Affordable RWD cars in general are hard to come by these days, ESPECIALLY wagons.

Good luck with your search!

You’re right. It was in I6. I should have just said “6 cylinder performance”, as that’s what I meant.

I definitely agree with you about the chrono dash and shifter knob.

I also thought the muscular lines of the car were appealing and unique. I knew that it was an IS as soon as I saw it. My mother-in-law has one, and I still enjoy the looks of it (as well as the way it drives).

Wasn’t the first generation I6, rather than V6?
I like the looks of the frst gen… that chrono dash, the shifter knob, the lines of the hatchback version.

The first generation’s angular look did much more for me, and was even more exciting because of its rear wheel drive and V6 performance (and manual transmission availability).

I don’t really believe in spending more than 30K for a new (or used) car, but even if I did, this car’s looks would prevent me from seriously considering it, regardless of its performance.

I think what everyone forgets is what an incredible range of machinery is available today.

Having a track second car is the way to go, getting cone marks or worrying about tangling up with another driver with a $45K car starts to weigh on your nerves (and wife) after a while.

Given a large garage, and a larger cash allocation, this is a worthwhile alternative. I bought the 335i because I wanted a daily driver that would double as a track-day car 3 or 4 times a year. If the IS350, or IS-F had a usable back seat, I would choose it hands down over the 335 simply based on value and reliability if I had a separate track-day ride. The Lexus interior is much more nicely appointed than the BMW and there seems to be little argument that as a long term investment the Lexus will be more trouble free than the BMW.

Driving fun CAN be quantified, it’s not just 0-60 times or HP (there are subjective measurements of course) but those objective measurements are a big part of it.

I think when people talk about that elusive innate trait that makes some cars just “more fun” or whatever, they’re really just talking about the badge on the front.

That being said, I did find that the IS250 and 350 were lacking a certain fun-to-drive factor that belied their objective measurements.

But anything beyond that is pure religion.

Anyway, to me, enthusiast cars are all about subjective sensations–unless it’s a race car that lives or dies by its lap time, the ultimate standard is how much fun it is to drive. But yes, that’s just my opinion.

What is the real performance of this car?

Straight line 0-60 in 4.4s. Faster than the Porsche Cayman S. Who needs a manual transmission again?

In terms of carving curves, this car can manage a 700-ft slalom at 71.2mph. Faster than a Porsche Cayman S, again.

All data from Road&Track:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?article_id=6177

But of course, for some, even a breaking down Bimmer can win a Lexus in a comparison road test.

The way so many folks here worship at the BMW altar just amazes me. As if the 3 series and M3 do not have any shortcomings. Yeah the M3 is great and will out-perform the IS-F but so what!

The worship for BMW and to a lesser extant Mercades AMG. Is because they build the car they want to build and drive, and if you buy into their vision you’ll buy the car. That’s what the manual only M3 (and RS4 ^_~) say. The rest of the brand caters to the market, but they still sell the car that embodies the brand. This ‘halo car’ or flagship resonates in a part of the market and will always have cachet value. The IS-F boasts similar stats and style but without the same brand promise.

The worship is more for the promise and the priorites, not the product. Driving experience, than reliability as a company attitude is being supported, not vice versa. You’re right, only 1% of people care. However, it’s our lunch, not BMW, Mercedes, or Audis that is being eaten. Every IS-F that sells is viewed as taking away from the development of a car we would want to drive. It’s inevitable that practicality when, but passion has to resist.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lexus-lf-a-convertible/578753/

When you compare Lexus to BMW and MB today you find that Lexus still manages to design and market cars using a bit of common-sense. Exactly how many of us actually care about a tenth of a second advantage in the 1/4 mile or being able to pull 1.0gs and opposed to .99gs. Maybe the 1% of costumers that will actually race their car on a track. Honestly the majority of these things will be sold as wonderful adult “toys” and at best they will be used like good ole muscle cars by the owners, a burnout here and there, a high-speed run on an open road every once and a while. A car to make you and your friends giggle every now and than. The rest of the time the IS-F will be used like a regular transportation appliance.

Today Lexus (and the others) have eaten such a large bite of BMWs and MBs lunch that these companies are resorting to “fantasy” to market their products. Cars like the AMG “65″ series are just downright SILLY today and in reality do nothing to improve the brand. The folks that these over the top monstrosities appeal to are seen as the embodiment of “more money than brains”.

