My IS-F appreciation thread (and sort of a Vent)
05-21-09, 02:12 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
My IS-F appreciation thread (and sort of a Vent)
I was given an adamantium sword given to me in a secret Lexus ceremony years ago to cut through the miseducation about Lexus and the general "Toyota" hate thrown at it years ago. So I went to car forums where 90% of the info on Lexus is wrong and offbase. The other 10% were solid people who either experienced the brand, had family/friends experience it or people who actually respected their results.
As time passed I realized that even as Lexus has improved on most fronts people still want to bish about things they don't know of. To be honest I rarely post on other forums, picking a couple and checking on a couple others to stay in touch. I guess what really has me in a loop is people bishing about the IS-F, which is what this thread is about.
Let me take you back to 1989, then to 1992, even to 2001. There was a better chance of me buying and modding a Civic with parts from Pep Boys than Lexus making anything as remotely interesting as the IS-F. Lexus idea of interesting was the SC 300/400, GS 400, SC 430. Back then it was kinda interesting, today not so much. Let me explain how "staid" Lexus was. The GS 400 was considered "the anti Lexus" by the reviews and blew them away. Lexus could make a car with some *****. Let me remind you, this is basically an old formula of having a V-8 option in your mid-size car. So in reality, the press was just as blown that Lexus made this, as the actual car. On the grand scale of things the Japanese car that is/was interesting was the Honda/Acura NSX. Here was a car that meet/beat/barely lost to everyone and it was from Honda. Talk about a shocker. I would put the Supra/RX-7/3000GT etc together. The GT-R we didn't get, so I will not talk about it.
The IS 300 was the new "anti" Lexus. The first true japanese effort to tackle the 3. It debuted in 1997 in Europe as the IS 200. It did very well in reviews. It was like the LS/GS in copying Euro dimensions (short overhangs, long wheelbase) and size. It had "Altezzas", it was the first small Lexus, the dash was hard, the gauges like a watch and it handled like a damn champ. The IS 300 was not what you thought Lexus was and gathered the youngest buyers in class. 30 years old was the avg buyer. However, it was lacking the usual Lexus interior and the 2JZ was ample but not over-powering.
The IS 250/350 fixed that. Met sales goals, a huge hit for Lexus. We love it, a perfect evolution of the IS. Lets move on.
We all know in the 2000s years, it was a horny time. We had a bull market,no regulation and free credit. In return cars got bigger, faster, with more style, more wow, more power. We got more AMG/M/RS varients. More people had sex in cars from 1998-2007 than 1947 (when records started to be kept) to 1998.
(I kid I kid but you get the point)
Where was the Lexus version? We saw glimpses with the IS 430 made by Rod Millen. A super IS, a big V-8 dropped in an IS.
We all know the story. The IS-F was not on Lexus product chart. It was not to be made. Some mad scientists led by Yukihiko Yaguchi made it happen. On their own time, with their own idea. Let me remind you or tell you, Yaguchi worked on the last Supra and we all know that car is a legend then and today. Lexus executives saw the car, was shocked by it and approved it. The IS-F was officially born and it was the most track tested Lexus/Toyota product ever. No small claim as Toyota used to make A LOT of sports cars.
This is not about forcing the IS-F on you. You might hate the styling and find it odd. You might hate the exhaust pipes (a favorite for morons who have nothing else to do or pick at. I wonder do they also get mad when their hot dog is not as long as the entire bun and their popcorn at the movies is cold). You might hate the name. You might hate the white seats, the aluminized trim. You might hate the engine compartment (it is quite dizzying and it is not very sexy in the least). You might hate the wheels for being too dark and you might hate it doesn't have a manual.
You have to stand up and applaud the fact, this is actually badged a Leuxs, made by Lexus, for Lexus owners. This is the same brand that is world reknowned for quietness and a luxurious ride and quality/service. When people think sport, they DO NOT think Lexus. This is ONE conservative brand (and they do well at it). There was a greater chance we will find Waldo, Bin Laden, WMD and Jimmy Hoffa at Arbys eating some curly fries than this car being made. Some people say Infiniti, Acura are the sporty brands but they have nothing on this level of performance. You would expect this kind of car to be made by them first wouldn't you?
