Enter the Rumormill: Lexus developing lightweight, 429-hp IS-F/R
FiveAxis Lexus IS-F at the 2007 LA Auto Show
When Lexus set out to target the likes of the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Mercedes C63 AMG with its spankin' new IS-F, they weren't kidding. The V8 super-sedan turned out to be an astonishing departure for the Japanese luxury brand that cut its teeth on rock-solid reliability and luxurious comfort. Not content resting on its laurels, rumors are surfacing that Toyota is hard at work preparing an even more extreme variant, being dubbed in the motoring press as the IS-F/R.
Reports have Lexus tweaking an extra 12 horsepower and 4 lb-ft of torque out of the Yamaha-sourced 417-hp/372 lb-ft, 5.0-liter V8 for an increased output of 429 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. A modest increase, it would seem, until you look at the targeted 220-lb weight reduction. And as we all know, a little more power unburdened by significantly less weight is a winning formula. Just ask the likes of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Lamborghini Gallardo SUperleggera, Porsche 911 GT2 et al.
The rumored price of admission? A whopping 11 million yen in Japan, compared to the 7.7 million yen for what suddenly looks by comparison like a rather ordinary "standard" IS-F. Pursuit of Perfection, indeed.
[Source: Winding Road]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John R 4:27PM (12/12/2007)
eh...BMW made the CSL and they wanted a premium for an M3 with a piece of cardboard separating the trunk from the suspension.
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Nick 5:22PM (12/12/2007)
lol...The CSL had a carbon trunk lid, carbon roof, new running gear, various trick engine bits (the airbox alone will run you several thousand...if you can find one), new transmission software, lightweight seats, lightweight interior trim (including the door panels), and a bunch of other great stuff. All told, it resulted in nearly 250 pounds cut from an already fairly lightweight car, and tightened the entire package up to the point of being -THE- benchmark FR sports car on the market in its time.
Yes, sounds like all they did was put in a cardboard trunk floor...
dannyboi 11:57PM (12/12/2007)
This car looks hotsauce.
However, it doesn't look like it'll clear a driveway without taking out the $4K bumper.
Andrew 4:29PM (12/12/2007)
Laurels? What laurels?
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psarhjinian 4:38PM (12/12/2007)
The only extreme sports sedan that won't be a maintenance nightmare in four years?
(...until Nissan starts selling a G45)
Scott 1:50PM (12/13/2007)
"Extreme sports sedan" and "lack of manual transmission" do not belong in the same category.
SPF 4:31PM (12/12/2007)
Later, they will also develop super lightweight, uber fast, stacked quad pipe (that would be 8 exhaust tips total, thank you very much), IS-F/RS.
BTW, I think the FiveAxis's IS-F looks pretty damn good.
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Chase 4:36PM (12/12/2007)
At that price point, it will simply not be fast enough to justify the lack of refinement. *cough*fakequadexhaust*cough*
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Mbuku Kanyau Mbithuka 4:52PM (12/12/2007)
seems to me like everyone is runnig scared of CTS V, and now they are looking for more horses or cardboards to stay competitive
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Andrew 7:13PM (12/12/2007)
Yeah, that's it, everyone's afraid of the CTS-V. What color GM koolaid did you drink this time?
Ark 5:45AM (12/13/2007)
Yeah, and the CTS-V should be attending to the RS6 right now.
ello 5:00PM (12/12/2007)
My god this car looks ugly and uninspiring, I wouldn't give a rats ass about this car if it weighted 2000lbs and had 1000HP, ugly is ugly.
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Larry 5:30PM (12/12/2007)
DITTO, ETC., TIMES ONE THOUSAND! (of course that applies to every ampLEXUS!) Who else knows what "amplexus" is? SURPRISE ME!
1337 6:05PM (12/12/2007)
Well, I was going to buy an M3 until this gorgeous caught my eye.
(lol...)
EMC 6:13PM (12/12/2007)
+ eleventy billion!
Liquidretro 5:44PM (12/12/2007)
Why is it that Yamaha is designing and tuning these engines along with others from manufactures such as Ford?
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Harrison 6:27PM (12/12/2007)
Extra money.
jordan 8:11PM (12/12/2007)
...maybe because Yamaha has a great track record of performance-inspired motors? Look at the original 3.0/3.2L Ford Taurus SHO. They designed that motor for revs up to 12k before Ford put its' crappy internals in it.
Brent Worrell 9:37PM (12/12/2007)
Yamaha has been building engines for toyota since the day before forever. yamaha's making money, toyota's making money, the world goes on
mk 5:58PM (12/12/2007)
Why not tack on a bunch more letters... separated by all sorts of punctuation.
And more importantly, why not just make a coupe? the IS's back seats are mostly for show anyway.
And what is wrong with a 6-speed manual? why have 34 speed ratios in an automatic, as the only option?
A compact V8 sport coupe could be something, while they continue NOT to produce a new halo sports car.
Sorry. Not all that impressed. Wake me up when infiniti gets smart enough to put a VVEL 4.5 V8 in the G.
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