The way so many folks here worship at the BMW altar just amazes me. As if the 3 series and M3 do not have any shortcomings. Yeah the M3 is great and will out-perform the IS-F but so what!
The truth of the matter is LExus will sell quite a few of these IS-F to folks that will cross-shop it with a M3 yet choose the Lexus when it is time to write the check.
Looked at in a different light the new M3 is a manual gearbox equiped v8 powered car that still needs to have the shit revved out of it to get to the the meat of its powerband, not what most folks expect from a v8 now is it? The M3 is still saddled with the horrible I-drive (if you want some options). Needless to say if the Lexus stays true to its roots it will outlast the BMW and provide a much more hassle free ownership experience.

If I am buying the cars to actually use as a car these are some REAL advantages that cant be overlooked.

I also don’t doubt that a great many M3 owners buy them for the associated status.

Indeed, Lexus’ desire to get a slice of those status-seekers seems to be the point of the F exercise, given its “numbers” approach to M3 rivalry. But to snare those casual buyers, it needs cachet (which usually trickles down from enthusiast accolades), or at least killer style.

For now, I wonder about this sub-brand’s viability because a) the IS-F looks “challenging,” and b) I don’t foresee glowing comparison-test results on the horizon, nor the associated prestige. Since the IS-F is priced right on top of the base-model M3, I’m not sure who’s going to jump ship to a lesser-known, less-respected status symbol… especially when those who resonate with its nationality and styling aesthetic can get an Evo or STI for nearly $25K less.

I’d love to see the “F” brand succeed, but for now–IMHO–I think Lexus needs to be called out for not executing its “more for less” formula as well as usual.

I understand what you are saying about low-speed character; my S2000 is very Miata-like in that regard. I have to believe, unfortunately, that we represent the tiny minority of the car buying public; how is it that the most popular vehicles sold in the U.S. now are totally numb trucks? Or look at the top 10 car sales; there’s not even one vehicle on the list which drives like it has teeth.

Sadly I think the niche shows everytime someone comes out with a highly functional driver’s car. The M3 is a sales hit not because it is an amazing tool, but in large part because the BMW cachet is attached to a small and exclusive car which is not understood by most of its owners.

And, as good as the Supra was, or the 2nd Gen MR2, neither would be mistaken as a BMW.

And even BMW has lost some of their ‘edge’ in search of a wider market. One could make an interesting column on the general homogenization of the car business; overall, the outlook is pretty grim for those of us who enjoy the art of driving…

The transmission doesn’t upshift automatically in manual mode; there’s just a chime to remind you to do it from 6000-6800 rpm (Lexus couldn’t resist). The ‘box does downshift automatically under braking, though. The steering isn’t overboosted so much as overdamped; effort is hefty enough.

Michael,

The paddles crack off very quick, crisp shifts. It’s certainly the best conventional auto I’ve sampled in this regard.

Kman,

Yep, the dual exhausts exit behind the rear bumper, the stacked quad “tips” are part of the bumper fascia, a few inches aft.

edgett,

Perhaps I didn’t phrase that well. My beef isn’t that the IS-F’s limits are too high, but that it’s only truly entertaining to drive near its limits. What makes the Miata special (my daily driver is a ’99) is that it reveals all its secrets at 25 mph; the car feels characterful, feelsome and “alive” even in routine pottering. More relevant, an M3 lets you feel wired-in to the machinery even though it’s half-asleep on public roads. The IS-F seems intentionally designed to go into sensory-deprivation mode when driven legally (not helped by the mandatory auto).

The reason I’m disinclined to cut Lexus/Toyota much slack is that they’re not “learning” to create exciting cars; they’ve already done so with the Supra, MR2 Spyder, and Celica GT-S, among others. The IS-F still feels like a car at war with its parent culture, its huge capability at odds with its insular user interface.

“Mr. Hyde only comes out to play above safe, legal velocities. The chassis boasts tasty balance at the limit, and the steering enlivens somewhat under load. But given the tires’ immense grip, you’d be nuts to sample either trait on your morning commute.”

This is not a statement about the Lexus alone; virtually every new performance car is good enough you can only test them at the track. Cane even a Miata to its limits and you are far beyond safe and legal velocities…