2009 Lexus IS-F

The Lexus IS-F formula is pretty simple: stuff the big 5-liter V-8 from the mammoth LS 600h L into the midsize IS sedan. The suspension and brakes are also upgraded, but the IS-F is defined by that engine.

The exhaust is cover-your-ears loud, and full-throttle upshifts are executed with all the subtlety of an M80 exploding in a steel drum.

The IS-F is one of those cars whose limits are high enough to warp your perception of speed. The IS-F’s lack of body roll and high level of grip reset your idea of acceptable cornering speeds.

The most heartening thing about this car is the fact that it exists at all. Toyota’s trio of iconic sporty cars — the Supra, Celica and MR2 — are all long gone.

While the Lexus LS 460 still undercuts a Mercedes S550 by about $25,000, the $57,435 IS-F is actually about $2,000 more expensive than its primary German nemesis, the BMW M3 sedan.

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