I am not head over heels over the IS-F. I know its faults. What amazes me is I can give up a little bit of 10/10ths performance of the M3, the AWD of the RS4, the brute power of the C63 and stay in the Lexus brand. You see, Mr. Yaguchi was listening.
Maybe he reads here? Maybe I text him and also send him coupons to go to Hooters when he is in the states.
The bottom line is you have to appreciate the fact that Mr. Yaguchi and Lexus said once again "why should we let the Germans have all the fun???" as they have a much worthy competitor in the IS-F.
Maybe I'm just some old Lexus head that has seen first hand with ownership where this brand has come from and where it is and where it is going. Back in 1996, my ES 300 had a whopping 185hp with a manual from a 3.0 V-6. The car initially was to be the 3 series fighter.
Today there is a 2009 416hp IS-F with 8 speeds from a Yamaha tuned 5.0 V-8 with Brembos, BBS wheels and things I couldn't even pronounce back in 1996.
IS-F, I heart you (make mine blue with white leather please)
As time passed I realized that even as Lexus has improved on most fronts people still want to bish about things they don't know of. To be honest I rarely post on other forums, picking a couple and checking on a couple others to stay in touch. I guess what really has me in a loop is people bishing about the IS-F, which is what this thread is about.
Let me take you back to 1989, then to 1992, even to 2001. There was a better chance of me buying and modding a Civic with parts from Pep Boys than Lexus making anything as remotely interesting as the IS-F. Lexus idea of interesting was the SC 300/400, GS 400, SC 430. Back then it was kinda interesting, today not so much. Let me explain how "staid" Lexus was. The GS 400 was considered "the anti Lexus" by the reviews and blew them away. Lexus could make a car with some *****. Let me remind you, this is basically an old formula of having a V-8 option in your mid-size car. So in reality, the press was just as blown that Lexus made this, as the actual car. On the grand scale of things the Japanese car that is/was interesting was the Honda/Acura NSX. Here was a car that meet/beat/barely lost to everyone and it was from Honda. Talk about a shocker. I would put the Supra/RX-7/3000GT etc together. The GT-R we didn't get, so I will not talk about it.
The IS 300 was the new "anti" Lexus. The first true japanese effort to tackle the 3. It debuted in 1997 in Europe as the IS 200. It did very well in reviews. It was like the LS/GS in copying Euro dimensions (short overhangs, long wheelbase) and size. It had "Altezzas", it was the first small Lexus, the dash was hard, the gauges like a watch and it handled like a damn champ. The IS 300 was not what you thought Lexus was and gathered the youngest buyers in class. 30 years old was the avg buyer. However, it was lacking the usual Lexus interior and the 2JZ was ample but not over-powering.
The IS 250/350 fixed that. Met sales goals, a huge hit for Lexus. We love it, a perfect evolution of the IS. Lets move on.
We all know in the 2000s years, it was a horny time. We had a bull market,no regulation and free credit. In return cars got bigger, faster, with more style, more wow, more power. We got more AMG/M/RS varients. More people had sex in cars from 1998-2007 than 1947 (when records started to be kept) to 1998.
(I kid I kid but you get the point)Where was the Lexus version? We saw glimpses with the IS 430 made by Rod Millen. A super IS, a big V-8 dropped in an IS.
We all know the story. The IS-F was not on Lexus product chart. It was not to be made. Some mad scientists led by Yukihiko Yaguchi made it happen. On their own time, with their own idea. Let me remind you or tell you, Yaguchi worked on the last Supra and we all know that car is a legend then and today. Lexus executives saw the car, was shocked by it and approved it. The IS-F was officially born and it was the most track tested Lexus/Toyota product ever. No small claim as Toyota used to make A LOT of sports cars.
