Lexus IS F Sadly Isn't Coming Back, Says Brand Boss

Fan Favorite

Without a doubt, the Lexus IS F is one of our very favorite cars ever built, as well as an extremely popular model among Club Lexus members. And ever since it disappeared from this earth years ago, rumors have swirled that the IS F would be making a comeback. But now it appears that Scott Thompson, Lexus Australia's chief executive, is killing them all in one fell swoop.

Photos: Lexus 

Sad News

When asked about the beloved model's potential return in the future, Thompson told Australia's Motoring "How do I answer that question? It’s one of my favorite cars that we’ve ever produced, [but] there are no plans at the moment [to release another one]." Insert sad face here.

Photos: Lexus 

>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Surprising?

Of course, this really shouldn't come as a surprise to Lexus fans. After all, we've seen the brand hang on to its naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 for some time now, but they're finally starting to cave in. The competition is flocking to smaller displacement, forced-induction engines in the meantime, which are both more efficient and more powerful.

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>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Following the Competition

Regardless, there are those that thought an IS F with a twin-turbo V6 could be in the works. This would help the automaker keep pace with the competition, most of whom are building and selling high-performance models to the public. Brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi all have souped-up compact luxury sedans readily available these days.

Photos: Lexus 

>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Giving Away Profits?

So it makes you wonder - why wouldn't Lexus want to try and compete with its rivals in this area? This is a very profitable segment, one that's doing quite well for the automaker's competitors and also increasing interest in the non-performance cars on which they're based. 

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>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Valid Reasoning?

According to Thompson, Lexus sees the RC F, RC F Track Edition, GS F and LC 500 as more than capable of filling the void left behind by the IS F's departure. Even though they're all significantly more expensive. He also noted that Lexus' high-performance F car sales are "smaller than our [German] competitors."

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>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Make the Effort

You have to wonder, of course, if an affordable Lexus IS F revival would help boost those numbers. Plus, none of Lexus' F models are segment leaders in terms of performance either, which undoubtedly doesn't help sales. Perhaps spending a bit more time and effort developing them might just help in that department?

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>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Baby Steps

The RC F Track Edition is a nice step in the right direction, but it has no more power than the regular RC F and it's incredibly expensive and limited. A volume performance model, at least in our opinion, would do wonders for the brand. Not to mention help improve their image among enthusiasts.

Photos: Lexus 

>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Electrified Approach

Regardless, it seems like Lexus' new focus is on electrification, as evidenced by the recent unveiling of the LF-30. As far as Lexus' forthcoming production EVs go, Thompson said "We want to make the driving experience more fun, re-engaging the driver. This type of tech is supposed to learn with you, grow with you, and improve your ability as a driver."

Photos: Lexus 

>>Join the conversation about the unfortunate ending of the IS F right here in the Club Lexus Forum!

Reverse Course

Thus, things aren't looking too good for us IS F devotees right now. But we can still hold out hope that Lexus sees the error of its ways. The brand simply needs a volume-selling, high performance, exciting F product for the masses. And a new IS F is just what the doctor ordered.

Photos: Lexus