First Lexus IS-F images

This thing is hideous. Please make it look a little more classy. This doesn't look like a good first entry into this very competitive segment.

— G35Lover (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 8:54:12 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

"The front is the worst offender: small grille, big ass hood, wimpy looking front lights. I don't know what Lexus designer were thinking when they styled this."

and you claim to be a design student???

you're farting out from BOTH ends, gogoboy. after all the talk about the "big scoops" i thot i was missing something, until i went to the blown-up pics in the gallery. i thot maybe there were oversized trans-am or wrx type scoops on the hood that i missed in the small picture.

then i saw what y'all were referring to was NOT a hood scoop, but a below bumper intake. perfectly NORMAL for a hi-po machine that MUST gulp a lot of air. for both intake and add'l cooling.

the small regular grill is actually cool, giving the impression this is just a "normal" luxury car. the large lower opening is below bumper level, and hence NOT normally noticed except from LOW ANGLE photos, or from a distance.

as for the side scoop, it's to help cool the brakes. a FUNCTIONAL NECESSITY under hard use. it's certainly more useful than the scoop on land rovers. why not criticize those? what rover ever sees hard brake usage?

and unlike on certain other cars, you don't see the "Brembo" logo in GARISH RED or YELLOW thru the wheels. here, it's in tastefully discreet, SMALL WHITE lexus script instead.

"overdone," "ricer-like?" HARDLY. the ONLY thing overdone and overblown are the nit-picky comments from haters.

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 12:12:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

But yet the IS350 leave the 3series in the dust wonder Y? like I said thanks for that turbo. so think about the new beast?

— lexuslife (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 3:22:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

I love it.

— mitchatlexusofmarin (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 9:41:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

I like it! Give me - give me! :)

— jon21 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 9:51:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

I'm generally ambivalent towards the whole car but there is one thing that bothers me. The exhaust pipes. I guess it's more of a mental trick, but being stacked like that whenever i scroll down the page to look at it, it looks like the page skipped or is a broken image. I know they are going for unique but there's just something that doesn't sit right with me about it.

— jeffy210 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 9:54:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR !!!!! But But But But is that an automatic i see ?? u kidding me right ?

— 99gs400 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 9:56:35 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

The more i look at it , the more i c how ugly it really is. So if they want to sell this car, they will show it to ppl for a glance! terrible.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:05:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

What..the ...hell...is that. It looks like a 16 yr old kid got his hands on a is350 and modified it with some Walmart add ons...and I really like the the regular IS design.

— golfer38 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:45:10 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Very nice car. It will compete. I want one.
Give me!!

— SSP350 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:45:12 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

It looks like it's melting over the front wheels.

— Heyhuub (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 11:20:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

It might be fast, but if it is the real thing, that is one ugly expensive car.

I would give them the trophy for the ugliest of the luxury sport sedan.

Yack!!

— silverarrow2 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 11:22:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

It looks like an after-market job was done to this Lexus.

It's too low to the ground, but I'm sure it has a sweet engine.

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 12:19:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Regular IS looks great, this one is akward. Nothing special (sporty) in the interior. Doubts about performance as Lexus doesn't release all the facts.

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 1:33:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

haters, go back to the magic feel and soul in your used 318i's and 190E's, while Lexus keeps on puting out product that gets closer and closer to its passionate pursuit of perfection.

— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 3:40:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

400 hps isn't enough to compete with its competitors. I'm surprised, how come the 4.6 V8 makes 380 and the 5.0 V8 makes only 20 hps more? I thought that would've made some 450 hps at least.

— Designer1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 4:00:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Will ... You have to admit that the dual stacked exhausts are pretty pathetic and not too sporty looking. It kills the clean lines of the IS350. Then you add the body molding, that resembles a teenage kid did to their honda civic, and you get a unproportioned sports sedan? huh? I understand about being more aggressive, but at least have some flow or something ...

How is Lexus going to compete with the M3, RS4 with a car like this and an Auto Trans? 4.9 or just under 0 to 60 , around $60k .. huh? you have to be kidding. Is candid camera hiding in the background somewhere. Did I win the prize or soemthing? In that performance category, it competes with the BMW 335 & Audi S4 without AWD and about $5k to $ 10k more than either ...

— BMW4me4ever (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 8:19:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

i like the stacked pipes, diff from the rest.

— sewingmachine (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 8:20:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Damn, if only they had put a BMW logo on it, then the design would be cutting edge.

Maybe I'm out to lunch but the numbers don't impress me that much. They could've probably done the same with a retuned V6 hybrid.

