Lexus IS-F Australian Pricing (2008)

Luxury Japanese marque Lexus has dropped a bombshell on its German rivals in the sports luxury segment by announcing an aggressive and very competitive price for its first dedicated performance model, the IS-F.

Widely predicted to cost around or just under the $150,000 mark thus undercutting the Audi RS4 ($164,500) and BMW M3 ($157,000), Lexus Australia has done a tremendous job in negotiations (with Lexus HQ) to secure the IS-F for a recommended retail price of $129,000.This price even undercuts the aggressively low price positioning of the Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG sedan which retails for $139,500, thus establishing a new benchmark for the highly competitive sports luxury market.

Lexus chief executive John Roca said: “The IS F will bring a strongly competitive force to the performance sedan market,

“Almost 20 years ago we arrived in the luxury market and raised the bar in terms of build quality, specification and value.

“In 2008 we have targeted our performance car rivals.

“IS F enters one of the most competitive categories,” Mr Roca said.

“This category is all about passion and brand values. With the IS F we have the brand values – the passion comes with the first drive.

“The core Lexus values are what will set us apart from the competition.

“Lexus is extremely excited about the arrival of the IS F and the new clientele it will bring.

“Furthermore, Lexus now has a hero car that will stimulate sales of other IS models,” he added.
The Lexus IS-F is equipped with a compact 5.0-litre V8 engine developing over 311 kW and 505 Nm of torque for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of a shade under 5 seconds. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed Sports Direct Shift (SPDS) gearbox, offering up-shifts of just 0.1 second.

Australian-spec IS-F, which arrives in dealerships later this month (October), will come fully equipped – the only option is to delete the sunroof.

October 14th 2008