Lexus street fighter in disguise

The IS-F has shaken off its old image for something very new.

From the subdued, rather bland range of Lexus grandpa saloons suddenly out popped the IS-F with its low menacing stanch, sporty black racing rims, flared fenders, gaping air intakes, two sets of twin exhausts and an engine growl that sets the dogs off.

And there is more than enough reason for the dogs to bark because the rolling thunder that disturbs them comes from massive 5-litre V8 engine that pushes out all of 311kW and 505Nm.

Lots of fancy goodies under the bonnet

And if that doesn't mean much to you, then let's stack this IS-F up against BMW's M3 rubber burner and the sums will show that the Lexus has two more kilowatts than the M3 and a whopping 105Nm more - certainly enough kick to take on the German brute.

Like the Merc's AMG and Beemer's M badges, the F is the Lexus performance badge and with an ungoverned top speed of
270 km/h and a zero to 100 claimed sprint time of 4.6 seconds, it is a badge this Lexus wears with pride.

The Sport mode provides lots of fun because it takes care of the nitty-gritty and allows the driver to have maximum fun.

Under the bonnet of the F car squats a myriad of fancy bits and pieces, all designed to make the engine perform better and cleaner, all of it much too boringly technical to discuss in detail here.

But the one chunk of metal that does deserve a special mention is its ultra-slick, ultra-quick 8-speed Sport Shift gearbox. What a pleasure! I don't think I have ever worked with a finer chunk of cog-swopping equipment.

Even if you just leave it alone to do its own thing the gear changes are creamy smooth, whether you are idling along to work in rush hour traffic or stomping down on the loud pedal on the way down to Hermanus for the weekend.

Flicking flappies is flashy fun

You also have the benefit of flicking the flappies on the steering wheel but that's really just for a bit of flashy fun because the auto shift is highly capable of making its own split-second decisions.

The panel is well laid out and gives the driver everything required, at a glance.click to enlarge

Rather strangely Lexus has chosen to position its fun button, oops, I mean Sport button, behind the steering wheel where it is well hidden from view. But perhaps this not such a silly thing after all, because it sits right next to a button that enables you to de-activate traction control which, on a car such as this, is not advisable because in this wild child it is very easy to run out of road and experience, particularly when the roads are wet.

So stay with the Sport mode - it provides more than enough fun because it fiddles with the traction and stability control and speeds up the gearbox settings so that the driver can have maximum fun but still have the protection of the electronic care-takers.

Unleash your inner Schumi

Head out on a twisty road and you will be amazed by the way the Lexus sits on the tar. The ride is firmer than one would expect, but not so taut that it becomes irritatingly bouncy and thumpy and the steering is well-weighted and sharp, really sharp...

I recently spent a week in the company of the Lexus and it has been a while since I've enjoyed a car as much.

How's this for living quarters?click to enlarge

It is a stunner to drive and even though it has adopted the character of a Samurai soldier it has lost none of its geisha girl graciousness.

The living quarters are beautifully furnished in soft leather and all the buttons, dials, and convenience features you would expect to find in a luxury car are there.

To me the ultimate attraction of this car is that it's not vuvuzela loud in looks but shows its sporty nature in a rather refined, dignified sort of way..... its jeans and T-shirt are expensive designer gear, not off the supermarket shelf, if you get my drift.

At R776 999 this street fighter in disguise is not exactly your everyday mum's taxi, but for sporty refinement and loads of driving fun the Lexus is difficult to beat.