Lexus IS F upgraded – what’s the diff?

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By Matt Brogan | September 29th, 2009

Lexus IS F has received a new, compact mechanical Torsen LSD (Limited Slip Differential) that supersedes the previous Brake LSD function unit.

The change has seen the IS F gain a two second improvement in lap times around Japan’s Fuji Speedway and joins other convenience and design feature upgrades in face-lifting the model.

The Torsen LSD redistributes the torque that is lost when a wheel loses traction during cornering, without limiting engine output. New differential oil has also seen the unit perform more smoothly as well as making it quieter.

IS F upgrades also include a revised satellite navigation unit with improved route guidance, functionality and map view.

The 14-speaker Mark Levinson audio system has been upgraded too and now features a new USB input for iPods along with new software to allow selection of tracks via the vehicle’s touch screen navigation unit.

Interior revisions see the inclusion of folding rear head restraints, F logo on the ultra-thin card key, and a new steering wheel and centre cluster design.

The new steering wheel has added colour trim in the lower section of the rim and new “overcast” stitching pattern to provide a neater finish to the leather wrapped steering wheel.

The centre cluster has improved audio switches, as well as a new facia around the navigation system and air conditioning unit.

In addition, Lexus has redesigned the moonroof controls with seesaw-type switches in lieu of a dial-type switch, for greater ease of use.

“IS F has continued to outsell its allocation month on month, with the upgrades ensuring its sustained popularity,” said Lexus Chief Executive, Mr John Roca. “The adoption of a mechanical LSD will deliver a greater drive experience on the road and on the circuit. IS F has been of critical importance in shifting Lexus’ brand perception.”

For a full review of the current Lexus IS F, click here.

Martin

Still… it’s no M3.

Ryan

Neither is the C-Class AMG or Audi RS4

Bavarian Missile

Still the imitator not the originator ……….going to take a long time to shift that boring Lexus brand perception even with this,sorry ,……….. nice try though !

figjam

no where near as boring as your butt ugly m3 bm!!!!!!!!

Fast Fridge

Mr A “I see you got a new car, what is it, a lix……..lux……..lex….”
Mr B “LEXUS!”
Mr A “Oh yeah that’s it……..what do they cost”
Mr B “hrmmgrummmmhrrr……….”
Mr A “Pardon?”
Mr B “130 grand”
Mr A “130 grand?”
Mr B “that’s right”
Mr A ” and you could have had……let me see…….a M3……..RS4…….AMG…….mehehe.
Mr B “but it..” Mr A interupts “hahahahaha”
Mr B “you don’t understand………..”
Mr A “HAHAHA…….sorry……..you’re right! I don’t, but save your breath – I don’t think I ever will! Oh, and can you spell resale? Guess you didn’t speak to the accountant huh?”
Marcoz

Amen to that figjam.

I love this car and yes i have driven one, A MAZING to say the least….wish i had the money to buy one though…
and atleast in 5 years time you could easily say it will be just as good with minimal probs, try say that about a 2 year old beemer or merc…..u cant…
well done lexus…keep on going….just get rid of the tacky fake wood on most models, it just lets u down so much…
Bavarian Missile

One day when you grow up Jammedfig Im sure you will be among the Lexus owners out there ,proving my point even more !

SoldAtGoodGuys

A Camry with LSD – check it out!

Nobody

Camry is the ES.
tekkyy

lol everything is a Camry to you
Safety Frist

was that “with” or “on”??????

figjam

Unlike anyone here i have driven the isf and it’s a weapon! these small changes will make a big diffence to anyone interested in track work. i also drove the 4 door m3 apart from the fact it’s butt ugly it has no torque, the lexus isf is a better all round drive!

ZX10

Be sure to look after that eye of yours won’t you?
Bavarian Missile

hahaha no torque …………..god your an idiot! Best of my knowledge they dont allow 15 year olds to drive Jammedfig .

figjam

Any accountant i know would tell you the lexus is better value because 90% of them drive them, you dont buy BMW’S for resale value! all luxury cars have very little resale value because of the % of retained value from new! and “fastfridge” can you even afford a car in this price range? i think your dreaming buddy!

Marcoz

And dont forget figjam most lexus drivers keep thier cars for more than the the usual 3 years because they dont fall apart….the reason beemers and mercs get sold within their 3 year life to get thier so called resale value back is because they have to sell them because the problems they always have, so they HAVE to get rid of them….thiers your resale value fastfridge….. they have to sell em quick otherwise they fall apart…hahahahahha….

lexus pure gold for value…and last 10 years down the track…..
beemers arent worth the money they charge by a long shot…
Bavarian Missile

95% of the business luxury cars owners couldnt give a flying fig about resale value, its a tax deduction so who gives a rip !

Like most cars, at the end of their lease its worth about the balloon payout……

Alan

Good to see Lexus and MB taking it more serious in chasing the M3 with mechanical LSD made available in both IS F and C63. Still not going to be the equal of M3, but it is getting ever closer. May be i’m old fashioned, but part of my love for M3 (and to a smaller extent RS4) is the proper manual gearbox. I know the world is moving to paddle shifts, but it’s good to have manual as an option for us manual lovers.

tekkyy

embrace fashion
it hurts less

I wish they came with a proper column-mounted gear stick…j/k

davie

Good on Lexus, I finally saw one in the flesh last night. It sure doesn’t look like a normal one.

