I love the looks, I love the power, the sound it makes at higher rpm, the reliability (assuming it's reliable as an 2IS), the white carbon fiber inserts...but the way it drove...it just felt like another Lexus to me.

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I test drove a Neiman-Marcus IS-F last fall and I was kinda disappointed by the way it drove. It wasn't like "OMG I'm driving a sports sedan!" sensation...it had boat loads of power, it was extremely agile, it stopped on a dime...it did everything brilliantly but something felt missing.

Hate to say it but the 335i I drove before that had more (puts on flame suit)"sensation" of driving...I probably am the only crazy one that felt that way but did anyone else feel that way? My friend test drove this exact same car and told me that I'm "crazy". Tempted to go back to Lexus and test drive it again.

PS: If you haven't driven one, I highly suggest you test drive one.

 

Drove one on the track before and I have to disagree with you.

How hard did you push during your test drive? Below 4000 RPM (or was it 3500...) you are right, it felt just like another Lexus, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, once the engine revs above it then the whole car comes alive.

 

The only problem I had with it was the lack of exhaust sound, the AMG kills it in that department. And the fact that I have had to wait 11 months at my dealer.(Granted, I may have been able to get one quicker from another place but I am loyal to my dealer)

 

I wish I could have done that. I live in Indi-effin'-any and all we have are straight flat roads. The only time I really got to test it's suspension were 4 on/off ramps....maybe that's why

really? I loved how the exhaust note changed. jeez, 11months wait in Japan still???

 

i will have a more in depth review of the is-f myself soon, but overall, yes i agree with you. the isf is a very nice car, and for lexus' first attempt to get a crack on the m3 and c63, i give them big thumbup, coz' the car is fast, and it can run on the track

but at the end of the day, still felt like we are driving another lexus, despite the stiffer suspension, tighter steering wheel, and loud exhaust. not only me (i stayed quiet the whole time), but even my wife said the same about the car

on the other hand, the c63 and m3 drive quite a bit different from their c350 and 335 brothers. it feels different. when it comes to a car like this where you want to have the very last piece of fun, it makes you think

 

M3 drives different from the regular 3er.

C63 drives different from the regular C.

IS F drive the same as the regular IS?

Man, it'll be great if that's the case since I have a 2IS...

 

on the track running is a pretty different thing. from all the reviews (and my personal test drives on the track), yup the car can run no problem

however for those getting this car, we don't drive like an idiots on the road, so the road driving experience becomes pretty different. and maybe that's something where the c63 and m3 excel a bit.

to certain extend, it's like comparing the gs460 to the 550, or the ls460 to the 750. on the track, those cars run pretty neck to neck. but on the road driving, if i want performance and confident feeling, i would really choose bmw

 

The F does sound pretty great once it opens up beyond 3800 rpm's....but the C63 sounds like a complete monster right from the moment you fire it up.

 

Oh ya...and to the original question....not one little bit.

 

Like how?

I am just curious here. Since the regular driving doesn't push the car to the limit then how can a high performance car like a M3 and C63 "excels" under such condition?

Let me guess... It "feels" better?

 

good to know someone thinks the same. I wish I could put it in words...everything felt sportier, but something was missing. As you said, I give a big thumbs up for Lexus for this.

I really wish I could have test driven it outside of the public street b/c it was hard to push it on the streets. The IS-F drove like a normal Lexus on the streets, but I wonder how it'll do when pushed...I wish we had Taste of Lexus in Indiana...

glad to hear you're happy with your IS-F! B/c I would LOVE to have one when I can afford it.

 

hey now, don't mock my excellent review jk .
I'd like to know as well b/c I only got to drive the IS-F on the streets.

 

Source: http://thepassionatepursuit.com/2008...-mercedes-c63/

The findings of this comparison is very similar to my impression after driven both cars. Worth a watch.

 

As to the first part of your statement....that is one of the biggest appeals of the IS F. It does drive very civilized and refined when at low speeds in regular drive mode. Exactly what you would expect from a Lexus. If you turn off the traction control and switch to manual mode you can have an incredible amount of fun with the car and really show it's performance side.

To the second part....thanks man!
There are no "bad" cars when deciding between a C63, M3, RS4 or IS F. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

 

you can call it feel, but i put it as overall driving experience on street driving. street driving doesn't mean cruising 35mph on local street and 65mph on freeway. you can be pushing the car a bit on the twisties, you can be going 100+ on freeways, etc...

and again like i said, i don't deny that the isf can run. i have run it and i can vouch that the car can run. but to me, just as important, is the driving dynamic and road feel the 90% of the time when i am rolling on the road. i raced in my ls460l before, and yes the handling of that huge tank smoked the 3 series, but the ls460l was thrown left and right too

just my 2 cents anyway