PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Great review Mike!

You said that the IS-F interior has improved from regular IS*50. Aside from the carbon fiber trim, are you sure that certain materials have changed between the products?

pbm317

I'm surprised you found one that wasn't loaded with navi/levinson, etc.

From what I hear C63's are still a few months out, and will probably be hard to get a test drive.

I don't personally see Lexus bringing a manual out, sound like their modified automatic is getting pretty good reviews.

That said, I think I'd definitely want a stick shift, and so the M3 would be the only choice, or the upcoming CTS-V.

Great choices in this segment now. Competition is good for the consumer.

chrisyano

Great review! Thanks for writing that up for us. It was very informative.

I got to check one out (showroom) that was already sold. They moved it too, so at least I got to hear the engine.

Nextourer

Thanks for the review!

mmarshall

Thanks.

Yes and no. It's a whole different....and new.... trim line. Some of the interior materials are the same as the IS250/350. Some are quite different. Some may not actually look different or BE different, but feel different. Lexus charges a lot more, of course, for this car, than they do the 250/350, and at least some of the interior parts seem to be upgraded. Many, however, are the same. The front seats, for example, seem a world apart from bread-and-butter IS models, and the silver carbon-fiber trim is worthy of the expensive sport sedan it is.

mmarshall

Quite Welcome. That's what I'm here for.

You don't really HEAR this engine until the auxiliary fuel injection opens up around 4000 RPM. Then you not only hear it but FEEL it.

mmarshall

Gotta remember, though.....this is a driver's car, not an electronic toy. Those features are available for those who want them. The stereo in this car, while not quite the insanely good Mark Levinson, was nevertheless a killer. (And AC/DC's Angus Young and Brian Johnson sound good on almost ANYTHING)

It's on my review list by request. I can usually, but not always, manage to get one.

Increasing traffic congestion everywhere seems to be working against three-pedal cars.

mmarshall

You're quite welcome.

Don't worry about that red apple. It will find a home real soon....I doubt if it lasts until this weekend. And, on my watch at least, will not have ben abused.

mmarshall

Thanks.

I tried the transmission in all of the functions it seemed to have....lever and paddles. I much preferred these +/- marked paddles to the unmarked ones in the recent BMW's I've driven, which are guesswork until you get used to them. The tranny seemed to function smoothly and crisply no matter which function you used, but, of course, I didn't shift at redline.

mmarshall

Thanks.

The IS350, IMO, except for its interior and paint job, is not all that impressive, especially compared to the BMW 335i...I recently reviewed both. It doesn't offer the xi AWD version the 3-series does. Neither does it offer a true manual like the IS250, either. The IS250, of course, costs a lot less, and has an AWD version, but is too underpowered to be a true sports sedan, especially with the weight and drag of AWD. The high price of gas, especially for the premium gas these cars require, seems to also be working against the sale of higher-powered vehicles.......though many people who can afford them in the first place, of course, can afford to fill them up.

19psi

good review! one question: would you really consider the low profile tires and tight suspension a minus considering the purpose of the car? imo, the alternative is a tall sidewall, soft suspension which would be silly in a car like this. the tires and suspension are all part of the package when you own a high performance car; i'd hate to have a sport(y) car that didn't have a harsh ride and low profile tires you know?

mmarshall

Thanks.





True to some extent. I agree with you that Lincoln Town Car suspension and tires would be out of place in a car like this. You don't expect a Town Car ride in a high-performance sport sedan, but that doesn't mean you have to get excessively beaten up over bumps either. There are good-handling sport sedans that have at least tolerable rides on rough pavement. Some manufacturers (BMW is clearly the best example) have mastered the art of balanced chassis engineering better then others. Others, like some recent Cadillacs and other GM products, use variable electronic damping and roll stiffness as cornering forces increase.

I try to be objective in my reviews. Lexus has clearly done a great job here in the steering and handling department, as long as the roads are smooth....virtually as good as BMW. But, get the IS-F on bumpy or broken pavement, and it bounds up and down like a porpoise...the Lexus engineers, while good, clearly do not have as much chassis tuning know-how that their competitors at Munich do. They acheived the good steering and handling capabilities of the IS-F with a lot of suspension and tire stiffness....enough, IMO, to make the car borderline unsuitable for rough roads.

And the IS-F is not the worst-riding sports sedan I've been in by any means...drive a last-generation Mitsubishi Evo and you will see what I mean. It's not only rough, but doesn't have the IS-F's sound insulation either.....it's louder than a sports bar during the Super Bowl.

Trexus

Thanks for the review of the IS F. You did a very well job as always. One question, do you think in your opinion that the IS F and hopefully other future F models will be around for a long time?

rai

how did it compare to the 335i? I know this is a good bit more powerful, but the 3-series with most options is at or near $50K so how does that stack up to the ISF?

Gojirra99

Thanks for another nicely written review Love that Matador Red paint