I attended the Lexus Event on Friday. Here's the dilly-o:

They feed you!! and then Feed you again!! Lots of great food. Ironically on the tables, they had the lastest test of the IS-F against the C63, M3 and the Audi. The IS-F lost the magazine compariosn, but did well for a new car.

We are herded into a room and separated into three color groups, silver, black and red. They do an intro of driving dynamics and the 100% rule and a Michelin guy was there too. Jeff Andretti was there and I got a drive with him during Hot laps.

Anyway, first event if the short track with the IS-F ot get familiar with the car, No more than 30-40 MPH here. Small warm up type of track. Good for carts (which it is for). We did a team approach with 8 per Team. It was fun.

Now, to the car. I wouldnt be afraid of a IS-F in a pulleyed C32. No way. The car is strong, BUT the VDIM is so intrusive (and they highly recommended you leave it on) that it really shuts the car down. Acceleration is strong, BUT no more than my pulleyed car. In fact, I bet that to about 100, I could stay with it. IN fairness to the Lexus, the trans (8 speed) is the best I have ever experienced. It shifts so fast that it does not pay to use the manu-matic paddles. Its that good. You cannot even feel the shifts its that good. Almost CVT like!!

The second event was the autocross (cones and all) The car is not a great autocross car in that its not that tossable like a Miata. I had third fastest time of my group of 18 and was within .025 of a second from the top, thats how close the times were. Again, the VDIM is very intrusive and they do NOT want you to turn it off. I made the mistake of power braking the car, which I later learned is a mistake since the VDIM recognizes it and shuts you down. Oh well, its all about learning. I also tried shifting it BUT the trans is so good, you can just leave it in drive. I continue to Rave about the trans because it is good.

The third event is hot laps, lead and follow, on your own and then with a pro driver (I had Jeff Andretti). We got to do three laps by ourselves (no one else in car) and attained speeds of about 100. Lead and follow was next and we approached 115 MPH and then Hot laps with Jeff at about 120-125. Yes, hes is a very good driver!!!

The car is nice for a first shot across the bow by Lexus. Its heavy, about 300LBS more than the C32, although it handles a ton better. Its not as fast as I was expecting, since Ive already driven the new M3 and the C63. In fact, a fully armed C63 will eat it alive. I still liked the Lexus trans the best though.

 

I went to the same event, same track today, and I'd definitely agree with you about the performance. The IS-F is a mean little beast, but I don't think it'd put up that much of a fight, even against a pulleyed C32, unless its driver really knew his/her stuff. It runs the quarter right in low-mid 13's, so...

Definitely a really fun event overall though - free track time = a big **** grin on any driver's face Any idea how you got on the e-mailing list for it? I'm assuming my stealership just sold my info to some marketing company. I think I might have had your driver for the Lead/Follow too - once he got the thumbs up from us before we left the pits, he turned off w/e they use for traction control and just lit 'em up all the way through 1st

Slightly OT : did you get a random audio cable in your "gift bag" at the end? Was there something else that mine was missing to use that cable? I saw it and just thought "wtf..."

 

Forgot about one thing that our cars could sadly never match : the Lexus people lauded the fact that engine gives a small blip while downshifting manually, but going out and doing a 3->2 into high RPMs made the car positively bark with that beautiful V8 sound

 

Gonna try it tomorrow in Joliet.

 

Yes, the sound was awesome!! In the manumatic, the downshift from 3-2 was awesome, sounded like a bark. Really cool.

Of note, every one of the instructors said to leave the VDIM on. They believe that the car is actually faster with it on. I agreed except on the Autocross where it was very intrusive. Still, that 8 speed tranny is one of the best ever. They said its faster shifting than the best F-1 car and I believe it. I really could not feel it shift, its that good.

For a first shot, the car is not bad, BUT I hear that people are paying OVER sticker ( about 65-70 K) for the car. Why??? A C63 can be had for about $60 (and it will absolutely smoke an IS-F).