Lexus IS F Part 3: Performance Review

The walk-off homerun. It's the baseball term for a game-ending, crack of the bat that sends the ball flying over the fence for a score. So you're thinking, "that's great, but what does baseball have to do with cars?" Well, this is a road test of the new IS F, a car Lexus hopes will be the equivalent of a game-winning home run against its main rivals: the BMW M3, and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

Representing the bat and stuffed under the IS F's swollen hood is a five-liter, 416 hp V-8, with variable valve timing and two separate fuel delivery systems, that can move this car from a standstill to 60 mph in just under 4.5 seconds. That's enough juice to see off the last generation M3 and AMG C-Class, but let's not forget that these two competitors have gone back and improved their bull-pens considerably.

The IS F is the first Lexus to wear the company's "F" moniker, which stands for Fuji Speedway, where Yukihiko Yaguchi, the car's one-man development team, did his testing, but could just as easily stand for “Fast” or "Ferocious" or… well, you get the point. This thing just pulls, and pulls, and pulls. No shortage of power then.

On the braking front, the IS F uses massive six-piston calipers up front clamping down on 14.2 inch vented and drilled rotors. We were able to get the brakes grumbling a bit after repeated abuse on mountain roads, but they never lost their effectiveness. So just like the "go" there is plenty of "whoa" on tap here.

The biggest dynamic surprise with the hot-rod Lexus however, has to be its handling. The king in this category has always been the BMW M3, the current version of which is some 200 lbs. lighter than the IS F. So you wouldn't expect the Lexus to be in the same league as the M3. But it did impressively well through the squiggly bits, lacking only one ingredient that is essential to carving corners - a limited slip differential. By way of substitute batters, Lexus packs the team with acronym players: ABS, BA (Brake Assist), EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), TRAC (traction control), VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) and an overall hitting coach/manager VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) that includes the power hitter's engine torque. None of which feels like getting it sideways and having some fun.

The IS F almost makes up for this omission by providing an environment that is still very Lexus-like when you're not driving it like it's stolen. It's a harsher ride than you'd expect from anything else with that "L" badge, there is a 90 percent increase in the original IS roll stiffness and damping, but it's perfectly acceptable given its handling performance.

By far my favorite aspect of the IS F however - and I can't believe I'm about to say this - is the automatic transmission. Not because it has eight gears - because in truth that's one or two too many - but because it's the closest thing to a dual personality gearbox currently available. Forget the sequential manuals. They're great in manual mode, but bad in auto mode. The dual clutch systems are better, playin' automatic very convincingly, but they disappoint in manual mode with a less-than-smooth getaway. The IS F gearbox utilizes its torque converter straight off the line for smoothness, and then locks out second through eighth gears to feel like a true manual. And its shifts in manual mode are amazingly quick, with an audible "beeeep" alerting you to pull the paddle back just before you tap into the rev limiter - very cool. This is truly one of the best gearboxes in the world.

So back to the question at hand, does the IS F score that game-winning run?

At the risk of being accused of copping out, I'll say that we're looking at extra innings here. The IS F is potentially a better street-car than the M3, allowing you to drive it like a Lexus, or like… well, almost like an M3. And while it doesn't quite match the M3 move for move when you're getting after it, it is a worthy competitor, offering a wider range from luxury to sport - at least until the next inning, when BMW pitches its M-DCT dual clutch transmission at us later this year.

Watch the video
Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 2: Interior & User Experience

Lexus IS F

Performance
- Acceleration: Supercar rivaling stats - ridiculously cool intake and exhaust noise
- Handling: Surprisingly stiff-riding for a Lexus, but it pays off - lack of limited-slip differential unforgivable
- Braking: Very vocal about being abused, but effective at all times

Design
- Exterior: Aggressive without going overboard - lose the silly exhaust and the played-out dark wheels
- Interior: Very dark - dash surfaces not very well defined - carbon-weave from PepBoys - not very Lexus-like

Utility
- Comfort: Decent compromise between sport and luxury - great seats... in the front anyway
- Space: BMW and M-B give you more

Safety
- Dynamics: Impressively agile - defeatable stability control - still needs a limited slip though
- Technology: It's a Lexus as you'd expect - it's all here

Value
- Price: A lot of car for the money, but it is a lot of money
- Mileage: eight-speed gearbox helps tremendously

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: First Japanese super-sedan - you just have to drive it
- Fun to spank: Accelerates like a scolded dog - did I mention it's lacking a limited-slip diff though?

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / Rear wheel drive
Engine: 5.0 liter, DOHC V8
Power (SAE): 416 hp @ 6600 rpm
Torque: 371 lbs-ft @ 5200 rpm
Redline: 6800 rpm
Gearbox: 8 speed automatic
Curb Weight: 3780 lbs.
0-60 mph: 4.2 sec.
1/4 mile: 12.7 sec.
Top Speed: 170 mph (electronically limited)
Mileage: 16 city / 23 highway
Base Price: $56,765
Competitors: BMW M3 (sedan), Mercedes-Benz C63