This is not about forcing the IS-F on you. You might hate the styling and find it odd. You might hate the exhaust pipes (a favorite for morons who have nothing else to do or pick at. I wonder do they also get mad when their hot dog is not as long as the entire bun and their popcorn at the movies is cold). You might hate the name. You might hate the white seats, the aluminized trim. You might hate the engine compartment (it is quite dizzying and it is not very sexy in the least). You might hate the wheels for being too dark and you might hate it doesn't have a manual.
You have to stand up and applaud the fact, this is actually badged a Leuxs, made by Lexus, for Lexus owners. This is the same brand that is world reknowned for quietness and a luxurious ride and quality/service. When people think sport, they DO NOT think Lexus. This is ONE conservative brand (and they do well at it). There was a greater chance we will find Waldo, Bin Laden, WMD and Jimmy Hoffa at Arbys eating some curly fries than this car being made. Some people say Infiniti, Acura are the sporty brands but they have nothing on this level of performance. You would expect this kind of car to be made by them first wouldn't you?
I am not head over heels over the IS-F. I know its faults. What amazes me is I can give up a little bit of 10/10ths performance of the M3, the AWD of the RS4, the brute power of the C63 and stay in the Lexus brand. You see, Mr. Yaguchi was listening.
Maybe he reads here? Maybe I text him and also send him coupons to go to Hooters when he is in the states. The bottom line is you have to appreciate the fact that Mr. Yaguchi and Lexus said once again "why should we let the Germans have all the fun???" as they have a much worthy competitor in the IS-F.
Maybe I'm just some old Lexus head that has seen first hand with ownership where this brand has come from and where it is and where it is going. Back in 1996, my ES 300 had a whopping 185hp with a manual from a 3.0 V-6. The car initially was to be the 3 series fighter.
Today there is a 2009 416hp IS-F with 8 speeds from a Yamaha tuned 5.0 V-8 with Brembos, BBS wheels and things I couldn't even pronounce back in 1996.
IS-F, I heart you (make mine blue with white leather please)
Last edited by LexFather; 05-21-09 at 02:16 PM.
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I salute you for the thread of the year.
05-21-09, 04:18 PM
#5
Lead Lap
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"It's everything you thought we weren't."
I for one agree with you on all the above points. Sure it might not be the best in the competition, but you have to applaud that Lexus put this together in its short history. I tell all my German fan friends this and they agree as well.
Seeing the change from our 94 ES300 to the latest cars have just been amazing. And we still havent seen how amazing the LF-A will be when it is launched.
It is definitely a great time to be a Lexus lover
I for one agree with you on all the above points. Sure it might not be the best in the competition, but you have to applaud that Lexus put this together in its short history. I tell all my German fan friends this and they agree as well.
Seeing the change from our 94 ES300 to the latest cars have just been amazing. And we still havent seen how amazing the LF-A will be when it is launched.
It is definitely a great time to be a Lexus lover
05-21-09, 04:23 PM
#6
Pole Position
Love this rant! Hysterical with quite a bit of history and really epitomizes what Lexus was after with the IS-F!
05-21-09, 04:30 PM
#7
You see, Mr. Yaguchi was listening. Maybe he reads here? Maybe I text him and also send him coupons to go to Hooters when he is in the states.
The bottom line is you have to appreciate the fact that Mr. Yaguchi and Lexus said once again "why should we let the Germans have all the fun???" as they have a much worthy competitor in the IS-F.
Maybe he reads here? Maybe I text him and also send him coupons to go to Hooters when he is in the states. The bottom line is you have to appreciate the fact that Mr. Yaguchi and Lexus said once again "why should we let the Germans have all the fun???" as they have a much worthy competitor in the IS-F.
