"Haven't you driven this thing A BUNCH of
times?" asks my half-awake girlfriend, Tiffany, as I begin packing my test-drive
essentials -- an iPod cable, sunglasses, water bottle, and snack bar. It's
barely 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, which means nearly everyone except for
yogis, boat rowers, and surfers are sound asleep. More important, they're off
the roads.
The "thing" Tiffany is
referring to is the speed-hungry 2012 Lexus IS F sedan. Yes, I
drove the IS F quite a bit a few years ago, when our 2008 IS F long-term tester
resided in the MT garage. I admired that car
for its torquey attitude and luxurious accoutrements, but it wasn't exactly
surefooted and its ride wasn't all that supple, to name but a few niggles. It
wasn't a sedan you wanted to drive "a bunch of times" unless you had to,
especially on L.A.'s clogged, unkempt paths.
"Technically speaking, I haven't," I respond.
With that simple answer -- and a few grumbles from the lady --
we set off on a half-day adventure, searching for a proper pavement playground
for this 416-horsepower sled. Forty minutes east of San Diego, just past Pine
Valley -- a sleepy town at the base of the 6000-foot Mount Laguna -- we found
the perfect serpentine path.
Climbing behind the IS F's
leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, it's hard not to recall a few
memories of our old long-termer. First, it was (and is) one of the most fuel-efficient
high-performance sedans around. Compared to the BMW M3 (14/20 city/highway mpg)
and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG (13/19), the IS F boasts the best EPA ratings (16/23),
and our long-termer averaged 19 mpg during its one-year loan (our long-term 2009
M3 averaged just 16 mpg). Second, the 2008 F, with its eight-speed automatic,
was obnoxiously fast in a straight line, thanks to rapid downshifts that kept
the 5.0-liter V-8 in its broad torque band. Further, when riled, the IS F
sounded, well, extremely angry, which only heightened the appeal of the
attention-grabbing muscular fenders, super-sized Brembo brakes, slammed stance,
and forged 19-inch wheels.
But our long-term IS F wasn't
perfect. The most notable gripes included a stiff ride that nearly loosened
fillings, an electrically boosted helm that provided too light and synthetic,
and brake rotors that squealed like piglets. That's not all. It understeered at
the limit, which meant its tail loved to wag under hard braking. This in and of
itself hindered the IS F's chances at overthrowing the undisputed king of the
elite four-doors, the BMW M3.
Resting at the base of Mount Laguna, strapped into the 2012
F's beautifully stitched F-branded bucket seat, I toggle the steering-wheel
mounted Sport mode and slide the gearshift into Manual (together they dial down
the electronic steering assist, sharpen the throttle/gearbox mapping, and loosen
up the traction control settings). Time to give the all-aluminum V-8 a big dose
of throttle.
Above 3600 rpm, the stacked tailpipes ditch their civilized
rumble for a throaty Super GT war cry. Producing such a demonstrative bellow and
more mid- to high-range power requires an opening of the second intake hidden
within the right front wheel well. Cross the barrel-chested rumbles of a
Mercedes-Benz SLS with the metallic roars of an Audi R8 4.2, and you'll
understand the tones permeating my ear canals.
The IS F's rear 255/35R-19
Michelin Pilot Sports barely chirp during their search for grip, but once they
grab, the 3800-pound Lexus needs a mere 4.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60
mph. While I won't get to experience the thrills of a quarter-mile blast today,
our test crew recorded a run of 12.9 seconds at 111.4 mph, which is nearly on
par with that of the aforementioned long-term M3 (12.7 at 110.6).
Graciously, Lexus and Brembo have endowed the IS F with
substantial braking abilities. Halting from 60 mph takes 105 feet (same as the
M3), thanks in large part to the huge 14.2-inch front/13.6-inch rear rotors and
six-piston front/two-piston rear calipers. On the skidpad, the IS F averaged
0.96 g of stick, putting it ahead of such big league players as the
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe (0.94 g), Cadillac CTS-V sedan (0.95 g), and yes,
the BMW M3 sedan (0.94 g).
