The Lexus IS-F sports luxury sedan has officially gone on sale in Australia with an allocation of just 10 units per month.
The Japanese marque's first foray into the performance segment sees them tackle established German brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi head on in a competitive market.
Lexus chief executive John Roca said: "IS F brings with it true motoring enthusiast buy-in to the Lexus brand,"
"From the tyres to the gearbox and engine, IS F has been designed to stimulate the senses and deliver a driving experience that is unheard of in a Lexus...there is no doubt that IS F will bring a new group of customers to the Lexus brand and stimulate purchase of other IS models."
The fire-breathing IS-F is equipped with a 5.0-litre V8 engine developing over 311 kW and 505 Nm of torque for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just under 5 seconds. Built at a global rate of just 25 per day, Lexus' first dedicated performance vehicle arrives in Australia almost 20 years after the introduction of its first luxury vehicle.
The Lexus IS-F is priced from $129,000.
The Official Lexus Australia Press Release:
A NEW BREED OF LEXUS IS LAUNCHED
Almost 20 years after the introduction of its first luxury vehicle in Australia, Lexus has launched its first dedicated performance vehicle - the IS F.
IS F is the result of the efforts of one man, Yukihiko Yaguchi, the Chief Engineer for IS F; whose determination to produce a dedicated Lexus performance vehicle assured the project went from concept to reality.
Based on the popular IS platform, the IS F underwent an extensive re-engineering and development program befitting a vehicle of its performance attributes.
IS F is also the first Lexus vehicle to bear the marque's performance designation "F", derived in name and design from Japan's Fuji Speedway - the home of Lexus performance vehicle development.
Benefitting from the most intensive track development program of any Lexus to date, the thrilling four-door brings a new level of driving dynamics and performance to the Lexus range.
IS F features many performance-tuned components including a 5.0-litre V8 engine - which was co-developed with Yamaha - Brembo brakes and the world's first eight-speed direct sport-shift transmission.
The new gearbox is able to change gears in 0.1 seconds - a mere 0.05 seconds slower than gear changes in a Formula One car.
Built at a global rate of 25 per day, IS F also becomes the rarest Lexus vehicles to grace Australian roads, with just 10 allocated to Australia per month.
"IS F brings with it true motoring enthusiast buy-in to the Lexus brand," said Lexus chief executive John Roca.
"From the tyres to the gearbox and engine, IS F has been designed to stimulate the senses and deliver a driving experience that is unheard of in a Lexus," said Roca.
"Not only is IS F Lexus' first performance vehicle, but it signals the birth of our "F" range of vehicles - characterised by track focused development and a unique link to Japan's most famous circuit: Fuji Speedway.
"Although IS F is a performance vehicle, it will still hold true to the Lexus ideals of superior build quality and refinement," said Roca
"No part of this vehicle has been left untouched - every component has been designed to achieve the Chief Engineer's goal of transforming every moment of driving into an experience.
"There is no doubt that IS F will bring a new group of customers to the Lexus brand and stimulate purchase of other IS models," said Roca.
[Source: Lexus]
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