Lexus IS: 2nd Generation

Whatever the reason, every time the Lexus IS-F & racing are linked together, it ends up being super-confusing. Case in point: My.IS has posted a story about pair of race-modified IS-Fs owned by DRC Motorsports that are about to enter the GT class of the SPEED World Challenge -- only they're not really IS-Fs, but the two race cars purchased from Team Lexus.

Regardless, the cars are powered by a 510hp 4.7-liter V8, and the first one will be making its debut this weekend in Ohio. The driver, Jeff Altenburg, was last year's SWC Touring Car champion. The race itself will be broadcast on SPEED TV on Thursday, July 24 at 1:00pm.

[Source: My.IS via Autoblog]

A number of details on the 2009 Lexus IS have been released by Lexus in the latest issue of their magazine. Here's a scan:

This verifies the information revealed in a document that showed up on Club Lexus last week, which was very specific about the upcoming changes. Let's summarize:

• New Grille
• New front & rear bumpers
• Integrated turn signals in the door mirrors
• Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management(VDIM) now standard on the IS 250
• New color: Truffle Mica
• Discontinued color: Desert Sage Metallic
• New woodgrain trim: Dark grey bird's eye maple
• Discontinued woodgrain trim: Auburn bird's eye maple
• New 17" & 18" wheels
• Wallet Smart Key standard on IS 350, optional on IS 250

All in all, there's enough changes here to brighten the car up until the new IS. Looking forward to the new grille and bumpers, though I wonder which direction it will go: IS-F or GS-facelift?

Motor Trend took delivery of a Lexus IS 250 deked out with the entire F-Sport catalog, and was generally impressed with the difference the factory modifications made:

The brakes, for example, are of the same six-piston front, four-piston rear, two-piece ventilated and drilled rotor design found on the IS F -- and they're brilliant, hauling the car down from freeway speeds with tenacity and a firm pedal. The clutch is fantastic too, with wonderfully predictable take-up and a firm, but unobtrusive feel. The suspension, on the other hand seems a bit of a let down on Southern California roads.

Oh, and Lexus has also tested its equipment on the track, unlike so many posers. In fact, at their California testing venue, Lexus claimed the full F-Sport equipped IS 250 ran an average of just over three seconds faster per lap than a stock version. Assuming accurate timing, it's hard to argue with that.

With all the F-Sport mods applied to a single car, the cost is substantial, jumping from the IS 250's base price of $31,220 to $45,548. Of course, I don't imagine that would be a very common occurrence, it's much more likely to be bought piecemeal based on the driver's preference.

Checking out the latest offerings from Tom's, the Japanese tuning company specializing in Lexus, I came across these fantastic VP17 wheels:

I tend to be very picky when it comes to wheel designs, but this staggered look is fantastic. The spokes could stand to be a bit thicker, but would probably wreck the entire look.

As for specifics, these are 19" forged alloy wheels that will fit all current IS and GS models and are currently available from Carson Lexus for $1200. Top-notch.

I may have linked to the Lexus Canada's IS 350 paddleshift game last year, but it turns out I didn't do well enough to see this secret super revving video:

I'm a big fan of these types of sound visualizations, and near the end it almost looks like the inside of an engine, which in turn reminded me of this excellent BMW M3 commercial.

(Special thanks to Jimmyeater, who's quick-shifting discovered this.)

After seeing the video of the Lexus F-Sport exhaust system, I did some research into the other performance accessories offered in the line.

Lo and behold, I found a very extensive video of the F-Sport air intake being installed and tested (along with a Tanabe exhaust system):

In terms of sound, it's hard to determine what's caused by the air intake as opposed to the replacement exhaust system, but two of them together is a winning combination.