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Lex Coupe / Is 500


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I got feed up of rumours so I tried to some info from the net, anyone know any more?

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Car Reviews: First Drives

Lexus IS430

The boys at Lexus are getting serious about performance - and have built this sensational V8-engined IS430 to prove it.

By Ian Kuah November 2002

The boys at Lexus are getting serious about performance - and have built this sensational V8-engined IS430 to prove it.

Auto Express was first behind the wheel of the muscle car, which is finished in menacing black, and is being presented as a rival to the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes AMG C32.

Sitting lower than the standard IS, the 430 is further improved with a new front bumper and radiator grille. Inside, the only change is the speed-ometer, which now reads 180mph.

Built with the help of Lexus' parent company at Toyota Team Europe, the newcomer taps into experience gained during the firm's first competitive year in Formula One. Fire up the car's 4.3-litre V8 engine and the soundtrack is NASCAR-grade. But perhaps that is little surprise when you consider that the engineer in charge is Gerald Bon-engel, formerly a development engineer at Mercedes tuner Brabus.

For reliability, the engine is unmodified, but a new exhaust hikes power from 277bhp to 305bhp. It's enough to thrust the IS430 from 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds and on to 162mph.

That potential is realised at the test track as we hit the accelerator and the rear tyres spin furiously before blasting us down the long straight. The gearbox shifts seamlessly and the car feels surprisingly refined. Despite the heavier engine, the IS430 is quick through cor- ners, too. Steering feel is good, there's little body roll and the car turns crisply. Carry too much speed into a bend and there is mild stabilising understeer, but that is easily balanced with the throttle.

Big power needs brakes to match. Dinner plate-sized discs, courtesy of Alcon, are clamped by massive cal-ipers front and rear. They haul the relatively light IS430 down from serious speeds with consummate ease.

This is only the beginning of the IS430 story, however. Toyota Team Europe has also built a supercharged version of this motor, which produces an M5-rivalling 404bhp with 600Nm of torque. With that sort of power on tap, BMW and Mercedes really had better be on their guard.

A closer look at the 2008 Lexus IS 500

By Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor Email | Blog

Date posted: 08-17-2006

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Lexus won't comment on it, but our latest spy footage from Death Valley reveals what looks to be an even higher performance version of the Lexus IS 350 sedan.

Rest assured that whichever route Lexus takes, the IS 500 will stand as its most aggressive move yet toward unseating the Germans in the performance sport sedan segment. And if you don't believe that, consider this: the Lexus LS 460 sedan that goes on sale this fall will be the first model in the lineup to allow full disengagement of the traction and stability control systems. Don't be surprised if the IS 500 is the second.

Where that power is going to come from is the big question and there are two possible scenarios. The most likely source is a retuned version of the 5.0-liter V8 set to debut next year in the Lexus LS 600h, a hybrid version of the company's flagship sedan. With the help of its electric motors, it rated at more than 430 hp. Our sources in Japan tell us that Yamaha, a corporate partner of Lexus parent Toyota, will retune the V8 for use in the IS 500. Combined with a paddle-shifted version of Lexus' new eight speed automatic transmission, the 400+ horsepower IS 500 is expected to have a zero-to-60 time under five seconds along with a top speed of 155mph.

Although the use of a V8 in the IS 500 seems likely given its competition, other reports suggest this may not be the preferred route. A recent article in Automotive News has Lexus executives dismissing the idea of a V8 saying, "it would kill the car's handling." With that mind, Lexus could take a different route — hybrid power. By retuning the current 3.5-liter V6 and adding electric motors, the IS 500 could achieve the necessary horsepower targets without putting all the extra weight up front. It would also give the IS 500 the traction of all-wheel drive like its Audi rival. Lexus has already shown the performance capability of hybrid power in its GS 450h sedan, a car which outruns its V8-powered stablemate by combining a V6 with electric motors.

Rest assured that whichever route Lexus takes, the IS 500 will stand as its most aggressive move yet toward unseating the Germans in the performance sport sedan segment. Look for an official debut by the end of the year with sales beginning in 2007

Lexus IS500 PreviewAugust 9, 2006 at 9:59 pm · Filed under Cars, Japanese, Spyshots, Lexus

Nihon Car and Bike posted these scans from a Japanese magazine offering a look at how the Lexus IS500 looks like. The Lexus IS500 is Lexus’ opponent for BMW’s M3 and the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG.

