March 17, 2008
Lexus Aims to Sell 4,000 IS-Fs in First Year
TORRANCE, CA
- Lexus aspires to sell between 3,000 and 4,000 IS-Fs in the
United States in the first year,
according to the Web site www.detnews.com. The IS-F’s direct-injection V-8 is the same basic
motor under the hood of the Lexus LS600h hybrid limousine. The engine —
co-developed with Yamaha — features titanium intake valves, hollow camshafts,
better-breathing cylinder heads, and an extra oil-scavenging circuit to keep it
all lubricated during high-G cornering. The unit cranks out 371 pound-feet of
torque at a relatively busy 5,200 rpm.
The IS-F is equipped with an eight-speed automatic
transmission. In manual mode, the lock-up clutch remains engaged in second
through eighth gears, so that the automatic transmission behaves like a
clutchless manual transmission.