Design Of Lexus IS 350 F-Sport

The Lexus IS 350 F-Sport manages to be what the Lexus IS F isn’t -- attractive. The Lexus IS 350 F-Sport’s lowered stance, dished wheels and rolled exhaust tips add just the right amount of menace to the already-handsome standard Lexus IS sedan. But outside of the bright blue brake calipers or polished exhaust tips, the Lexus IS 350 F-Sport’s image is pretty understated. Inside the Lexus IS 350 F-Sport, well, nothing has changed. It’s the same interior that is found in any Lexus IS 350 . Driving position is good, though the low roof makes things seem a bit cramped for taller drivers. The backseat isn’t all that usable, but since we’re not in the business of carting our friends or colleagues around, the tight backseat really isn’t a concern for us. Our test car also came with Lexus’ excellent touchscreen nav/command system, complete with rearview camera. All in all, the cockpit was what you’d expect from a Lexus, but we’d like to see at least an F-Sport performance seat upgrade offered in the near future.

Lexus IS 350 F-Sport

A change is happening at Lexus. The company known for its competent -- yet somewhat soulless -- luxury cars is actively pursuing the younger, performance-minded auto enthusiast. Two generations of the Lexus IS sedan have lured new enthusiasts to the brand, and the V8-powered Lexus IS F has showed the world that Lexus is ready to run with established performance icons like the M3 and RS4.However, not every potential Lexus owner can afford the IS F’s $60K price tag, and Lexus wants to make sure that a broader range of consumer can enjoy the company’s new dedication to sport tuning. So, Lexus introduced its line of Lexus IS F-Sport performance accessories at the 2007 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Think of Lexus IS F-Sport as Lexus’ version of TRD or Nismo: factory-engineered products designed to enhance performance while maintaining OEM-like levels of reliability. The latest car to benefit from this line of Lexus IS F-Sport products is the Lexus IS 350, and we got the chance to take a fully loaded F-Sport Lexus IS 350 for a spin.All the upgrades are pricey, but not all of them effective. For our money, we’d add just the suspension and brake upgrades and save a few grand by ignoring the engine stuff -- but that’s just us.