Quad tailpipes on the rear are a tell tale of the enormous power than lurks under the hood, rumoured to be Toyota’s 2UR-FSE engine - a 5 liter V8 that makes 420hp at 5,800rpm and 550Nm of torque at 3,800rpm.

Another front shot after the jump.

TOKYO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp.'s (7203.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) high-end Lexus brand will launch a performance brand late next year to compete with Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW's M divisions, industry paper Automotive News reported on Monday. The offensive will start with the IS sedan, which will get a retuned version of the LS600h's hybrid engine, the paper said, citing dealer sources.

The car, to be called IS-F, with F standing for "fast", will debut at an auto show next month in Detroit and go on sale in December 2007, the paper said. The 425-horsepower car will be priced in the low $50,000 range, it said.

A Toyota spokeswoman declined to comment on the report, saying the company would announce plans for the Detroit auto show in the coming days.

Automotive News quoted a dealer as saying Lexus will likely follow the IS-F with a GS-F sedan and IS-F coupe.

Reuters Pictures

Editors Choice: Best pictures

from the last 24 hours.

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Japan's top auto maker filed a stylised "F" logo on Oct. 9 and a trademark for IS-F on Nov. 8 and with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

M3 and CLK55 AMG fighter

At the Geneva Motor Show 2005 Toyota debuted with the replacement for the Lexus IS compact sedan. Now the Japanese car maker is working on a high performance coupe version, according to rumours dubbed IS 500. Most likely it is powered by a 4.3 litre V8 32 valve engine delivery approximately 300 HP. This car is set to become a rival against models like BMW M3 and Mercedes CLK 55 AMG.

Toyota sells a huge range of cars in Japan from small economy models to high-end luxury sedans. But only lately has it introduced the Lexus name in the Japanese home market where even luxury cars have previously carried the Toyota name. As part of the new brand’s introduction, the company is coming out with a wide range of new models over the next few years to carry the Lexus name both at home and abroad. Recent new Lexus models have shown the company’s direction towards high performance while still offering high levels of luxury.

The test vehicle in the photos is an early prototype built using the production body panels of a current Japanese market model, the Toyota Crown Royal. Note that the car has right-hand drive, typical of vehicles sold in Japan. The Crown Royal makes a perfect mule for development of a high-performance model since it already has a V8 engine and offers a choice of rear or all wheel drive, so all these vital powertrain pieces fit easily. Next the body was shortened, bringing it down to the length of its future coupe configuration. Note the section just behind the car’s B-pillar, in which several inches of length were cut out of the rear doors and the roof. Shortening the car’s platform down to the length of the final car allows high-performance driving tests to be done with the car’s correct wheelbase and weight distribution.

Also note the numerous modifications that indicate high-performance nature of the future model, including the quad exhaust pipes, rear deck spoiler and the sporty alloy wheels shod with very low-profile tires.

Since a complete real prototype of the new IS 500 Coupe has not yet been photographed, below is a computer generated image suggesting how the new model could look like upon its release latest in two years time from now.

Copyright Lehmann Photo-Syndication

Lexus IS 500 Coupe Artist Impression

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A few more details here, cute tail pipes?

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpr.../lexus_isf.html

'...little tuning help from Yamaha, the 5.0-liter V8 is expected to generate roughly 425 horsepower. A reworked version of the new Lexus eight-speed transmission will handle the shift duties while a set of brembo brakes will bring the IS-F to a stop.'

http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/...os-lexus-is-500

B)

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it's only a concept, the real thing won't be available for another 12 months so things will probably change.

Tomorrow everyone will see it, The Detroit Motor Show, Lexus.com is doing a webcast of the unveiling. This is the car that I have been talking about for ages and everyone said it wont come (Including Mat) and here it is, the car is a concept but the finished article will be almost identical, if not better. Just less Bling. I cant wait to drive it later this year of erly next, thats when it will be on sale in the UK, I have customers champing at the bit to see more and order them!!

The coupe Cabrio will come too, probably summer next year though.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

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it's only a concept, the real thing won't be available for another 12 months so things will probably change.

Tomorrow everyone will see it, The Detroit Motor Show, Lexus.com is doing a webcast of the unveiling. This is the car that I have been talking about for ages and everyone said it wont come (Including Mat) and here it is, the car is a concept but the finished article will be almost identical, if not better. Just less Bling. I cant wait to drive it later this year of erly next, thats when it will be on sale in the UK, I have customers champing at the bit to see more and order them!!

