Lexus IS-F Addon v1.0

The Lexus IS (XE20) is the second generation of the Lexus IS line of compact premium cars and sport sedans. Sold by Lexus since 2005, the line includes multiple V6 gasoline-powered models, in four-door sedan and two-door convertible body styles. Additional sedan models also feature inline-four diesel powertrains, and an F marque version, the IS F, features a V8 engine. A pre-production car of the second generation IS model was first shown at the 2005 Geneva Auto Show, with the production version debuting at the 2005 New York Auto Show. The second generation was only available as a sedan until the two-door convertible variants debuted in 2008.

The IS is built on a shortened version of the rear-wheel drive midsize platform introduced for the third generation Lexus GS, and also used on the Japanese-market Toyota Crown and Toyota Mark X. The chief engineer of the second generation IS was Suguya Fukusato, a rally driver. The second generation IS sedans were sold until 2013, when the third generation (XE30) debuted; however the convertible model continued to be sold through 2014.

On 6 December 2006, Lexus officially confirmed the existence of the vehicle which they called IS F in the press release. At the North American International Auto Show on 8 January 2007, the new IS F sedan was debuted to the public along with the LF-A supercar concept. Images were leaked a couple of hours before the official announcement. At its press debut, Lexus revealed that a separate “skunk works” team designed the IS F in a manner distinct from typical Lexus engineering efforts. The chief engineer of the IS F, Yukihiko Yaguchi, previously worked on the Toyota Supra. Much of the IS F’s suspension tuning took place at Fuji Speedway in Japan.

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