Roadfly.com - 2011 Lexus IS-F Road Test & Review

The 2011 Lexus IS-F may not look so different than IS-Fs of the past four years, but thorough re-tuning of its suspension has finally transformed it into a complete sports sedan.

This isn't your mother's Lexus! The IS-F scorches the tarmac with 416 hp from its 5.0L Yamaha-tuned V8. The redline is 6800rpm, but you can tell the motor wants to pull to 8k and beyond.

It produces 371 lb.-ft. of torque at 5200 rpm, and at around 4000 rpm you can hear a noticeable cam phase, like that of a Honda VTEC motor or any of Yamaha's other high-performance street-car motors found in Ford and Toyota products over the years.

That somewhat peaky powerband gives the car a very racy feeling, and the 8-speed automatic does a commendable job of getting the power down. The IS-F rockets to 60mph in 4.2 seconds, yet the 8 speeds allow it to achieve decent fuel economy (16/23) and dodge the gas guzzler tax.

The addition of a Torsen limited-slip differential, as well as the suspension upgrades, combined to knock off around 8 seconds from the car's lap time at VIR, putting it nearly equal with the vaunted BMW M3. It also equals or bests our tester M3's equipment levels while costing nearly $7000 less.

Well done, Lexus.

—Ross Rapoport, Road Test Editor and Video Host

Visit http://roadflytv.com for more photos and a downloadable window sticker.

Vehicle: 2011 Lexus IS-F
Base Price: $59,010
Price as tested: $63,007
Engine: 5.0L V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Horsepower: 416 @ 6600 rpm
Torque: 371 lb.-ft. @5200
0-60 MPH: 4.2 sec.
Warranty: 4 years, 50,000 miles
Fuel Economy: 16 city / 23 highway MPG

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Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 2011
• Lexus
• IS-F
• automobile
• vehicle
• car
• sedan
• 5.0L
• Yamaha
• V8
• VVT-ie
• VVT-i
• VVT-li
• cam
• phase
• Torsen
• axle
• LSD
• limited slip
• differential
• limited
• slip
• RWD
• rear-wheel
• drive
• 8-speed
• automatic
• transmission
• VIR
• seconds
• AMG killer
• Ross Rapoport
• review
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• RoadflyTV
• car review
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• MSRP
• 0-60
• M3
• killer

[159jammy]

Who cares if the M3 is better? Even if it is better, i would still get the ISF because it looks so much better, inside and out. And makes a better noise and is probably faster in a straight line.

[951cm6]

this guy knows how to review a car, props.

[S1ick10292]

TOYOTA went OFF ON THIS ONE BABY LOOKS FUCKIN SEXY

[TheMusicandlyricz]

@n0f3aR629

You're crap because you can never affort driving an M3.

Go have fun with your Corolla....oops shit I thought lexus and corolla are the same shit.

[TheMusicandlyricz]

@sdfasdfvccvvc

Agree, same for the GT-R they look like they're made for the kids

[sdfasdfvccvvc]

Good job by Lexus, they actually can build an "alive" cars if they want to... Too bad the suspension on IS-F is still too firm and absolutely unusable if you live in an area with bad roads (such as whole NYC area) and the car's exhaust tips look like they belong on a "rice racer" kiddie's car...

[SoundMan1985]

@maestrularmelor He did.

[superchargedAMG]

@159jammy not faster in a straight line, and dont tell me those exhausts arent vulgar

[maestrularmelor]

@Avallido89 i don't know..i think it's too many gears..my opinion :d

[Avallido89]

@maestrularmelor not when you think about all the gas your gonna be saving when your cruising at like 95mph in 8th gear.

[maestrularmelor]

@Avallido89 lol it's kinda stupid