First ride: Lexus IS-F
Lexus IS-F at SEMA 2007
(Credit: Laura Burstein)Back at SEMA last week, Lexus brought along a handful of 2008 IS-Fs for driving at a proving ground course set up in the back parking lot of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Scott Pruett takes us for a lap
Lexus' latest performance sedan, which was unveiled at the beginning of the year in Detroit, is souped up with a 5.0-liter V8 that puts out 416 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque. Standard features include Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, and an 8-speed direct shift transmission. Lexus claims it has a zero-to-60 time of 4.6 seconds.
Our course involved a long straight with a braking zone at the end, followed by a right turn (insert joke here about right turns and NASCAR). In the middle was a donut course, where Scott first spun us around with traction control off, then turned it on to illustrate how the car fights against the spin.
The IS-F's quad exhaust
We liked the way the car felt, despite the fact that our ride didn't last long. We must admit, we weren't particularly awed by the IS-F's performance over the IS 350. The general consensus among those of us who got a chance to take the car out was that the brakes really stole the IS-F's thunder. The car might be worth the extra cash if you dig the beauty kit (including the quad exhaust, which drew mixed reviews amongst onlookers) and, of course, want to stop fast.
Laura Burstein is a freelance automotive and technology journalist, covering news and events ranging from auto shows to Formula One races. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. 
