A seven-year production run came to an end last week as the final Lexus IS F left the Tahara facility in Japan.
Although the IS F was never a big sellerrecent estimates put its lifetime global sales at 12,000 unitsit was the first Lexus model to give the company’s reputation for high-performance vehicles credence.
Its creation is now a part of Lexus legend.
Chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi transformed the current IS sports sedan into something far more powerful with a tiny staff and a tight budget, replacing the powerplant and modifying the body till it exhaled fire. The end result was a 416-horsepower sports car that was unheard of in Lexus history.
Will there ever be a second IS F? The future is uncertain because there has been no official announcement and because the new RC F coupe, which was also created by Yaguchi-san, will represent Lexus performance going forward.
No matter what happens, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who worked on the first Lexus high-performance car.
You should be happy with what you accomplished because it was a fantastic run.
In This Article...
Will Lexus produce a new IS F?
A BRAND NEW F SPORT The Lexus F SPORT Performance line makes its debut with the 2022 IS 500 F SPORT Performance, which is destined to catch everyone’s eye.
Has the Lexus ISF been retired?
Since the performance-focused IS F was retired in 2014, the Lexus IS lineup has had a V8-shaped hole in its core. Despite not being a full-fat F model like the RC F coupe, the recently unveiled 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance sedan should, at the very least, help quell your V8 hunger thanks to its 5.0-liter engine.
The new vehicle will be the first in the automaker’s newly revealed F Sport Performance tier, which will provide a somewhat hotter performance gradient between the moderate (and typically style-focused) F Sport trims and hot F performance vehicles. Similar to BMW’s M Sport, M Performance, and M series stratification, the three-tiered structure ought to be equally perplexing.
The IS 500 F Sport Performance, which is only available in the North American market, differs from the 300 and 350 grades thanks to an upgrade to Lexus’ 5.0-liter V8 engine. This appears to be the same 5.0L 2UR-GSE engine that powers the RC F and LC 500 coupes, producing 472 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. Fun fact: From 2007 until 2014, this plant powered the old 416 horsepower IS F. It has been modified with better compression and output.
The powertrain is coupled to the rear wheels using the well-known Sport Direct Shift eight-speed automatic transmission, and it exhausts through a sport quad-tip exhaust system. The car is predicted to accelerate from zero to sixty kilometres per hour in around 4.5 seconds when using its sportiest Sport Plus mode. Toyota says that when you’re not hitting it, it should achieve about 24 highway mpg.
How many Lexus Lfas exist worldwide?
During production at the Motomachi facility, LFA Chief Engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi is pictured with a piece of foamcored CFRP material in front of the LFA body.
The LFA went on sale for Lexus on October 23, 2009. Lexus chose its customers carefully in the second quarter of 2010. [46] December 2010 saw the start of production. With a starting price of $375,000, just 20 cars were constructed each month for the global market’s total of 500 cars (340,000). Each car had to be ordered specifically for the customer. [47]
After the LFA was debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus unveiled a website with a “LFA configurator” that let users choose exterior and interior colors, brake caliper colors, seats, steering wheel leather, and other interior designs.
[48]
[49] Over 30 billion different combinations were available in total. [49] At Toyota’s Motomatchi plant in Aichi, Japan, a committed production team of engineers and specialists hand-built each LFA. [50] [51] [52]
150 vehicles were initially offered for sale in the North American market via a two-year lease program. This was done to stop owners from profitably reselling the car. [47] To conduct test drives to potential purchasers and show off the car’s capabilities at Auto Club Speedway, racing driver Scott Pruett was hired. At the end of 2009, Toyota Motors USA’s Lexus division ceased taking orders. At that time, they intended to start talking to the lessees about a purchase plan. Later, Lexus reversed course and permitted outright purchases, but only if the buyer signed a contract giving the dealer the first option to acquire the LFA back if the owner decided to sell it during the first two years. The used LFA might be purchased back by the dealer for the lower of fair market value or the original sticker price. [53] The only Lexus outlet in Park Lane, London where customers could order the LFA for the European market was an outright purchase. [54]
Haruhiko Tanahashi, chief engineer of the LFA, in front of an autoclave for curing CFRP components
Each LFA was given a plaque with a unique number that identified its position in the production run during its manufacture. Each LFA V10 engine bore the expert’s signature from the assembly process. [51] The LFA was produced from December 2010 to December 2012 at a rate of 20 units per month. The final vehicle, which had the Nrburgring package and an exterior finish of white, was completed on December 14th, 2012, marking the end of production. There was no planned successor when manufacture halted. With a limited staff, the LFA plant in Motomachi carried on producing parts. [55]
How quick is the Lexus IS F?
