1SICKREVIEW....2008 GS 460 and the IS-F "F stands for Fantastic"
01-22-08, 05:11 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
1SICKREVIEW....2008 GS 460 and the IS-F "F stands for Fantastic"
Ahhhh......Well Ryan gave me the heads up on the IS-F drive in Moroso back in early December so it was time to finally meet the beast for some intimate time together.
Well this was my schedule for the weekend:
-Leave Atlanta around 10:30am
-meet bitkahuna for lunch on Okala at 3pm
-meet Bluelex and other CL members at Moroso for the Friday night drag at 7:30
-run the GS at the drags (car was pooped full of luggage, air was humid, a 15.1 was my best time at 93mph)
(we also see 5 IS-Fs and the GS 460s/IS 350s/GS 450hs, most are new with plastic still around the seats!!!)
-hang with Bluelex, Lexizm and Kofie meet up
-wash GS at 2am
-chat till 4:30am
-sleep till 7am
-go to Moroso for 8am appointment.
We arrive on time for the 8am appointment. We go to a registration room with refreshments and to get our ID badges. We then go to a "briefing" room. There were NOT many rules, basically have fun and don't do nothing stupid. And we are walked to the track......where this happens all day long.....
Well this was my schedule for the weekend:
-Leave Atlanta around 10:30am
-meet bitkahuna for lunch on Okala at 3pm
-meet Bluelex and other CL members at Moroso for the Friday night drag at 7:30
-run the GS at the drags (car was pooped
full of luggage, air was humid, a 15.1 was my best time at 93mph)(we also see 5 IS-Fs and the GS 460s/IS 350s/GS 450hs, most are new with plastic still around the seats!!!)
-hang with Bluelex, Lexizm and Kofie meet up
-wash GS at 2am
-chat till 4:30am
-sleep till 7am
-go to Moroso for 8am appointment.
We arrive on time for the 8am appointment. We go to a registration room with refreshments and to get our ID badges. We then go to a "briefing" room. There were NOT many rules, basically have fun and don't do nothing stupid. And we are walked to the track......where this happens all day long.....
01-22-08, 05:21 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
So we got some warm up laps in warm up cars. I chose the GS 460. Lexus let us DRIVE THE SNOT OUT THE CAR WITHOUT A LEXUS OFFICIAL INSIDE!!! We had a lead car and a follow car to keep the group tight.
Well the GS 460 is a nice update to the GS 430. I was not "blown" away by it but I did have 3 other people in the car. I hit right around 95mph on the straight with it. It handled well, but the steering still lacks communication.
It was SO QUIET and COMPOSED. It did not feel out of line at all. The brake feel was IMO, poor at first. Then the brakes heated up and they grabbed much better. I still am not big on the electro brakes though.
Acceleration was faster than my 430 or the 3GS 430 but it didn't feel like "wow" fast. Maybe it was b/c there were new people in the car. Maybe b/c the engine had 12 miles on it.
Yes, 12 miles. Brand new GS 460 "here 1SICK, try and wreck it"!!!
I would LOVE Lexus to offer a sport option for this car. I know it has much for capabilities but Lexus is intent on keeping it leaning on the luxury side. In corners, the car was fine. It did not feel droopy or like it was lax. Again, the STEERING gave me no feel, and the wood steering wheel (which is great to look at) didn't communicate. You just can't tell how fast you are going. So handling is not the issue, steering feel is.
The interior is TOP NOTCH, the new leather feels incredible. The little interior touches are nice. This feels like a luxury car. It felt solid as a tank. Room is not overly abundant but no one complained in the back and my seat was all the way back.
Overall, I would give it a 8 our of 10 but really a 7.7 or 7.8 (I never did decimals before). It left me wanting. I did not drive the 460 and walk away with a hard on like I did when I drove my first GS 400 back in 2000. The GS 460 feels faster, more refined and does handles better but it didn't make me drool....
The new grill is growing on me, the car still looks very good, details galore. The paint is embarrassingly good.
Now keeping things in perspective, if you do not track your car, if you just want a beautiful, powerful, luxurious statement car, this car is by far a 10. It doesn't do anything bad as far as I could tell. Add Lexus quality, panache and dealer service and its a winner to most people out there.
I guess my tastes are changing....
Well the GS 460 is a nice update to the GS 430. I was not "blown" away by it but I did have 3 other people in the car. I hit right around 95mph on the straight with it. It handled well, but the steering still lacks communication.
It was SO QUIET and COMPOSED. It did not feel out of line at all. The brake feel was IMO, poor at first. Then the brakes heated up and they grabbed much better. I still am not big on the electro brakes though.
Acceleration was faster than my 430 or the 3GS 430 but it didn't feel like "wow" fast. Maybe it was b/c there were new people in the car. Maybe b/c the engine had 12 miles on it.
Yes, 12 miles. Brand new GS 460 "here 1SICK, try and wreck it"!!!