The coupe Cabrio will come too, probably summer next year though.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Just been seen on the Lexus US website for real at the detroit motor show, awesome

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Just been seen on the Lexus US website for real at the detroit motor show, awesome

IS-F Performance Sedan

Much of the development of the new IS-F took place at Fuji Speedway and the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan. The IS-F is based on the proven rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS, which is equipped with a double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. As well as the IS performs, Lexus engineers demanded much more of the all-new IS-F. The result is a performance tuned 5.0-liter V8 engine, topped with specially engineered heads fed by a two-stage intake system, that produces 400-plus horsepower and more than 350 ft.-lbs. of torque. The all-new IS-F is equipped with engine-oil and transmission-fluid coolers for high-speed performance and a cylinder head-scavenging oil pump for high g-force driving.

The IS-F engine is mated to the world's first eight-speed direct sport-shift transmission. A new torque-converter lock-up control was developed that allows for a direct, crisp gear change through the constant lock-up of the torque converter in second through eighth gears. In Drive mode, the IS-F transmission performs with great smoothness, and the torque converter allows for great launch ability for fast standing-start acceleration that will register a zero-to-60 time in less than 4.9 seconds.

This unique transmission also features an advanced Manual mode. A pair of paddles located within a fingertip's reach behind the steering wheel enables the driver to make ultra-fast up-shift gear changes within a tenth of a second. Downshifts are accompanied by automated and incredibly precise throttle blips to match engine RPM to vehicle speed.

The impressive acceleration achieved by the IS-F requires it be equipped with heavy-duty brembo brakes designed to the specifications of the Lexus engineering team. Huge, 14.2-inch cross-drilled front discs are gripped by rigid, powerful six-piston aluminum calipers, while 13.6-inch rear cross-drilled discs feature two-piston calipers. High-friction brake pads are equipped on all four wheels. The brakes are finished with the Lexus name displayed on the calipers, a first for a Lexus production vehicle.

The IS-F features custom-designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels as standard. The wheels were built to Lexus specifications by BBS and are surrounded by high-performance sport tires.

The attention to performance also extends to a modified suspension that lowers the entire car by more than a half-inch when compared to the base IS, and one full inch when compared to IS models equipped with 18-inch wheels. This specially modified suspension allows for an exciting and energetic drive, whether on a race track or the streets.

The IS-F features an all-new three-mode version of Lexus' Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system. In addition to the Normal mode, the new VDIM features a Sport mode that allows the driver to push the car even further before its braking-, throttle- and steering-control systems kick in. The third VDIM system mode is Off, which allows the driver to push the IS-F to its ultimate level of handling performance.

The attention to performance is complemented by modified styling cues that differentiate the IS-F from the standard IS. Lexus engineers provided the IS-F with a dual-exhaust system and quad-tail pipes, wider front fenders, and a larger grille and rear spoiler. Both the hood and lower intake were enlarged to accommodate and cool the V8 engine.

Like the exterior, the interior of the IS-F receives unique styling with aluminized composite trim and special surface treatments. The instrument panel includes an oil-temperature gauge and shift indicator-lights, while the "F" logo is showcased on the steering wheel and rear-center console.

In addition to the usual Lexus standards of comfort and convenience, the interior of the IS-F features specially shaped and trimmed seats, which hold the driver comfortably and securely in place. The special sport seats are available in black or a unique high-contrast white and black trim.

"The intent of creating the IS-F was not to be a competitor to other performance-sport sedans," said Carter. "Rather, the goal was to create a true performance sedan in a uniquely Lexus way-one that is totally authentic with a unique interpretation of raw driving thrill at all speeds and provides a whole new definition of 'usable power.'"

The IS-F will arrive at Lexus dealerships in early 2008.

Lexus IS-F Preliminary Specifications

Powertrain

Engine: 5.0 Liter V8

Estimated Horsepower: More than 400

Estimated Torque: More than 350 lb.-ft.

Transmission: Eight-speed direct paddle sport shift gear box

Brakes

Large diameter cross-drilled discs

Front/Rear: 14.2 inches/13.6 inches

Opposed aluminum calipers

Front/Rear: Six piston/two piston

Wheels

Forged aluminum wheels

Front: 225/40R19 (19 x8)

Rear: 255/35R19 (19 x 9)

Performance

0-60 MPH Acceleration: Under 4.9 seconds

Fuel Economy: TBD

Emissions Rating: ULEV II

Dimensions (inches)

Overall Length: 183.5

Overall Width: 71.5

Overall Height: 55.5

Wheelbase: 107.5

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