Filed under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Lexus
2008 Lexus IS F to start at $56,000
click above for high-res pics of the 2008 Lexus IS F
Lexus announced today that its super sedan, the IS F, will hit the market with a base price of $56,000. In exchange for your money, Lexus will give you an IS sedan stuffed with a 5.0L V8 producing 416 horsepower and 371 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,200 rpm, with which you could reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds if so inclined. Attached to the muscle car-like motor is an 8-speed automatic with lighting quick 0.1 second shifts, and Lexus has fortified the car with a suspension tuned in Germany on the Nurburgring and Japan on Fuji Speedway. There's also bigger brakes, larger wheels and boy-racer bodywork that has yet to grow on us.
Let's get this out of the way first...
- 2008 BMW M3 Sedan: Pricing N/A, 414-hp 4.0L V8
- 2008 Mercedes Benz C63 AMG: Pricing N/A, 507-hp 6.3L V8
- 2009 Cadillac CTS-V: Pricing N/A, 550-hp 6.2L V8
- 2007 Audi RS4: $66,910, 420-hp 4.2L V8
[Source: Lexus]
Gallery: Lexus IS-F
PRESS RELEASE:
Lexus Announces Pricing for All-New 2008 IS F
January 11, 2008 – Torrance, CA - Lexus today announced the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the all-new 2008 IS F high-performance sport sedan. The IS F is the first production model to wear the new "F" badge and is the fastest Lexus production car ever built. The 2008 IS F launches onto the market carrying a base MSRP of $56,000.
The 2008 Lexus IS F is exclusively powered by a performance-tuned 5.0-liter V8 engine producing 416 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 371 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 5,200 rpm. With the implementation of a dual air intake system, high-flow cylinder heads with titanium intake valves designed by Yamaha, Variable Valve Timing with intelligence and Electrically controlled intake cam (VVT-iE) and other technological advancements, the engine outputs 83.2 hp per liter allowing the IS F to accelerate from 0 to 60 in a blistering 4.6 seconds and achieve a maximum track speed of 170 mph.
The IS F 5.0-liter engine is mated to the world's first eight-speed Sport Direct-Shift automatic transmission with a quick and direct special lock up clutch and a control system that enables ultra-quick manual upshifts (0.1 seconds) and blips the throttle for precision downshifts. The driver can shift manually using either the console shifter or steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters when driving in either Drive mode (D) or Manual mode (M). The new transmission blends the performance characteristics of an automated manual-type transmission with the smoothness and refinement of a planetary-type automatic transmission, allowing the driver to choose between ultra-quick manual shifts for spirited performance driving and smooth automatic shifts when convenience and comfort are the top priorities.
Tested and tuned on some of the world's most challenging racetracks including Nurburgring Nordschleife and Fuji Speedway, the IS F has been designed for ultimate performance. Although using the basic double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension configurations of the standard IS platform, the IS F benefits from a multitude of track-proven modifications that include increased spring and damper rates as well as larger-diameter stabilizer bars. The IS F also sits an inch lower and features suspension bushings and a calibrated Electric Power Steering (EPS) system tuned for a more direct feel.
In addition to the finely tuned suspension, a specially calibrated version of the advanced Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system is equipped to provide superior handling dynamics and traction control. The IS F is also outfitted with a (... apparently Lexus lost the part of its press release, as the one we were provided suddenly ends without warning right here.)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
cowbell 1:52PM (1/11/2008)
I love the fact that the 550HP engine in the Caddy is detuned.
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ermax18 1:58PM (1/11/2008)
Should read: Severely detuned. :)
Russell 2:21PM (1/11/2008)
That can be fixed. :)
naggs 3:23PM (1/11/2008)
it has different internals and a smaller supercharger
wouldnt be a simple pulley swap to get more power
Thetruck454 3:47PM (1/11/2008)
Correct. it doesn't have the forged pistons like the ls9
brian 2:12PM (1/11/2008)
The CTS is a FULL SIZED sedan...why are you comparing it to a compact, small sedens such as the ISF or M3? Its the same size as the M5.
