2009 Lexus IS-F for SEMA

It hasn’t taken long for tuners to start wrenching on the Lexus IS-F, and this modified version will appear at the 2008 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show.

Texas-based tuner Artisan Performance bolted two turbochargers to the IS-F’s 5.0-liter V-8 and added stronger JE pistons and Crower connecting rods, along with a new radiator, remapped computer, and performance exhaust. Artisan expects to see more than 600 wheel horsepower from the blown IS-F—up from a factory-rated 416 horses at the crank.

A subtle body kit exaggerates the IS-F’s styling cues, while Sunset Orange paint will fit in perfectly with other brightly-hued offerings at SEMA. Artisan equipped the car with 20-inch iForged wheels and Toyo T1R tires, and the headlights, grille, and badges are blacked out.

Lexus hired Pennsylvania automotive design and PR firm Fox Marketing to design the car, who in turn hired Artisan to assist in making it a reality. The idea is to attract a “savvy, European type buyer” to the IS-F—what, is the BMW M3 proving a more formidable opponent than Toyota’s luxury brand imagined? Being that the M3 emerged victorious over the IS F in a comparison test, it would appear so. 600 horses, we think, could go a long way in bridging the gap, though. Bring it on.

© Source: caranddriver
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