Improving upon our long-term IS F's figure-eight number by a
full second and 0.07 g (24.8 seconds at 0.79 g compared to the old 25.8 seconds
at 0.72 g) took significant tuning on Lexus' part. For model year 2011 and
beyond, chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi introduced new nutrients to his baby's
formula, namely stiffer front and rear spring/damper calibrations, larger
anti-roll bars, thicker bushings, longer bump stops, and revised power steering
logarithms. He also gave the IS F a standard-issue Torsen limited slip
differential. Since they were deemed up to snuff, the team left the 90-degree
eight-cylinder and paddle-activated gearbox untouched.
On east San Diego's mountaintop roads, Yaguchi's simple tweaks
render drastic improvements. The IS F's electro-boosted helm now responds as a
proper sport sedan's should -- direct, communicative, silky smooth, and organic
-- which is key to the quicker, highly responsive lateral jinks the F performs
on its forged BBS footwear. At my wannabe Senna limits, the Lexus loses much,
but not all, of its usual snowplow behavior. Kill the computer-programmed
nannies associated with the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM)
system, and the IS F turns into a slide-happy beast that is nevertheless easily
controlled via the 371 lb-ft of torque.
Yaguchi also paid special attention to the F's interior. A
central tachometer sits squarely below the driver's line of sight, making it
easy to utilize on a fast-paced outing. Near the 5000-rpm hash, LED shift lights
turn neon orange for the sake of the V-8's livelihood and longevity. Nearer to
the 6800 rpm redline, they turn OMG-you'd-better-pull-that-right-paddle
red.
Gatling gun-like shifts in 0.1-second increments have me
thinking this regular automatic must have another clutch hiding somewhere.
Delectable WOMMMMP! WOMMMP! exhaust barks follow every auto rev-matched
downshift, which on my 25-mile run make me feel like a 24 Hours of Nuerburgring
racer.
Twenty-four miles into our hour-long 4000-foot climb and
descent, after countless bends and redlined straightaways, the Brembos continue
their barrage of hard bites without wane or squeal, and the smooth V-8 pulls
just as powerfully as it did in Pine Valley. Amazingly, the 5.0-liter's oil
temperature gauge hasn't flashed once, nor has its coolant gauge glowed red --
true testaments to this car's brutal development regime and high pain
thresholds.
Yaguchi-san hasn't merely transformed the IS F into a more
astute gripper. No, he's morphed it into a true M3 chaser, and quite possibly, a
legitimate mauler of Munich's (and Stuttgart's) current best. Nowadays it
properly orchestrates its power and speed with admirable agility and livable
ride quality. For an updated first-generation player, this Lexus has what it
takes to make M and AMG quiver; that is, until the new batch of Germans arrives.
Would I happily drive this Lexus "a bunch of times" more? (IS) F yes.
[TABLE="class: insettxt, width: 100%"]
[TR="class: hdr"]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]2012 Lexus IS F [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]BASE PRICE[/TD]
[TD]$62,175 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]PRICE AS TESTED[/TD]
[TD]$66,664 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]VEHICLE LAYOUT[/TD]
[TD]Front engine, RWD, 4-pass, 4-door sedan[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]ENGINE[/TD]
[TD]5.0L/416-hp/371-lb-ft DOHC 32-valve V-8 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]TRANSMISSION[/TD]
[TD]8-speed automatic[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)[/TD]
[TD]3778 lb (54/46%)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]WHEELBASE[/TD]
[TD]107.5 in[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT[/TD]
[TD]183.5 x 71.5 x 55.7 in[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]0-60 MPH[/TD]
[TD]4.5 sec[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]QUARTER MILE[/TD]
[TD]12.9 sec @ 111.4 mph[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]BRAKING, 60-0 MPH[/TD]
[TD]105 ft[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]LATERAL ACCELERATION[/TD]
[TD]0.96 g (avg)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]MT FIGURE EIGHT[/TD]
[TD]24.8 sec @ 0.79 g (avg)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON[/TD]
[TD]16/23 mpg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr2"]
[TD]ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY[/TD]
[TD]211/147 kW-hrs/100 miles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: hdr3"]
[TD]CO2 EMISSIONS[/TD]
[TD]1.05 lb/mile[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Read more: 2012 Lexus IS F - First Test - Motor Trend
IS/RC Motor Trend: 2012 Lexus IS-F test
- Thread starter 330CIZHP
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Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation.
Founded in 1989, the Lexus brand is marketed in over 90 countries and territories worldwide
and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan.
Its operational centers are in Brussels, Belgium, and Plano, Texas, United States.
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