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Under all normal circumstances, I'm no fan of the Lexus brand at all. However, the Is-F is an entirely different animal. I was able to take a ride in one this past summer at Watkins Glen. Lexus brought two of them to our track event and had Stu Hayner there to demonstrate the car. Admittedly, Hayner is a talented Pro, but the car (which was in showroom trim including tires and brakes) was outstanding. It is easily as quick accelerating as an E-46 M3 and corners just as well. It is crisp on turn in steady in mid-corner and pulls off the corner like a freight train. It is also relatively forgiving in off line maneuvers. The braking seemed a bit better than the M3's. The no lift shifting was instantaneius and flawless on both up and down shifts.
Considering this is a "family" car, it's amazing. The price isn't really that high when you compare it with other cars that perform that well. Considering the price of the '09 M3s, the Is-F is a serious threat to that market. No, I don't own a Lexus (never will), don't work for them either. Truth is, the car has been carefully designed to make inroads into the BMW M Series market share. It will too, once a few show up at track events.
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