wow the IS-F hate. firs off an IS-F in person looks a hell of alot better then in pictures, in pictures it looks awkward, but in real life he car looks really good. i agree this is toyota's first attempt at creating a car like this, but you also have to look at the history of toyota (supra) and toyota as a whole. they know what they are doing. the fake tips...yea this kinda fake but the rear mufflers are kinda attached to the tips and flows into the tips, not like what was seen with earlier photos, so essentially the rear doesn't look fake.

knowing their reliability and being different and already owning an IS myself i still think i would take evan IS-F over M3 but hell it would be a difficult choice.

 

I understand your point of view but I do think that you are short changing the IS-F a bit as Lexus went a bit further that just adding a B18C, a set of Brembos, TEINs and a Wing West kit to an EK Civic. They seem to have diligently developed and calibrated the IS-F to effectively compete performancewise with the likes of the M3, RS4 and C-AMG while giving up little civility or quality for which the brand is famous.

I will always love the M3 but it is not purpose built (a la GT-R or C6) IMHO. Rather it is purpose enhanced to a level that may/may not vary from the IS-F or RS4.

(Sidenote: I would like to see Infiniti follow Lexus' lead and throw a 390hp+ Infiniti G50 into the mix as well.)

 

it's too forced. The M3 is like a natural extension of the 3-series. The IS-F looks just like a riced out IS.

 

Honda needs to release that Legend that Mugen developed... teh sex...

 

The IS in general is Like Phile said, the look is too forced. Its not as bad as the IS2/350 because they have conservative, plain designs, which flows with the rest of the car. The IS-F retains the conservative shape of the IS, but adds overly aggresive bumpers that just ruin the look IMO. I've seen better hooked up IS350's.

As far as the tips go, if its anything like the new LS, the tips are not attached to the muffler. In the IS' case, I doubt they have a vertical muffler behind those tips. I remember when I first picked up on it, I was driving alongside a LS460 in traffic, and the sun was beeming behind us. I looked at his exhaust tips and I was kind of shocked that the ever-so-praised, top quality lexus would cheap out like this on their flagship model.

 

Actually the exhaust tips are connected. Only on the pre production and some show models were they disconnected.






http://thepassionatepursuit.com/2007...quad-exhausts/

 

yeah, IS-F does look a little better in person. I saw it and sat in it. But...

Have you seen the brand new M3 in person?

You'll change your mind.

 

M3

 

I have seen and test drove the IS-F. That nose is ugly especially from the side.

IS-F is simply not as tossable as the M3. The engine actually does not feel that powerful at low end. kind of suprising since it has more torque and more displacement.

M3 actually felt a lot more stronger in the low end. In fact, it actually felt a little stronger than my M5 off the line.

I don't like the brake on the IS. Totally unlinear. The M's brake is far much better.

 

I'd go with a Benz C63 AMG in that class.
yes i know no stick but that 6.3 is a torque beast

 

Don't get me started on how much I don't like the IS-F's looks. Its got chubby cheeks!

 

I'm gonna have to agree with everyone else. M3>ISF. the isf just looks to awkward. the m3 styling is far better, but the drive experience i'm not sure about. never driven either. just drive them and get what you want....im sure either would be a blast to drive

 

I saw one in Vancouver the other day... I didn't care for it. I know the exhaust has been mentioned many times... but I can't express in words how much I hate them... then I read in a magazine (where the IS-F came in 3rd of the comparo with the M3 sedan/C63), that the side vents don't vent anything... that's like one of my biggest pet peeves about design... if it's not functional and it's only for aesthetic... then it's no good... that bothers me just as much as the exhausts...

the magazine (can't recall which one at the moment), did say that it IS Lexus' first attempt in this league... so give it some slack


honestly... I would rather get the IS350 and tune the fuck out of it instead.

 

I haven't driven either of them yet, but would like too in the near future. Based on looks alone, I'd go with the M3 sedan.

 

ehh... imo i wouldnt choose either. i am a fan of the IS350 but the IS-F just looks like a riced out IS350 and performance between the two isnt worth what is it 15-20k. bit disappointed in what lexus did. seems like they rushed producing that car just to compete against bmw. Same for bmw, $55k for a bmw m3(legendary handling,smooth delivery,quality, and fit and finish) that could easily be outdone by its younger cousin the 135i with $2000 or less. now i know you can get a cheaper car and mod it to beat another car and blah blah blah, but my point is the m3 has always set the standard against its competitors and for it to be outdone by one of its own with a FEW mods, and is one of the cheapest, is just plain stupid. anyways if i had to choose ill take the m3 just ONLY b/c of handling and nothing else.