I would LOVE Lexus to offer a sport option for this car. I know it has much for capabilities but Lexus is intent on keeping it leaning on the luxury side. In corners, the car was fine. It did not feel droopy or like it was lax. Again, the STEERING gave me no feel, and the wood steering wheel (which is great to look at) didn't communicate. You just can't tell how fast you are going. So handling is not the issue, steering feel is.
The interior is TOP NOTCH, the new leather feels incredible. The little interior touches are nice. This feels like a luxury car. It felt solid as a tank. Room is not overly abundant but no one complained in the back and my seat was all the way back.
Overall, I would give it a 8 our of 10 but really a 7.7 or 7.8 (I never did decimals before). It left me wanting. I did not drive the 460 and walk away with a hard on like I did when I drove my first GS 400 back in 2000. The GS 460 feels faster, more refined and does handles better but it didn't make me drool....
The new grill is growing on me, the car still looks very good, details galore. The paint is embarrassingly good.
Now keeping things in perspective, if you do not track your car, if you just want a beautiful, powerful, luxurious statement car, this car is by far a 10. It doesn't do anything bad as far as I could tell. Add Lexus quality, panache and dealer service and its a winner to most people out there.
I guess my tastes are changing....
01-22-08, 05:29 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Okay ONTO the MAIN EVENT, the IS-F.
Yes, I drove 600 miles to drive it. Yes, EVO gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Yes the mags love it with few drawbacks.
Yet, I expected to be disappointed. I expected this to not be all that it was cracked up to be. I really expected it to fail.
My expectation, was it will be fast and handle well but feel "put together" as the IS-F never meant to be. Remember this was a "Skunkworks" project that was given Lexus blessing only later in its development....
Well I was wrong. I was blown away. ABSOLUTELY blown away. This is so far away from what Lexus has made in the past it is not even funny. IF you were blindfolded and heard it, touched it, rode in it, you would think it was a NSX, a GT-R, an AMG/M/RS car. You would never EVER think it was a Lexus.
First things first, the car sounds SENSATIONAL. Some of us were just sitting by the straight listening to the cars pass. Its a SOUNDTRACK. Its beautiful.
The car has a dual intake system and when the SECOND one opens under full throttle, OMG. The sound INSIDE the car is glorious. No Lexus has ever sounded like this stock or hell modded.
You can make fun of the detached exhaust (lol) but you cannot make fun of the authentic V-8 sound.
Yes, I drove 600 miles to drive it. Yes, EVO gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Yes the mags love it with few drawbacks.
Yet, I expected to be disappointed. I expected this to not be all that it was cracked up to be. I really expected it to fail.
My expectation, was it will be fast and handle well but feel "put together" as the IS-F never meant to be. Remember this was a "Skunkworks" project that was given Lexus blessing only later in its development....
Well I was wrong. I was blown away. ABSOLUTELY blown away. This is so far away from what Lexus has made in the past it is not even funny. IF you were blindfolded and heard it, touched it, rode in it, you would think it was a NSX, a GT-R, an AMG/M/RS car. You would never EVER think it was a Lexus.
First things first, the car sounds SENSATIONAL. Some of us were just sitting by the straight listening to the cars pass. Its a SOUNDTRACK. Its beautiful.
The car has a dual intake system and when the SECOND one opens under full throttle, OMG. The sound INSIDE the car is glorious. No Lexus has ever sounded like this stock or hell modded.
You can make fun of the detached exhaust (lol) but you cannot make fun of the authentic V-8 sound.
Trending Topics
01-22-08, 05:34 PM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Second, you sit inside and like your IS 250/350, the room is fine in front but cramped in the rear. I am 6"5 240 and didn't have any issues sitting inside.
Myself and Mr. Johnson (who flew in from Chicago, one of the Clublexus/GS O.Gs, it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him there) did a test. We found the IS-F WITH the Sunroof might be an issue with those with a big head (j/k) and using a helmet.
The IS-F WITHOUT the sunroof there, we had ample room to sit inside with a helmet.
You notice the blue gauges, the trim on the dash. The blue stitching. Clearly it is an IS but pumped up.
The NAV had the Moroso Track on it
. That was really neat.
The black suedeish headliner give it a nice sporty feel and look.
There was a black one there with white leather and it looked fantastic. There was a white one there with black leather. I was SO CONFUSED!! My 2 favorite combos flip flopped!!!
Well you buckle in and the gears do not go pass 3 I noticed when I was in idle...
Well it was time to hit the gas.....
Myself and Mr. Johnson (who flew in from Chicago, one of the Clublexus/GS O.Gs, it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him there) did a test. We found the IS-F WITH the Sunroof might be an issue with those with a big head (j/k) and using a helmet.
The IS-F WITHOUT the sunroof there, we had ample room to sit inside with a helmet.
You notice the blue gauges, the trim on the dash. The blue stitching. Clearly it is an IS but pumped up.
The NAV had the Moroso Track on it
. That was really neat. The black suedeish headliner give it a nice sporty feel and look.
There was a black one there with white leather and it looked fantastic. There was a white one there with black leather. I was SO CONFUSED!! My 2 favorite combos flip flopped!!!