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John 2:18PM (1/11/2008)
Thank you. i was just about to post the same thing.
Steven 2:19PM (1/11/2008)
You're right, the new CTS is ~13 inches longer than a 3 series. But the consumer will most definitely compare these cars when shopping, so should the reviews.
MKIV 2:20PM (1/11/2008)
Because comparing to cars in it's segment would render is not so impressive.
Blake 2:45PM (1/11/2008)
Price.
Blake 2:45PM (1/11/2008)
Price.
sheth 3:07PM (1/11/2008)
the CTS is not a full size sedan, stop with the excuses. The CTS blows this car away in power and looks better. Give credit where it's due.
There is no way the price of the M3 is going to jump $15k just because it has a V8. I think $60k-$65k is more realistic.
The C63 indeed does not have 507hp as stated.
tekdemon 5:07AM (1/12/2008)
Sheth, while they can all be classified as midsize, the CTS is on the end of the spectrum near the full-size cars while the other cars listed are much smaller.
The IS-F is almost an entire foot shorter than the CTS-V, and so is the M3. In fact, the IS-F and the M3 are within an inch of each other (I'm basing this on the length of the 335i coupe and the IS that these cars are based on).
So while the IS-F and M3 are clearly going for the same customers, the CTS-V is going for people who want a lot more room. Seeing as how the CTS is about 1 and a half inches shorter than the M5, but almost 11 inches longer than the M3 you have to be nuts to think that it competes with the M3 and the IS-F more than it competes against the M5
K. Ryan Hasse 10:03AM (1/12/2008)
Full Size? Does this make Caddy's own STS bigger than Full Size? Try to sell a Town Car L buyer that "Full Sized" CTS for Airport Limo duty....
Full Size? Really? And all capped no less...
Since when has precision and accuracy regarding the things people say (or type) become so sloppy?
I believe you were trying to say "The CTS is notably bigger" than the 3 Series and ISF, perhaps adding "it's more like the 5 Series in size, but the 3 Series in price."
For those of us who like big cars, with rear seats that have room for our passengers with legs, I'll welcome the CTS's MID SIZE capabilities.
Brian---I'm just razzin ya. Perhaps you look at a CTS from the wheel of your 12" wheeled Tata and think "Holy Crap...that CTS is HUGE!"
zamafir 2:18PM (1/11/2008)
This will sell well, I see a lot of lexus people looking quite favorably at the increase in power and the price tag, so organic growth is a sure thing, i'm not so sure about drawing huge numbers of people from merc/cadi/bmw though the S4 and RS4 look long in the tooth next to the price/performance of this car (which will be a ratio paid attention to by the lexus crew if not others).
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TriShield 2:19PM (1/11/2008)
The next CTS-V is expected to retail for $60,000 - $65,000.
Brian, the CTS is compared to those sedans because it's the same price. Most consumers shop on their budget, they don't actually measure their cars.
GM thought it was a good idea to field a slightly larger car in the entry-level luxury class. They did the same thing pitting the slightly larger STS against the 5-Series.
GM benchmarks the CTS-V against both the M3 and M5.
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Satish 2:20PM (1/11/2008)
By the way, the V8 in the C63 is detuned to around 470 horsepower. Plenty for a car that size, but still not as much as its bigger brothers.
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Snutz 2:46PM (1/11/2008)
If you click the link to the Autoblog story about it, it even says there in the press release that it will be 451 HP. Not sure where they're getting their 507 number from.
John R 2:25PM (1/11/2008)
Considering the MSRP of the M3 may well be north of $72k and this is $10k cheaper than an RS4, this doesn't sound like such a bad deal.
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hokiebird 2:47PM (1/11/2008)
A lexus "sport" sedan without a manual transmission? What a shocker...
Atleast they made up for it by adding a lot more forward gears.
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