The Lexus IS F debuted at the North American International Auto Show on 8 January 2007. The vehicle features a 5.0 L direct-injected V8 producing 416 SAE hp (423 PS, 311 kW) at 6,600 rpm, while peak torque is 371 ft⋅lbf (503 N⋅m) at 5,200 rpm.[10] The engine also features a two-stage intake system, engine oil and automatic transmission fluid coolers and an oil pump designed for high-speed cornering. Compared to the 2GR-FSE V6, 306 hp (228 kW) IS 350, the IS F features a 2UR-GSE V8 engine and over 400 hp (300 kW). The IS F was scheduled to be in dealerships by early 2008.
The IS F made its European premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, and premiered in Japan at the Fuji Speedway in October 2007. The vehicle went on sale in late 2007 in Japan, in early 2008 in the United States,[11] and in Europe in 2008.
The F designation was originally used at Lexus' launch in 1989, as an internal code for the development of its first flagship vehicle.[1]
In late 2006, Lexus filed trademark applications for an "F" emblem, leading to speculation that the luxury marque was about to launch a performance brand.[5] At the time it was suggested that F stood for "Fast" or "Flagship." Later reports surmised that F referred to the Fuji Speedway whose first corner, 27R, was said to have inspired the shape of the "F" emblem.[2] Company representatives mentioned in prior years of possibly starting a performance brand to compete with the likes of Mercedes' AMG, Audi's S/RS, Cadillac's V-series, and BMW's M division, among others.[6][7] An earlier in-house tuning effort, the TRD-based L-Tuned, had offered performance packages on the IS 300 and GS 400 sedans in the early 2000s. Lexus' racing activities and sports model development had been handled by the Lexus Vehicle Performance Development Division, a branch of the Lexus Development Center, located in Aichi, Japan.[3]
In September 2006, Lexus announced that the first vehicle in the F marque lineup, the Lexus IS F sedan, previously known in the press as the IS 500,[8] would premiere at the North American International Auto Show in January 2007. The vehicle subsequently premiered in Detroit along with a redesigned version of the concept LF-A sports car. It was marketed that a "skunkworks" team directed by Yukihiko Yaguchi, who had previously worked on the Toyota Supra, had designed the new car.
A performance variant of the LS flagship, the LS 460 Sport, was released in 2010,[9] and followed by F Sport versions of the CT 200h, GS 250, GS 350, and RX 350.
The IS F made its European premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, and premiered in Japan at the Fuji Speedway in October 2007. The vehicle went on sale in late 2007 in Japan, in early 2008 in the United States,[11] and in Europe in 2008.
The F designation was originally used at Lexus' launch in 1989, as an internal code for the development of its first flagship vehicle.[1]
In late 2006, Lexus filed trademark applications for an "F" emblem, leading to speculation that the luxury marque was about to launch a performance brand.[5] At the time it was suggested that F stood for "Fast" or "Flagship." Later reports surmised that F referred to the Fuji Speedway whose first corner, 27R, was said to have inspired the shape of the "F" emblem.[2] Company representatives mentioned in prior years of possibly starting a performance brand to compete with the likes of Mercedes' AMG, Audi's S/RS, Cadillac's V-series, and BMW's M division, among others.[6][7] An earlier in-house tuning effort, the TRD-based L-Tuned, had offered performance packages on the IS 300 and GS 400 sedans in the early 2000s. Lexus' racing activities and sports model development had been handled by the Lexus Vehicle Performance Development Division, a branch of the Lexus Development Center, located in Aichi, Japan.[3]
In September 2006, Lexus announced that the first vehicle in the F marque lineup, the Lexus IS F sedan, previously known in the press as the IS 500,[8] would premiere at the North American International Auto Show in January 2007. The vehicle subsequently premiered in Detroit along with a redesigned version of the concept LF-A sports car. It was marketed that a "skunkworks" team directed by Yukihiko Yaguchi, who had previously worked on the Toyota Supra, had designed the new car.
A performance variant of the LS flagship, the LS 460 Sport, was released in 2010,[9] and followed by F Sport versions of the CT 200h, GS 250, GS 350, and RX 350.