Well you buckle in and the gears do not go pass 3 I noticed when I was in idle...
Well it was time to hit the gas.....
01-22-08, 05:40 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM......the IS-F takes off like a rocket. Tons of torque and HP....WHAM, into the first corner, no problem....straightaway....
BRAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKE
then WHAM into the corners....the car didn't hiccup at all...."GIVE ME MORE" she asks....
So I give it to her...in the corners....NO ISSUES...
Time to hit the longest straight.....You come out the apex and drive across...I hit 95mph in the GS...how about 110 in the IS-F!!!
Now, I have to admit, I wasn't perfect with the shifters....it reminds me of my old e-shift GS/IS but this is 100 times better and shifts so much quicker...
On top of that, there is a "beep" when you are about to hit redline....so you never have to take your eyes off the road..
The car drove beyond my best expectations....nothing even resembling brake fade. It sounds SO GOOOOOOD at full throttle....
Minimal body roll. Couldn't believe it. Hell with 4 people in the car with the professional driver, the dampening was very good (I am talking an extra 700 lbs inside the car!!!)...
Driving with the professional drivers, OMG, they showed what the car is truly capable of and its AMAZING. THis is a 2.25 mile course and how about GRINNING EAR TO EAR with them driving it. SWEET ABUSE and the IS-F just takes it and asks for more. It is beyond fun and a hoot to drive...
Negatives. Again, steering feel. It was very firm and feeback was good, much much better than the GS. However, even with 19" wheels, it felt polished and slightly less feel than a BMW. This is a good thing though for when you are on the road. Honestly, it didn't bug me at all. The rear seat is awful. 4 people in the car is just not my bag baby.
Overall 10 out of 10. Flame me if you want!
BRAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKE
then WHAM into the corners....the car didn't hiccup at all...."GIVE ME MORE" she asks....
So I give it to her...in the corners....NO ISSUES...
Time to hit the longest straight.....You come out the apex and drive across...I hit 95mph in the GS...how about 110 in the IS-F!!!
Now, I have to admit, I wasn't perfect with the shifters....it reminds me of my old e-shift GS/IS but this is 100 times better and shifts so much quicker...
On top of that, there is a "beep" when you are about to hit redline....so you never have to take your eyes off the road..
The car drove beyond my best expectations....nothing even resembling brake fade. It sounds SO GOOOOOOD at full throttle....
Minimal body roll. Couldn't believe it. Hell with 4 people in the car with the professional driver, the dampening was very good (I am talking an extra 700 lbs inside the car!!!)...
Driving with the professional drivers, OMG, they showed what the car is truly capable of and its AMAZING. THis is a 2.25 mile course and how about GRINNING EAR TO EAR with them driving it. SWEET ABUSE and the IS-F just takes it and asks for more. It is beyond fun and a hoot to drive...
Negatives. Again, steering feel. It was very firm and feeback was good, much much better than the GS. However, even with 19" wheels, it felt polished and slightly less feel than a BMW. This is a good thing though for when you are on the road. Honestly, it didn't bug me at all. The rear seat is awful. 4 people in the car is just not my bag baby.
Overall 10 out of 10. Flame me if you want!
01-22-08, 06:16 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Some pics of the meet at Moroso I helped organize....
Here's a few of my favorites. Hi-Res available upon request.
I also shot a video riding along in the IS-F:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrUX73u44C4
I also shot a video riding along in the IS-F:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrUX73u44C4
01-22-08, 06:17 PM
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
01-22-08, 06:27 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Well, Mike, quite a write-up...and quite a time you had with those cars. You obviously drove both of them harder than I do in reviews, 
so I may not have to do review the IS-F at all. I was going to do it for the special Christmas review, but it won't be available here till April, so I did the IS350 instead. (I may still do the IS-F, later on, for a static bumper-to-bumper review, since you covered the performance part of it).
How do you think the IS-F compares with the BMW M3 cars and the Mercedes C AMG......probably its closest competitors? I suspect the BMW has better steering but the Lexus pretty much the equal in all the others.
I'll be at the Washington, DC Auto Show tomorrow (it's the first major show now after Detroit) and most of the rest of the week, so hopefully I'll get to see the IS-F in a static display, but I probably won't get a chance to drive one till April.
You obviously drove both of them harder than I do in reviews, so I may not have to do review the IS-F at all. I was going to do it for the special Christmas review, but it won't be available here till April, so I did the IS350 instead. (I may still do the IS-F, later on, for a static bumper-to-bumper review, since you covered the performance part of it).How do you think the IS-F compares with the BMW M3 cars and the Mercedes C AMG......probably its closest competitors? I suspect the BMW has better steering but the Lexus pretty much the equal in all the others.
I'll be at the Washington, DC Auto Show tomorrow (it's the first major show now after Detroit) and most of the rest of the week, so hopefully I'll get to see the IS-F in a static display, but I probably won't get a chance to drive one till April.
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-22-08 at 06:32 PM.