2009 Lexus IS F Review
There's a little more company in the rarefied world of AMG and M cars. Make room for Lexus first production monster car, the IS F. Now one of the big stars of this car lives in this neighborhood, the dual overhead cam, 5 liter V8. First of all, look at these big modules. That I believe is part of the complex valve timing that is adjustable for both intake and exhaust valves. Similarly, dual is the intake set up on the plenum here. Down in there is an intake that has different paths for low and medium RPM and for RIPM. And yet with all these brawn, we’re doing pretty good on the economy, 4.6 seconds for zero to sixty. But you're still getting 16 city, 23 highway rated.
Now even the R IS F is loaded with all the latest cabin tech. If you're looking for this car to break new ground in that area, keep looking. No hard drive, no HD radio, its filling a little long in the tooth in a really excellent way. Our map and menu and general visual interface remains one of the best in the business. I love the quality of the look of the Lexus screen. The base audio rig in this car is called Lexus Premium Sound, 13 speakers, in-dash 6 discs CD changer. It would have an Aux jack and I say would because we have the Levinson navigation package. More speakers and surround sound ability. Plus, this system is CD and DVD compatible. They also roll up the Bluetooth hands-free communication and the back-up camera when you put this guy in reverse.
Now check this out, even with the Levinson system, you still don’t have iPod or XM those are ala carte separate dealer installed options. But even worst, you cannot have an iPod adaptor and XM radio. Also, our car has the PCS ACC option. You know what that is. Of course, you don’t. A pre-collision system and adaptive cruise control, so the pre-collision of course is what's going to tighten things up pre-brake, pre on the bags and the belts if you're about to hit something and of course, adaptive cruise so you can set a disc and sync control and the car will maintain that depending on what's ahead of you and your maximum speed set.
Now all that gabs of power goes out through a one choice only, 8-speed automatic. Here's the stick, a pretty traditional gate and it come on over to the left to manually influence over here on the stick or go for the very best steering wheel mounted pedals. I think I've used yet. They are really stiff and firm and crisp. And tying all that power train together are some of what they call VDIM, Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management or some mambo jumbo like that. It takes every system in the car and ties it together. It has three levels. There's normal. There's sport. And there's off.
In the normal mode, this button is going to basically baby you. In the sport mode, they say it backs off a little and it’s going to catch you when you're closer to the precipice of really making a nervous wreck out of your insurance agent. And in the off mode, well, you know what that means. All bets are off. Oh by the way, when you buy your IS F set up a special account for tires. You're going to need the money because this butter balls are going to wear out like that. There’s a sticker on the window that guarantees it.
Now we’d sure like to see a manual gearbox offered, but at least this automatic can be both civilized and savage by turns. The transmission programming handles throttle blips on downshift real nicely. And up shifts are what they should be, tight, fast and hard. Underway, you immediately realize this car is not a daily driver. The suspension is sprung hard and in about a mile of real world driving, you're already missing your other car. Yeah, I know the IS F specialty car but the C63 and M3 do about the same thing without making your backside regret it.
The body styling is perhaps the most audacious in its class. If you can afford this car and are young enough to not look stupid driving it my hats off to you. Handling is of course, amply, sharp and able. You need to get on the track to come anywhere near utilizing all of it responsibly. The IS F base is a little under 57 grand. The Levinson, NAV, Bluetooth rear camera package adds almost 4,000 more. Other 2850 gets you radar cruise and that pre-collision system neither of which seem like a stylist thick fit for a car like this.
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