The very last Lexus IS F rolled off the assembly line last week at the Tahara plant in Japan, ending a seven-year production run.
While the IS F never sold in large numbers — recent quotes suggest the worldwide sales were 12,000 units in total over its lifecycle — it was the very first Lexus model to bring high-performance credibility to the brand.
The story of its creation is now Lexus legend — with a small team and limited budget, chief engineer Yukihiko Yaguchi modified the existing IS sports sedan into something much more potent, replacing the powertrain and reworking the body until it breathed fire. The result was a 416-horsepower sports sedan unlike anything Lexus had ever made before.
Will there be another IS F? There’s been no official statement, and with the new RC F coupe (also developed by Yaguchi-san) as the new face of Lexus performance, the future is murky.
No matter what happens, big respect to everyone involved in the creation of the very first Lexus high-performance sedan — it was a great run, and you should be proud of what you accomplished.
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