Last year Lexus mildly revised the IS F's suspension, and this year, the 2012 car gets a new set of 19-inch wheels and a red leather interior package that replaces the previous orange-on-black theme.

The new wheels are the most interesting bit, so we'll start there: ten-spoke asymmetrical dark gray 19-inch BBS forged alloys in 8.5-inch front and 9.5-inch rear widths. All four corners get either Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 or Bridgestone Potenza tires, in 225/40 front and 265/35 rear sizes.

The interior tweak from orange/black to red leather should find more fans, as orange can be a polarizing color.

Otherwise, the 2012 Lexus IS F carries forward the previous specs, including a 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 416 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque. Both come rather high in the rev range: max power hits at 6,600 rpm, just 200 rpm short of redline, while max torque arrives at 5,200 rpm. Paired with its eight-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission, the IS F is a stout performer.

For a complete look at what the IS F has to offer, check out our review of the very similar 2011 model, read TheCarConnection's review of the full Lexus IS sedan line.