drove the IS-F twice!
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EvoM Community Team Leader
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From: chicago, michigan, arkansas
drove the IS-F twice!
my lexus sales rep called me up when the IS-F first came in and let me test drive it. Interior is very much laid out. It looks like a regular IS350 with nav and ML package. The difference is in the trim, it has a bright (faux?) CF trim in the dash which is nice. with the key fob in the pocket, you can start the car with the start button. It is still lexus quiet despite the claimed aggressive plumbing. The real leather seats are plushier just like you would expect from an SC430. It is designed like a bucket seat that it holds you just like a recaro would. the rear seats only two even with the middle armrest pulled up.
Now the drive: the first time, I just wanted to feel how it rides. acceleration is quick and smooth from a roll. It did not feel bouncy even in cross pavement and felt stable. Even with the sport mode on, there was not much difference if you just leave it in drive. In manual mode, the shift is what lexus claimed immediate response and I can see that. The fast times it got on the speed test was probably on this mode. I got to 75 mph and there were still 3 gears left(it is an 8 speed auto tranny). even in 8 gear, it doesn't feel underpowered. you can accelerate with 8 but not as brisk -good for cruising. It did not come with the laser cruise control (not one came with that option yet). I wanted to punch it but it only had 75 miles on the clock(starlight pearl metallic). A few days later, I came back for more when the color I wanted arrived. It is obsidian black and it looks better in person compared to what you see in the pictures(blue looks better in pictures). It hasn't finished the PDI, but it was good enough to be driven as we walked towards the service bay. This one had only 21 miles on the clock(I'm guessing here). I had a friend with me, so three adults with my big sales guy at the back seat for "balance." He asked me to push it which I did gently. sport mode or manual mode, there is a lot of torque to be unleashed. weight doesn't seem to deter the acceleration of this car. as we were driving close to the dealership, the sales guy told me to press on it, at that time we were only 15-20mph. I hammered the gas and the car thought for a moment, "do you really want the speed, really, are you sure?" there was that short, few seconds of delay before it downshifted and you can hear the growl of the beast, it actually sounded like a "hemi" pick-up truck muffled by the quiet lexus interior. No, there was no hemi truck trying to race us. Lastly, when you try to turn the car either left or right, there is some resistance in turning, which may be a good thing to prevent oversteer or it can be the speed sensitive steering at work.
pros: lexus build and quality, fit and finish, massive torque, 8 speed auto tranny, better gas mileage(like evos 17-24 mpg), quiet solid interior, dark bad engine bay(I miss the bling clean look of the SC400), a definite long distance cruiser.
cons: it feels heavy in turning, turn-in; the hemi sound can be too much for long distance drives(what you hear in their website is actually what you hear in this car), I prefer the sound of my IS300 or even better the 350Z exhaust note(not too loud, just right), body shape and style looks like a regular !S350 to the untrained eye. If they make special colors just for the IS-F, it will distance itself from the regular IS models($65K with taxes!).
After going back to the evo9MR on the drive home
, it looks old and cheap. But after a few gear changes(snick, snick) and going through the twisties, ahhh I like this car
raw, crude and connected!
Now the drive: the first time, I just wanted to feel how it rides. acceleration is quick and smooth from a roll. It did not feel bouncy even in cross pavement and felt stable. Even with the sport mode on, there was not much difference if you just leave it in drive. In manual mode, the shift is what lexus claimed immediate response and I can see that. The fast times it got on the speed test was probably on this mode. I got to 75 mph and there were still 3 gears left(it is an 8 speed auto tranny). even in 8 gear, it doesn't feel underpowered. you can accelerate with 8 but not as brisk -good for cruising. It did not come with the laser cruise control (not one came with that option yet). I wanted to punch it but it only had 75 miles on the clock(starlight pearl metallic). A few days later, I came back for more when the color I wanted arrived. It is obsidian black and it looks better in person compared to what you see in the pictures(blue looks better in pictures). It hasn't finished the PDI, but it was good enough to be driven as we walked towards the service bay. This one had only 21 miles on the clock(I'm guessing here). I had a friend with me, so three adults with my big sales guy at the back seat for "balance." He asked me to push it which I did gently. sport mode or manual mode, there is a lot of torque to be unleashed. weight doesn't seem to deter the acceleration of this car. as we were driving close to the dealership, the sales guy told me to press on it, at that time we were only 15-20mph. I hammered the gas and the car thought for a moment, "do you really want the speed, really, are you sure?" there was that short, few seconds of delay before it downshifted and you can hear the growl of the beast, it actually sounded like a "hemi" pick-up truck muffled by the quiet lexus interior. No, there was no hemi truck trying to race us. Lastly, when you try to turn the car either left or right, there is some resistance in turning, which may be a good thing to prevent oversteer or it can be the speed sensitive steering at work.
pros: lexus build and quality, fit and finish, massive torque, 8 speed auto tranny, better gas mileage(like evos 17-24 mpg), quiet solid interior, dark bad engine bay(I miss the bling clean look of the SC400), a definite long distance cruiser.
cons: it feels heavy in turning, turn-in; the hemi sound can be too much for long distance drives(what you hear in their website is actually what you hear in this car), I prefer the sound of my IS300 or even better the 350Z exhaust note(not too loud, just right), body shape and style looks like a regular !S350 to the untrained eye. If they make special colors just for the IS-F, it will distance itself from the regular IS models($65K with taxes!).
After going back to the evo9MR on the drive home
, it looks old and cheap. But after a few gear changes(snick, snick) and going through the twisties, ahhh I like this car raw, crude and connected!
Last edited by sblvro; Mar 19, 2008 at 09:09 AM.
Thread Starter
EvoM Community Team Leader
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 3,135
Likes: 6
From: chicago, michigan, arkansas
I'm planning to buy probably by august when they give some "hidden rebates" but I have to buy my wife her "sportscar" first. she's looking at the z4 M coupe or if she likes the M3, that would save me $$$ and just buy one car instead of the IS-F
. I have to eat my words(hate bmw!). you know what, scrap the M3, it only comes in stick and she needs an auto.
. I have to eat my words(hate bmw!). you know what, scrap the M3, it only comes in stick and she needs an auto.
Last edited by sblvro; Mar 19, 2008 at 09:03 AM.
