Lexus F

When you talk of Lexus you talk about high levels of luxury, refinement, reliability and customer service. Ever since the Lexus brand was introduced in 1989, it was because of these virtues that Lexus was able to challenge the dominance of traditional luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Jaguar and very soon, it had established itself as one of the largest selling luxury car maker. However, unlike the aforementioned marques, sportiveness and high performance are some characteristics that Lexus cars were never really associated with. While BMW has the M division, Mercedes has AMG, Audi has the S/RS models and Jaguar is sporty in itself, Lexus never had anything of such sorts. Not any more, now there is Lexus F.

The Lexus F marque is a high-performance division of cars produced by Lexus. Why F? F stands for Flagship. It also refers to the Fuji Speedway, the site where Lexus performance vehicles are developed in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The F logo is in fact inspired by the 27R, the first corner of the Fuji Speedway circuit. The F marque made its first appearance at the North American International Auto Show in January 2007, with the Lexus IS F. The IS F (pictured below) is a high performance version of the Lexus IS series of luxury cars. It features a larger, more powerful engine than standard IS models, improved suspension and brakes, body design enhancements, and other vehicle changes. The car had been designed by a separate skunk works team in a manner distinct from typical Lexus engineering practices.

The second car to wear the Lexus F batch is the Lexus LFA. The car first appeared in 2005 as the LF-A concept, followed by a second LF-A in 2007 (alongside the IS F at the North American International Auto Show) and a third roadster concept in 2008. The production model, rechritened as the LFA, was finally unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009 and wore a Lexus F batch. This car is Lexus’s first foray into the domain of supercars. Lexus has built the LFA as a halo vehicle, a racing prototype and as a technology demostrator. The car features a new V10 engine and a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) body. CFRP materials account for 65 percent of the LFA’s body composition by mass. The LFA is scheduled to go into production in late 2010, with a projected run of 500 vehicles followed by a circuit tuned variant in 2012. With an estimated price tag of $350,000 – $375,000 USD, the car is meant to compete with the likes of Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 458 and the Porsche 911 Turbo and GT models. Pictured below is the production model of the LFA.

More cars from the Lexus F stable are expected in the future, starting with the GS F in 2011-12. Lexus has also created an F-Sport line up of performance parts and kits for its cars. Initially offered for the IS 250 and IS 350 sedans, the line was expanded to the two-door IS C models, along with the entire GS line in 2009. Looking at all this, it must be said that Lexus is trying hard to reinvent its image from just being a luxury car maker to a manufacturer of high performance and luxury vehicles. Through the F marque, Lexus hopes to make its cars more appealing and more exciting to drive. How much impact will the marque have on the Lexus brand remains to be seen. Even with the F marque, there is something which Lexus still lacks, which its European rivals don’t. Brands such as Audi, Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar have a long history associated with them and a rich racing heritage. While Lexus has had a small success in motorsports (Super GT and Rolex Sports Car Championhip), its European rivals have won all major trophies and championships and continue to be active and strong contenders in various forms of motor racing. But if Lexus has successfully fought them in the past, then surely it could do it once again.