Since you have Mr. Yaguchi's number, could you text like 100x and ask for an LS-F? (after a GS-F)
Don't forget those Hooters coupons!!! Hopefully those should change his minds quickly
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05-21-09, 07:25 PM
#8
Lexus and the fanboys can pat themselves on the back for "coming close on the first try", but from fake exhaust pipes to no manual to no LSD, it's lame all around. Engine/gearbox combo make it neither the torqueist - that would be C63, nor high revving screamer - that would be M3 or to lesser degree RS4 among its direct competition. In fact, it was 1.5+ seconds slower than older generation E46 M3 around Limerock. Weak. Unless you are brainwashed to buy lexus and lexus only, why would someone buy IS-F over M3, C63, or RS4?
05-21-09, 07:34 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Lexus and the fanboys can pat themselves on the back for "coming close on the first try", but from fake exhaust pipes to no manual to no LSD, it's lame all around. Engine/gearbox combo make it neither the torqueist - that would be C63, nor high revving screamer - that would be M3 or to lesser degree RS4 among its direct competition. In fact, it was 1.5+ seconds slower than older generation E46 M3 around Limerock. Weak. Unless you are brainwashed to buy lexus and lexus only, why would someone buy IS-F over M3, C63, or RS4?
This thread is about IS-F appreciation, not about bashing the IS-F. I can read at your forum www.Ihavenothingusefultoadd.com
Last edited by LexFather; 05-21-09 at 07:43 PM.
05-21-09, 07:41 PM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
Lexus and the fanboys can pat themselves on the back for "coming close on the first try", but from fake exhaust pipes to no manual to no LSD, it's lame all around. Engine/gearbox combo make it neither the torqueist - that would be C63, nor high revving screamer - that would be M3 or to lesser degree RS4 among its direct competition. In fact, it was 1.5+ seconds slower than older generation E46 M3 around Limerock. Weak. Unless you are brainwashed to buy lexus and lexus only, why would someone buy IS-F over M3, C63, or RS4?
First off I really don't see the added performance benefit of a manual gearbox, the box would be limited to 6 foward gears most likely, which is fine and plenty; but you wouldn't be able to shift them with a clutch as quickly as the IS-F's automatic does with a locked TC. The TC locks up to give the responsiveness and power-transfer of a clutch-manual. The paddle-shift gives drivers the ability to keep both hands on the wheel. Fasting-shifting production automatic transmission as far as I'm concerned.
05-21-09, 07:51 PM
#12
So Lexus coming out with a car that was supposed to compete with current generation M3 yet slower than older generation M3 - that came to the market what in 2000 when Bill Clinton was in office still? - is something to appreciate, then by all means appreciate away.
Thank you for confirming what I said about dumbasses on the internet with that mindless post that only a gargoyle would enjoy. Kudos.
This thread is about IS-F appreciation, not about bashing the IS-F. I can read at your forum www.Ihavenothingusefultoadd.com
This thread is about IS-F appreciation, not about bashing the IS-F. I can read at your forum www.Ihavenothingusefultoadd.com
05-21-09, 08:05 PM
#14
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
I'd personally certainly consider performance (straight line and handling) of those other cars if choosing a new car in this segment. I would also weigh the all-around comfort of driving this car on a daily basis on the street, reliability, etc etc. It's a personal decision and what might be right for you if you only cared about lap times on a road course isn't a smart decision for most anyone except a track junkie. And if you're one of those you are going to modify your car anyway.
05-21-09, 08:07 PM
#15
Lexus and the fanboys can pat themselves on the back for "coming close on the first try", but from fake exhaust pipes to no manual to no LSD, it's lame all around. Engine/gearbox combo make it neither the torqueist - that would be C63, nor high revving screamer - that would be M3 or to lesser degree RS4 among its direct competition. In fact, it was 1.5+ seconds slower than older generation E46 M3 around Limerock. Weak. Unless you are brainwashed to buy lexus and lexus only, why would someone buy IS-F over M3, C63, or RS4?
2) Theres really no reason to have a manual transmission anymore.
3) LSD and RWD is simply too dangerous for most drivers.
4) Most people dont drive around Limerock, and in real world conditions the IS-F will easily rape the old M3... and quite frankly the new M3 as well unless its lucky enough to be in the right gear and rpm range.