Car Magazine has posted their review of the IS-F, and it turns out to be a remarkably positive affair, with a very small dose of complaints and a full course of compliments:
The F also rides with a fluency and poise that will leave most M3 and C63 drivers green with envy. There are no trick adjustable dampers or active anti-roll bars, but the firmly tied down ride rarely feels brittle or harsh, and some might even find it too soft for such a performance package – the back end can really squirm about if you get on the power early out of tighter corners, but for around town and on regular commutes – arguably where the F will spend most of its time, the compliant ride quality is spot on.
With a razor sharp blip of its screaming V8, the F single-handedly alters Lexus’ image. It makes Lexus interesting, injecting a welcome and much needed dose of character into the brand. Despite its lack of motorsport heritage and track-based pedigree it looks, feels, goes and stops like a bespoke model rather than a go-faster version of an existing model. It’s a very credible gatecrasher to the German super saloon party and effectively breaks their stranglehold on small fast executives.
Like I said, this review is decidedly on the positive side of the ledger, especially in its comparisons with the IS-F’s competitors. It’s entirely true that this is a car that changes Lexus’ image, and it’s going to be interesting to see how the company builds on it.