Wonder what the numbers are.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 9:59:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Probably should have put some Dame Edna headlights and Hyundai accent taillights to make it more uber.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:00:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

"Designer1" the IS-F has "more" than 400hp,so get your facts straight!!0-60 in under 4.9 seconds,six piston drilled brakes,retuned 8speed trans.,lower and stiffer suspention for better road feel!!!

— 2JZSoarer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:08:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I think this IS-F is going to be much faster than a 0-60 in 4.9 seconds,Didn't R&T test an IS350 at 4.9 seconds,and said that it was faster than a V8 powered A8 or S8!!

— 2JZSoarer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/8/2007 10:13:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

overcooked rice. Lexus did poorly with this one.

— BimmerFan (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 10:58:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Fear.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 11:18:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Got me there, huu76.

I'll admit it guys, I'm scared. I don't really know what of, but damn I'm shaking in my boots.

Let's not get carried away with the whole 'Euro boys are scared' thing. It's old and lame.

Instead, lets just have a good look at the new IS-F. It looks terrible. A whole melting pot of different styling exercises, with a bulbous, rounded front bumper, which clashes with the sharp creasing of the grille/headlights.

Then we have the odd-looking side vent extension into the side sills. Now tell me how a soft-lined, rounded saloon would possible benefit from a sharp, creased side extension? It may suit the wedge-like LF-A, but looks incoherent on the IS.

And the side view of this car highlights my real gripe with the new 'F' styling. It looks like a poor add on. These poorly executed styling additions do the IS no favours, and make the car look confused. Clumsy front apron, chisseled side extensions, rouned bumpers. The IS-F was obviously designed by different people in isolation. The only explanation.

And that interior doesn't look special. The seats don't exactly befit a car with sporting pretentions.....

Huu76, I know you will simply dismiss my comments as those of a jealous fanboy, but you would be so very far from the truth. I'm not jealous or scared of anything in the car world, but I do express my opinion.

Take it or leave it. Sensible comments only, please.

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 4:57:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Yeah, you're right. Dismissed.

The design is a melting pot. Of what, Lexus?
Yeah, front looks like a Lexus, back looks like a Lexus, sides look like a Lexus. The only things new are the gills and the exhaust, which ironically are Lexus.

When all you can criticize is the new flanks, the tank's empty.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 7:35:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Considering it is a Lexus, I shouldn't be shocked by the revelations you are broadcasting.

However, when the general consensus throughout the internet is that it looks like a certain IS350 got made-over by a third-rate tuning shop, I'm not surprised your style-challenged brain had to think up some senseless comeback.

Other leading car blog editors share the thoughts of many here at Autospies, the styling modifications are in poor taste.

And your opinion that all the car's features are Lexus must be a real blow to those who thought the L brand was finally heading toward styling cohesion. What I see is a mis-match of styling features, something you wouldn't think Lexus would be indulging in?

For someone who dislikes the BMW 5-series so much, I am surprised you find this car so atteactive. I guess the L badge does things to people....

— Matthew1 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/9/2007 7:55:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Lexus is damned for not being German. Germany can put together any pos car (i.e. 5 series) and the sheep would blindly get wood.

Matthew,
Anyone who likes the current BMW designs have no credibility in judging design. Even BMW had to backtrack on their "we're always right" mentality (as a result, their direction is all over). The last BMW's were beautiful and they all shared nearly identical lines.
The X3 looks like a shoe, the 5 looks like a crossdresser, the 7 is an oddball, the 3 sedan looks Korean while the coupe looks somewhat normal, the X5 is an enlarged mini, the Z4 is all on its own (trunk lid and all) and the 6 is a 1/2 7 series.

Please tell me where all these "experts" say the new design looks like crap. I'm itching to see what publications you come up with.

If the IS-F looked identical to the IS350, you'd all be complaing its boring. Unless it's German, you'll always criticize which is expected when envy is a main factor.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/10/2007 11:03:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Lexus is 1 of my favorite cars and I really do like the IS series, but I too have to agree with BMW4me4ever, the stacked up dual exhaust looks stupid. It would have been better if it was next to each other, side by side like the M3

— farhank420 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 7:04:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I understand the functionality of opening up the rear of the front wheel well to help cool the brakes, but it make the car look very imbalanced. It just looks front heavy now and kinda resembles a catfish. I'm sure it looks better in person, but I still like the IS350 much more.

— ElSparquito (View Profile)

Posted on 1/11/2007 5:19:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1