[...]Face-Off: Lexus IS-F versus BMW M3 | Car Reviews and news at CarReview.com[...]…

[...]Face-Off: Lexus IS-F versus BMW M3 | Car Reviews and news at CarReview.com[...]…

[...]Face-Off: Lexus IS-F versus BMW M3 | Car Reviews and news at CarReview.com[...]…

Thanks Lexus.

Manuals have the fastest times? Since when? 1970? DCT, PDK, author of this article go find out what those mean and please stop being an embarassment to car people everywhere, how did you get this job..

A twin turbo would have been cool? Do you have any idea what you are saying, and about what car? Try seeing what most M owners think of FI..

this was so horribly bad I actually took time to write it, and those are just the glaring points that stuck out. you are lucky to have a job, because whoever pays you has no idea

IS-F has EARNED the CROWN from M3!

Buh Bye…

2009 article says the cup tires on the M3 only shaved 0.2 off the previous time with stock PS2.

So yes, stock for stock.. the IS-F is faster on this track by 0.2 seconds.

What it took BMW 20 years to make.. took Lexus 3 years to match and pass. Not only is the ISF faster then the M3 at the red light.. but handling and track advantage the M3 had over the ISF is no longer existent . . .

The Ferrari and Lambo beating LFA, the ISF…. I cant wait to see the GSF . .

Here are some of the lap times from this and previous Lightning Laps for reference:

RS4 – 3:11.2
S4 – 3:10.6
Mustang GT 5.0 – 3:08.6
E63 – 3:06.8
C63 – 3:06.5
Cayman S – 3:05.8
Carrera S – 3:05.8
M3 – 3:05.4
2011 ISF – 3:05.4
CTS-V coupe – 3:04.0
GTR – 2:55.6

The ISF now ties the M3 and tops the AMG Benzes and RS4. C&D was overall very complimentary of its performance and called the brakes fantastic and fade-free, something that could not be said for the E63 which faded on the very first lap. They also mentioned that the ISF matched the M3′s lap time with a higher curb weight and no real power advantage.

I guess this is the end of the “I know it’s a bit slower on the track but it’s a much better daily…” comparisons with the M3.

Bravo Lexus!

If you just want to see review of 2011 IS-F here you go.

Lightning Lap 2011: LL2 Class – Feature
Pages:3

Three years back, an IS F turned a less-than-impressive 3:14.0. We said then, “A little attention to springs and damping might make this eager contender a real champ,” as the stiffly sprung F zapped confidence in high-speed corners.

Boy, were we right. Lexus has since tweaked all suspension elements. Spring rates are down in the front and up in the rear, and there are larger anti-roll bars, stiffer subframe bushings, and longer bump stops, which effectively increase spring rates when the car is nearing its maximum roll angle. Lexus also lightened the front hubs and control arms and slapped a Torsen limited-slip differential in the rear axle. The result is BMW M3–matching performance around VIR (3:05.4). That’s heady company for Lexus to be keeping. Especially considering that the IS F weighs 3801 pounds (195 more than the M3) and makes only two additional horsepower, at 416.

Lexus also redesigned the gauges, enlarging the tachometer and relocating it to the center of the instrument binnacle. But it could have removed the thing altogether because we did not so much as peep at it: The IS F’s audible shift warning is plenty loud, even when you are wearing a helmet. While the alert is slightly obnoxious on public roads, it lets you keep your eyes up when driving on a track.

The old F rolled around on the track like a keel-less boat in gusting winds. The aforementioned updates quell this tendency and increase confidence. Our backside impressions are supported by numbers: The F exits sector two 13.1 mph quicker than before, at 109.1. Steering is communicative, and the chassis is set up for safe, moderate understeer, but vector adjustment is just a throttle tweak away—the torquey engine (371 pound-feet) can break the rear tires loose easily. The brakes are fantastic, too. The pedal might be a tad wooden (more pliant pine than hard oak), but the system remains fade-free after multiple laps of abuse, something none of the other large sedans could claim this year. The 180-degree character change performed by this Lexus gives us hope that Toyota can still make fun-to-drive cars. Now  where’s our Supra?

Now although BMW is my favorite brand, I am not in the business of kidding myself.

I recently went to test drive both cars and must say that even as a BMW fan it would not a difficult choice. The Lexus felt like a combination of a drive on a motorbike and car with a powerful engine (those gears sift fast!!!!).

And I don’t know that the engine sound is all that bad, if compared to the C63 and the RS4 the Lexus is slightly quieter (not that I was doing noise comparisons though). And as usual the M3 had the most disappointing sound of the 3 (the RS4 is definitely the noisiest).

The ISF definitely felt faster. And both cars interior were good in their own way (maybe I am used to the BMW interior), but I must say the Lexus interior and features have no fuss about them, so much is automatic and “seemed” to have more features (not sure if I drove the same “spec” for each)

If you want a straight-line beater the ISF and if you want a car with great cornering the M3 (handling as always in own class)