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Lexus IS 350 to take on SPEED World Challenge GT
There hasn't been any news on a Lexus racecar since we heard rumors that the IS-F racer, unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon, was really a reskinned 2004 Opel Vectra DTM. While Lexus might not be supporting a factory-backed motorsports program for the IS, that doesn't mean that privateer teams can't develop a car on their own. DRC Motorsports has done just that and has built two IS 350 racecars that will compete in the GT class of the SPEED World Challenge. Dubbed the IS GTF, it will be sporting a 4.7-liter V8 putting out 510 horsepower and attached to six-speed sequential transmission. The first car will make its debut this weekend at Mid Ohio with Jeff Altenburg, last year's SWC Touring Car champion, behind the wheel, and the second car, driven by Robb Holland, is scheduled to make its maiden run the following race at Road America. Both cars are scheduled to run the remainder of the race season. If you want to watch the new IS GTF in action, SPEED will be airing the race on Thursday, July 24 at 1:00pm (EDT) following the Touring Car race.
[Source: my.IS]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tankd0g 10:37AM (7/18/2008)
That looks like a mid 90s M3 race car.
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Vintage 11:20AM (7/18/2008)
This version is even FASTAR!
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/200/a/0/Super_Lexus_ISF_by_cash68.jpg
MORE VENTS = MORE POWER!
inteller 11:21AM (7/18/2008)
I was going to say it looks like a rice boy's poor impersonation of a M Coupe.
MKULTRABLIZZARD 12:20PM (7/18/2008)
@Vintage...
that pic brought the lulz.
Joe K. 10:43AM (7/18/2008)
I got a fever... prescription... more louvers...
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BigMcLargeHuge 10:48AM (7/18/2008)
Why not make the LF-A available for something more than rumormill?
Good luck to them anyhow.
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Red 11:38AM (7/18/2008)
Because it didn't do so hot in its last outting...
And cot dayum that's a lot of louvers. Get some sponsor decals on that thing. It looks like the foam guy from Lithuania got ahold of it...
Mike 10:53AM (7/18/2008)
If louvers = speed, then this thing is going to clean up.
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Vintage 11:20AM (7/18/2008)
Nah, this one wins:
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs32/f/2008/200/a/0/Super_Lexus_ISF_by_cash68.jpg
Mobius_1 11:30AM (7/18/2008)
@ Vintage
Stop linking to pic of a cheese grater, man.
But somehow, from this angle, the (pictured) car reminds me of a Gillet Vertigo
stefan 11:07AM (7/18/2008)
@tankd0g
Or like the M3 ALMS that was presented a few days ago.
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FotoGenetix 11:14AM (7/18/2008)
too much E46
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:23AM (7/18/2008)
This is great to see. The amount of louvering is insane though. Kinda strange to see a Speed GT car so tubbed out, most cars in this series don't have that much wheel arch modification, although a couple (mostly the CTSes) have ridiculous amounts of other changes versus stock.
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azzo45 11:35AM (7/18/2008)
Its the SCCA... if you pay them enough... they give you an entry form! Look how different the SWC/ GT Cadillac CTS-V racer is from the SCCA T1 or Grand Am versions.
I like the Cadillac & that GM supported the series... but the SWC is suppose to be a production based series. The Lexus & the CTS-V don't look much like the street models they are representing.
s13hybrid 11:51AM (7/18/2008)
It looks like a M3 race car, or Merc CLK race car, or Opel race car. Oh wait, of course it is going to look like those, it is a race car. And I assume the louvers have a purpose.
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Franz 12:09PM (7/18/2008)
Wow. They really went all out on those wheel arches. This car is gonna stick out like a really sore thumb in the GT class. They probably had to do it to be competitive though, considering the cars they'll be up against. Vipers and GT3s can run 335 and 305mm tires under their stock bodywork, and I'm guessing they run even wider meats in GT trim. The most direct comparison would be to the CTS-Vs, but their suspension design allows them to change wheel offset and stretch the size inboard. I've seen stock CTS-Vs with 10" wheels and 285mm tires on them.
I'm just speculating anyways. The nerd in me always tries to make sense of these things. No explanation for all those louvers though. I'm sure they could address their cooling issues without it looking so cut up and tacky. But heck, it's a race car. It doesn't have to be pretty to win, it just has to work. Time will tell how this car does.
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azzo45 12:31PM (7/18/2008)
It's not 100% that they would need wide rubber like the Viper or Porsche. The Lexus might just have its track pushed out & use the same size tires as the CTS-V or the wide body Mustang
Franz 1:47PM (7/18/2008)
Good point. I agree that the track might be widened, but I don't think that alone would be the reason for those arches. Check out the lip on those wheels: they could have run a different offset and smaller arches and still maintain the current track width if tire size wasn't a factor. And I don't think the Lexus will need the same width tires as a Viper or GT3 either... the Dodge has all that torque to manage and the Porsche has all that weight out back... but anyone who races, or who's ever built a track car will tell you that the single most effective way to improve handling is to mount the widest, stickiest tires that will fit... without compromising aero, steering or suspension movement of course. As I said before though, I'm just speculating.
azzo45 3:27PM (7/18/2008)
I think it will use tires close to the CTS-V. Wide tires are good... but too much rubber is drag.
Having the wheels pushed out is a solid layout for a go fast car!!! :)
s13hybrid 4:12PM (7/18/2008)
You have to think the offset of the wheels (thus making the arches so large) could be for clearance purposes (of suspension and what not). But I have no facts, so it could be just for looks, and they may run different wheels at the track (instead of these show wheels for publicity).