The Lexus IS-F hasn’t really caught on here in sunny Malaysia, and the first time I actually heard about the car was when I tried to test drive a Lexus IS250 at a recon dealer and hopped into the wrong car instead. The IS-F has always been deemed as the M3 competitor and now the last IS F rolled off the line at the Tahara plant last week.
Like the previous generation M3, the IS-F is powered by a V8 powerplant (5.0L) and produces 417hp and 505Nm of torque. It was the first Lexus to feature the “F” badge which then led to the insane Lexus LFA. The “F” represents the Fuji Speedway, a track in which was extensively used by Lexus to set up the car.
As much as we can say goodbye to the car, the legacy of the IS-F still lives in the upcoming RC-F which still dons the mighty V8 engine as compared to the newer M3/M4 which opted for a forced induced engine.