Yes its not an M3, its an IS-F. I will never be able to afford either and would be more than happy to even test drive one around a track.
fxh555

Fastfridge, Mr A also forgets that the others cost a lot more to begin with!

uhhuh

You reakon it would be a stretch if you have a lazy 130G for a car then? You’d save the difference in depreciation anyway

Camski

@uhhuh – It’s quite obvious you have little to no experience when shopping in this market. AU$10,000 – whether you have AU$150,000 or AU$150,000,000 – goes a long way.

I love how the IS F is so easily dismissed. If one had that “lazy 130G”, you just missed out on positive return investment. These things when they first came out (this applies to the IS F and it’s 3 relatives) would sell, second hand for 10K Aussie or more over retail. With that said, you can not tell me that there is no demand for what can only be seen as a car, that is tremendous value for it’s price. Sure it’s not quite up to C63 or M3 levels in flat out performance (even with the mechanical LSD) but real world, when this is priced like a loaded 335i Sedan, all I can say is, you’d be nuts to pass up the opportunity.

I remember going through this in another post, the price difference between the C63 and IS F is roughly 10% of the C63′s price. 10%. That’s a HUGE figure in anyone’s language. I’m sure we can all relate running down to KMart for that 15% store wide sale.

Look at it this way, the Kia Cerato Coup in manual format is $23,690. I’m going to give today’s buyer, the benefit of the doubt and say he gets to start with $23,000. Lets take 10% off this price, that brings it down to $20,700. Do you have any idea how hard you’d have to bargain to get even 1-5% of the price off?

As for resale, forget it, these things depereciate like anything (all of them) because buyers in this market ‘usually’ buy new, hence why they are looking in this market to start with.
The Realist

You obviously have no idea how depreciation works over the LCT limit. And even at that price people don’t want to be taken for a ride. When I purchased my wife’s 335i do you think I simply accepted what the dealer was dishing out to me??

Yanzo

what? the old is-f didn’t have a LSD?

Camski

Not a mechanical one, no.

Much like the regular C63 which could be optioned up with one at least.
figjam

it was a electronic one! not mechanical!

Lukaas

Yeah the IS-F haters simply hate Toyota/Lexus to start with. Toyota/Lexus could produce a 3 second 400kW beast and the same people would put it down. Its not the car anymore… its the attitude towards the company. Its prejudism all in its ugly form.

Lexus’s first attempt on a performance/luxury sedan and its half a star out of the current market benchmark… BMW M3. I’m a huge Audi fan myself and see RS4 as my ideal pick but I’d have to say that Lexus’s first attempt on this market is equal performance, built wise to that of the competitors… but also cheaper.

Then you have the LF-A to come out in the next year or 2 and you have Lexus with a M3/RS4/C63 competitor. And a Aston Martin Vanquish, Ferrari 599GTB competitor too.
Audi and Merc can say something similar to that but even Beamer is missing that
exotic car… and no the ugly-as 300K+ coupes they have dont count.

Alan

No doubt it is a fine effort from Lexus with the IS F, but i still don’t think it’s close to the M3. Firstly, the bodykit looks a bit rice, and the interior just isn’t special enough. All the minor switchgears look similar to those found on Toyota, and at more than 100k, that is just not acceptable. Finally, i don’t think the engine is not as special as the one in the M3, M3′s engine feels more special, bespoke and race car like. Honestly, i think M3/RS4/C63/ISF are all very close competitors and there’s no obvious reason not to choose any of them, it all comes down to personal perferance. I like M3′s lighter chassis, manual gearbox, high revving V8, in short a more pure performance car.

As for people hating Lexus, seems to be the case in many countries outside of Asia and USA, they make fine cars, just not very exciting until ISF. Looking forward to LF-A, will be quite expensive, but can’t wait to see it give GTR a trashing. Better looking than GTR too i think, just hope they don’t canne the project in the end, it has being so long in the making already. Bring it to the market before the styling startes to be dated.
The Realist

This is a fine first effort from Lexus. It’s taken Audi years to get close with the B7 RS4, yet there’s not too much flak directed at Volkswagen sorry Audi.

Sumodog

Great car.
Genesis Coupe

I think IS-F looks bit better than M3 Sedan.

Jester

If you are a massive Lexus fan – maybe….problem with this IS-F is that the base IS is so boring and Lexus couldn’t really turn this into an aggressive looking machine, but if Lexus turns this into coupe then we can compare it to the BMW M3.

Chris

I don’t think the Lexus can compete with the BMW; it just doesn’t break-down like the Bimmer. Think about it; you would NOT get towed or get a junky enterprise rental. People wouldn’t laugh at you for spending a large amount of money for a smooth lookin’ ride broke-ass down on the freeway. Nope; it’s better to compare the Benz’s to the Bimmers.
James

If I were the BMW execs, I won’t be be breaking out the champagne. The M3 had a 30 year headstart (since the 80′s) and the ISF is getting to be about 80-90% of what the M3 is based on testing by most journalist. Yes, they all agree it’s no M3 but very very close. So if your competitor has gotten to about 90% of where you are in their first try, is there cause for celebration? And most Lexus drivers used to be either MB or BMW owners who got sick of poor reliability and dealer attitude.
I am a consulant and I see these sort of arrogance in a lot of companies, most of which are now in financial trouble. They pat themselves in the back saying that they are #1 or the market leader without paying attention to the fact their lead over the next guy is slowly shrinking. I know that in a few years with their continuous improvement philosophy and willingness to listen to customers, Lexus will create a car that beat the M3.