So I drove the Lexus IS-F at Moroso Motorsports last weekend....

[1SICKLEX]

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.....:thumbup::thumbup::woot::woot::thumbup::t humbup:

Here are some pics I took. There's not many but enjoy them.

YEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[1SICKLEX]

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....



As you can see I am quoting the pics, I did not take them.

[1SICKLEX]

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.

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.....

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!

[1SICKLEX]

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

[1SICKLEX]

A couple things...
1. A real cool guy that owns local dealerships brought the Toyota 2000 GT. He owns 12!! The amazing thing is the engine has a badge saying "service at 6,000 miles" and the car has 5,000 miles!! This car is from the 60s!!!
2. Michelin PS2 tires are teh TRUTH..I am sold. You would think they ooze glue.
3. Yes, that is the Team Lexus IS 300 on slicks, it pushes around 260hp N/A and weighs about 2600lbs...
THEY RACED IT AGAINST THE IS-F..

Where it held the lead half a lap and got DESTROYED by the IS-F...not even funny!

[ChnkyLao]

wow that was alot of reading, awesome

[BobbyFresco]

It's nice but I'll still take a e92 M3 or E60 M5 over the Lex any day of the week, and twice on Sunday......

[04Prerunner]

damn..good read...def. makes me wanna is-f!

[Jaimecbr900]

Nice write up Mike. Wish I'd made it.

[1SICKLEX]

Nice write up Mike. Wish I'd made it.

Trying to get them to come here dude......you will be the first to know again....

[1SICKLEX]

Took this with my ATT Tilt

[ATK_Designs]

Thanks for the personal scoop on the IS-F. To be Frank, I felt some what a let down by the IS-F's recent reviews and such, including yours. Overall, it's a nice car, however, I felt that it leaves many rooms to be desired.

With the price tag of $56K, not including markups and options, it should do a lot more than stated. Here's what I see:

The Goods:
1. V8 = Good engine, powerful sound
2. Upgraded interior = Better Gauges, and seats quality.
3. Better F suspension and handling = BBK, Coilovers, Chassis Brace, etc.
4. Better Tranny: Supposed to be the 2nd fastest auto/tiptronic tranny in the world, after the Ferrari F cars

The Bads:
1. V8 = Doesn't make that much power like how the V8 should be. Power only good because of the drivetrain system
2. Exhaust = POS
3. Exterior = Could've been better to separate itself from the normal ISx50
4. Interior = Could've been better to separate itself from the normal ISx50 ( dash design, seat design, and ICE design could've been improved a lot better).


Overall, I like the car for the aspects that you listed. However, I just wish Lexus could've done something better to make it unique. Having a V8 in there. it needs to bump up the power a lot more compared to its IS350 counter part. To be, the IS-F seems like a Factory modified IS350. May be it's just me expecting too much from the F-hype, but I'm sure that there are many others who would agree the same. I was thinking of that being one of my vehicle in the near future (currently owning the IS250 as daily grind), but after that, I don't know if I'd pay $56K + Markups for it.

However, thanks again for the personal review.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to 1SICKLEX" again

[Fr33way]

Epic post! Looked like a sweet event.

[Elbow]

Fun

[Dietcoke]

I'd pimp one, but the $56k is about 10 too steep for me. this car will compete with the 135/335i, but not necessarily with an M3. Just my opinion. I love the car though... my grandfather works for Hennessy Lexus in ATL (Bob Smithson) as a car salesman since they first opened so when they get one you damn sure I'm going to go drive it.