This video’s opening run is just a simple sprint to 100 kph (62 miles per hour). A time of 5.05 seconds is indicated by the GPS. Lexus asserts that the IS F can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) in 4.6 seconds.
The IS F ultimately performs the top-speed run after making a few laps by the camera to capture the exhaust and some commotion on the road. This time, 5.16 seconds are required to travel 62 mph. The time for the quarter mile is 13.06 seconds. In 16.39 seconds, 124 mph (200 kph) is reached. It takes 20.21 sec to complete a half-mile.
268 kph is briefly flashed by the GPS (166.5 mph). This one is kissing the IS F’s Vmax because 170 mph (273.6 kph) is the Lexus IS F’s official top speed. This sedan appears to be capable of approaching the top speed even more with a little more road.
What is the Lexus IS F’s quality?
On open highways, the Lexus IS F is a lot of fun. While the IS F isn’t as composed in corners as a BMW M3, that only adds to its attractiveness, the massive V8 produces a lovely exhaust noise and generates a lot of power. The eight-speed automatic gearbox is another attractive feature. Eight gears may seem like overkill to some, but the box shifts easily whether you use the paddleshifters or just let it do its thing.
Exactly which Lexus has the most power?
The most potent sedan Lexus has ever produced is the GS F Experience. The Lexus GS F flawlessly mixes power, style, and grace into one ideal performance vehicle, with an amazing 467 horsepower and top track speed of 168 MPH.
What Lexus is powered by a V8?
Since the luxury brand’s 1989 debut, Lexus has been known for its supple yet potent V8 engines. For more than 30 years, the Lexus lineup has been distinguished by sonorous eight-cylinder engines, which are still available in the current RC F, LC, and LC Convertible model lines. But why was this format picked, and why has it continued to be such a winning formula?
You may access all the links you need in this article to learn more about the engineering and technological innovations that went into creating Lexus’ two multi-award-winning V8 engine series.
How many Lexus IS 500 models will there be?
The MSRP of the IS 500 Launch Edition is $67,400, and there will only be 500 of them sold in North America. Later this fall, the new 2022 IS 500 is anticipated to hit the shelves.
What caused Lexus to stop making the is?
Lexus IS sedan, RC coupe, and CT hatch will no longer be available locally. Three well-liked models from Lexus’ lineup have to be discontinued because of new side impact crash test regulations that took effect in November 2021.
The Lexus ISF was created by who?
The first generation Lexus IS F was created by Japanese automobile engineer and designer Yukihiko Yaguchi (, Yukihiko Yaguchi). He was born in 1955[1] and has over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry[2]. He currently serves as chief engineer at Lexus and served as the company’s director of development and planning. Due to his connections with Lexus and Toyota, the SC 300’s famed inline-6 2JZ-GE from the Mark IV Toyota Supra was likely provided in a naturally aspirated form. Yaguchi previously contributed to the design of the Toyota Chaser and all Toyota Supra iterations.
Will the Lexus IS get a V8 engine?
A surprise rumor claims that a V8 engine is being planned for inclusion in one of the Lexus IS standard models for 2021, despite the trend in previous years to reduce displacement. When the model receives a significant overhaul for the 2021 model year, this would in reality be an IS 500 variation that will enter the roster.
When the IS first came out, there was an IS F version that included a powerful V8 engine. Despite its undeniable merits, Lexus ignored that variation since it attracted little attention. Only the engine would be added to the catalog; not the F version itself.
In terms of what is anticipated for the IS in 2021, the model will undoubtedly receive cosmetic upgrades to align its look with that of the LS, the grand dame of the Lexus series; the inside will also be revamped. The last recent redesign was in 2014, thus a refresh wouldn’t be detrimental to the model moving ahead.