The IS-F is a Performance Bargain for Under 20 Grand

The IS-F

Every once in a while, car manufacturers take a step out of the normal range of thinking and produce a car that fulfills a need most of us don't even realize we have. The Lexus IS-F was a perfect example of this, mixing luxury with performance in a sleek, but tuned package. Introduced in 2007, along with the LFA, the IS-F was a by-product of the efforts of Yukihiko Yaguchi and his small team. It was radical in concept at the time, pushing the designers to approach the vehicle design in a different manner, resulting in a well-tuned machine. 

>>Join the conversation about the value of the IS-F right here in the Club Lexus forum.

The Difference

There were lots of things that separated the IS-F from the normal IS series. It was definitely styled more aggressively, with a half-inch drop, bigger air vents and bigger hood line. On the back you’d notice what look like a quad-exhaust setup, but upon closer inspection would see that two of tips were part of the bumper. It was a mean looking ride, but arguably the best changes were found under the hood.

Inside is a massive 5.0l V8 engine, that produces 416 hp and 371 lb-ft of torque. It has a 2-stage intake system, 6800 redline and oil-pump deliberately designed to handle the physics of high-speed cornering. The base power band combined with its VVT-iE cam timing system produces a compression ratio of 11.8:1. This innovative engine design is one that is still continually used on multiple Lexus models, including the RC-F. 

>>Join the conversation about the value of the IS-F right here in the Club Lexus forum.

SDS Transmission

With so much power, Lexus made sure none of it was going to waste and installed the 8-seed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission. Its extremely fast sequential shifter mechanism managed to shift the through each gear in 0.1 seconds. To understand just how fast that is, stock F1 cars of the time shift in 0.05 seconds. Drivers had the opportunity to choose between a manual mode as well and make use of the wheel-mounted paddle shifters. 

>>Join the conversation about the value of the IS-F right here in the Club Lexus forum.

The Price Point

I'm sure you’ve head of how drastic vehicle deprecation can be as a car leaves the lot. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the position your in, Lexus cars tend to hold their value well. So when these cars finally hit just under $20,000 it was worth telling. That’s right, you can have this whole package for just under $20,000. Now finding one at the price point can be a bit tricky, as the average selling point is around $26,000 for a low mileage model. Still, it is possible and using specific automotive search engines.  

>>Join the conversation about the value of the IS-F right here in the Club Lexus forum.

Some things to look for

While you can find a decent mileage IS-F for under twenty grand, make sure the initial purchase you are making has all of the maintenance up to date. These cars are reliable as long as things are kept up to par. However, as with all performance vehicles, if parts need to be replaced, the price can quickly escalate. Make sure to check the tires, ask for a vehicle history report, and see if you can access the maintenance history report as well. 

>>Join the conversation about the value of the IS-F right here in the Club Lexus forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.