MotorAuthority

Lexus IS F confirmed with 417hp under the bonnet

Posted Thu Oct 4 2007 9:39 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Despite Lexus showing off its new sports sedan back in January at the Detroit Auto Show the company has been surprisingly tight-lipped about the number of horses kicking under the hood. However, today’s Japanese launch of the IS F allowed to officially state the figures as well as other details it hasn’t revealed before. The 5.0L V8 will develop 417hp (311kW) at 5,500rpm and 504Nm (372lb-ft) of torque, putting the IS F squarely in the same region as the BMW M3 and Audi RS4, its main competitors.

The engine will be mated to an 8-speed paddle-shift gearbox based on the one found in the LS460. Lexus has modified the transmission to offer a “M” mode for fast acceleration in first gear, while potentially limiting any damage caused by careless driving. The gearbox will also blip the throttle during downshifts to avoid jolts. The IS F has also had numerous suspension modifications, including new springs, shock absorbers, stabilizers tuned for the performance car. Sitting on 19in tires, the IS F uses large-diameter, wide 225/40R19 tires at the front and 255/35R19 tires at the rear for gripping the road and also gets a performance brake package.

Top speed is estimated by Lexus to be over 185mph, though the IS F will be limited to just 180km/h in its home market. Tellingly, the company forecasts just 500 sales a year in Japan but expects to sell over 5,000 in the U.S.

Story Tags:

• Lexus
• Lexus IS
• Sedans

Reader Comments

• Thu Oct 4 2007 12:21 PM

  John says

  Limited to 180km/h WHAT!!?? tell me that is a typo.....

• Thu Oct 4 2007 12:57 PM

  admin says

  It'll only be limited to 180km/h in Japan. Lexus hasn't announced figures for outside yet.

• Thu Oct 4 2007 3:46 PM

  Gus says

  Wow, what a cool car. I'm sure it's a hoot to drive!
  But I'd rather have an s2000... :)

• Thu Oct 4 2007 9:21 PM

  HECTOR says

  Am I the only one that thinks that this car isn't a threat AT ALL to the M3 or RS4?
  
  I love Lexus - the self made brand for the self made man - but in this case I think they're trying to hard... and missing the point...
  
  Maybe it's just me though.

• Thu Oct 4 2007 10:21 PM

  biturbo says

  Competitor to M3 and RS4?? That's a joke, is it?
  
  Some real bad things on the IS-F:
  1. Torque converter slush-box (heavy, big losses, slow changes, no fun to drive)
  2. Heavy. No figure published but I predict is heavier than the M3
  3. Ugly
  4. Boring, it's a Lexus after all :)

• Fri Oct 5 2007 1:37 AM

  Ayax says

  2. Heavy. No figure published but I predict is heavier than the M3
  3. Ugly
  4. Boring, it’s a Lexus after all :)
  
  1. I'll give you that.
  2. No figures cant really speculate on it but its likely to be true.
  3. I happen to think its sweet looking. Def better than most of the things out there at this time.
  4. Boring?..... thats your personal way of thinking.

• Fri Oct 5 2007 4:54 AM

  paul says

  wow..nicee