 

ugly

 

Yeah, you are right. M3 = 135i with $2000 or less.

 

IS-F is nice but M3 is a clear choice any day of the week.

fully loaded and comparatively loaded are very different things too...

you can get things like comfort access and stuff like that but you won't find it on an IS-F.

a well equipped M3 coupe (zsp, ztp, zcw hd and sat radio, ipod/usb) is about $65k and a comparitive IS-F is about $61-$62k

 

i like the is-f

 

+1

But I'd take either in a heart beat.

 

i like it too.

but i just don't like it as much as the M3. and i agree with some of things that others have said: automatic, the vents not serving any purpose but for looks, the exhaust tips, fattiness, etc.

i'm still warming up to the C63 so i think that would be more of an interesting decision if i were to choose between the two.

but then again, i'm not so i'm just fantasizing.

but if someone was going to give me any of the 3 for free, i certainly wouldn't turn it down.

 

for me,
it annoys the shit outta me when I have to worry about shit not working right. For example my comfort access on my car has crapped out, in addition to my dash rattle and some wierd clunking sound from my drivetrain. That should not happen in a 50K car. I am trying to not be negative because I do enjoy the car, but cmon. I have never seen the comfort access in the infiniti's crap out. Shouldn't happen.

So, cars like the IS-F etc look more appealing because you know that it'll most likely work the way it's supposed to. So, you are getting a car that does almost everything the M3 does and does it all the time w/o having to worry about shit not working. I mean honeslty, how many people track their cars. I don't. Even if i do, how many times will I do it. Once maybe twice a year? Will i ever be able to test the limits of a car and know the differences that the magazines pick out? Probably not.
Stuff like ride quality, dependebility, amenties matter in the everyday use of a car.

 

Seen one a couple days ago. I drove by it and knew right away it was the IS-F but was in shock to see it in person. It was parked right outside of a tavern



After seeing it in person i think its beautiful! But, would go with the m3

 

If I were shopping for a sport sedan in that price range, the IS-F wouldn't even exist to me... no manual transmission = no care.

Whoop de mother fucking doo, it shifts with a curl of your fingertips in a tenth of a second. I can probably pee farther than the jets for the windshield wipers anyway

 

IS-F has more torque than the M3 and looks better in person. I dont like the M3 coupe but the sedan looks bad ass. For the amount of money both cost , I'd go with the best all around package. IS-F has way too many stupid F emblems on the car.

 

thats how i felt at the auto show (chicago). Its a cool car but i would much rather have an M3 if the money was about the same... if the IS-F was in the $45-50k range... it might price people into the market for the kind of car they are getting and be worth it over an M.

just bothers the FUCK out of me that they give you all that power and no clutch...

 

seeing an E90 M3 coupe up-close and in-person is a life-changing experience. the styling and proportions are just soooooooooo right. the four-door on the other hand, almost looks a bit bland.

i would take an IS-F though. the same day after purchase, i would take it to a muffler shop and get the exhaust right.

 

Sounds like that would rule out earlier versions of the E60 M5.

 

I always thought they were bad ass for having such a high-revving V10. But I've always thought the E60s were ugly, and the M5 is an improvement but it still has the similar headlight and taillight shape which I don't like at all. Though it could be because the E39 M5 looked so good that it was too tough to match appearance-wise.

Not to mention I heard that the early versions of the DSG or whatever in BMWs were absolutely terrible. Very jerky shifts and not quite as fast as new DSG boxes, again, I've heard.

 

you mean the E90 M3 sedan? or E92 M3 coupe?

 

The quad exhaust are for show only. It's really a functional DUAL exhaust......

 

Pretty sure he meant E92 M3.

 

I like the E90 more than the IS at each trim level: 328i > IS250, 335i > IS350 and M3 > IS-F. But, there does seem to be a bit of overcriticism on IS-F and little credit given to Lexus for making a good effort at entering this segment.

As I have alluded to earlier, Infiniti and Acura (arguably the two Japanese brands with the more sporty image) should have preceded Lexus in entering this segment.

 

 

I would even rather have a GT500 haha!

 

As I am typing this I have a brochure for the GT500 (Mustang) right in front of me. Since seeing one in person (and in I Am Legend), it has fast become one of my favorite cars.

 

Icon vs wanna be, enough said.

 

I completely agree with this. As much as I like German cars, and some Japanese cars, I would never pass up a big American V8.

 

This Lexus is just another pale copy that fails AGAIN to better BMW.

 

I would argue that the GT-R (and possible GT-R 4 door) is Nissan's answer to the M3 and IS-F (though it really is in a segment above these two as far as performance goes).