rdfs:comment
| - While Toyota's upscale luxury brand, Lexus, has been around in the U.S. for a couple of decades, it wasn't until 2005 that it made its way to Japan. Previously, every model Toyota built was marketed in its home country under the Toyota brand. Lexus began life in Japan with three models, the LS, GS and IS, with the convertible SC added later. What was missing was a high-performance sports sedan to rival the likes of the BMW M3 and the AMG models from Mercedes-Benz. Toyota's response came in the form of the Lexus IS-F that bowed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
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abstract
| - While Toyota's upscale luxury brand, Lexus, has been around in the U.S. for a couple of decades, it wasn't until 2005 that it made its way to Japan. Previously, every model Toyota built was marketed in its home country under the Toyota brand. Lexus began life in Japan with three models, the LS, GS and IS, with the convertible SC added later. What was missing was a high-performance sports sedan to rival the likes of the BMW M3 and the AMG models from Mercedes-Benz. Toyota's response came in the form of the Lexus IS-F that bowed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. While the car used the base IS as its foundation, the IS-F was a completely different animal. The front end was stretched and the hood bulged to house the company's 5.0-liter V-8 based on the power plant of the flagship LS600h. This engine, co-developed with Yamaha, cranked out 416 HP and 372.4 ft-lb of torque, making it the most potent Lexus automobile in the division's history. The 8-speed direct sports gearbox provided lightning quick up and downshifts, comparable to a twin-clutch unit. It went from zero to 60 mph in a scant 4.9 seconds. Large 19-in. wheels shod with sticky tires and Brembo brakes, with 6-pot front and 2-pot rear calipers, ensured excellent handling and stopping. What was especially noteworthy when driving the car was the rumble that came from the engine at full throttle, reminiscent to the sound of muscle cars from years past.
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