather

Looks sinister...I'd eventually paint the grill and chrome surround on the windows.....

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

This is a really good shot:

snaKe

i'd get the taillights and rear spoiler for my 250 Pricing in Euros will be aroung 50k.

t0e

iTrader: (1)

First thing i do! Is buy those tail lights

llamaboiz

Uhh... if the stock 250/350's came with those we'd still be doing redouts.

Carbman

That's also my favorite pic.....the car looks mean and aggressive in black and the darker gunmetal grey wheels.

A couple of comments on the appearance of the IS-F in comparison to the 350. Please don't get me wrong, I like the overall look of the 350 and feel it conveys more of a classy aggressiveness than the bimmer 335 sedan. I would be driving one now if the IS-F hadn't come along, but I do have a couple of minor esthetic nitpicks with the 350. The first concerns the rear bumper which, IMO appears overly large. Lexus has created a more proportional appearance to the IS-F bumper by utilizing long and narrow reflectors as well as stacked and staggered exhausts. I like the "end" result.

My second minor complaint with the 350 is the side view which IMO appears a little too slab sided. The IS-F's fender vent flowing into the deep sculptured rocker panel adds a little character to the side profile.

From the front the 350 is killer and the bulging hood of the IS-F can't help but be a compromise, but I will reserve final judgment until I see the F up close and personal. In the end though, it will be the performance, everyday drivability, and reliability more so than the looks that will open my check book. After all, I will be spending far more time driving the car than gazing at it.

I hope my comments haven't offended any 350 owners. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you like the looks of your rig, that's all that matters.

javyLSU

iTrader: (21)

I agree with the substance of carbman's comments above... Although I will say that the bulging hood of the IS-F looks waaay better in person. It's quite itimidating, and communicates (to me, at least) that there's something sinister underneath it. What is initially disturbing about the car is that it's different from the clean lines of the current IS. However, once you stare at it for a while in person, you begin to fall in love...

Javier

TRDFantasy

I feel it's all a matter of opinion. Personally, I don't see how you could possibly say the Black Series AMG looks more "integrated" than the IS-F. Comparing the CLK, IS-F, and M3, the CLK looks the most "tacked on" out of all of them. The M3 looks too understated for me, and the IS-F is just about right.

I've said this many times, and I'll say it again. Because of the subtle and somewhat complex styling cues the new L-Finesse cars use, it's very hard to judge the cars based on pictures alone. Even a regular IS in pictures does not fully convey it's styling. It must be seen in person to fully judge it, just as the IS-F should be seen in person to fully judge it. Even in pics, to me it looks good.

Those that have already seen the IS-F in person; virtually all say it looks better in person than in pics.

As for having German plates, the obvious reason would be because that mule is being tested in and around the Nurburgring. Another reason would be since Toyota has it's F1 headquarters in Germany, that could be why German plates were stuck on it because Toyota has mentioned that the Lexus F cars are being developed with direct F1 and other motorsports input.

llamaboiz

You may have a point, like looking at the mazda 6/mazdaspeed 6. I like the look of the 6 but the hood of the ms6 does give it a beefier look. hmm... we'll just have to see with a full production version i guess.

I kinda dont 'see' the staggard twin tailpipes thou... looks kinda tacky imo. Ever see 4cyl civics with dual exhausts? like that...