Can Lexus Take Down the Germans Again?

TORRANCE, CA – With the introduction of the 2009 Lexus IS-F, it's supposed to be 1989 all over again.

That was the year that Toyota dared to take on the established German luxury carmakers with its brand-new luxury division, Lexus. And it was also the year that the Lexus LS 400 sedan's immediate success embarrassed those German luxury carmakers into dramatically improving their quality, their customer service and even their prices.

Lexus would like you to believe that the 416-hp IS-F will have a similar impact on the market for over-endowed hot-rod sedans that is dominated by (you guessed it) the Germans. The "F" suffix for this new variant of the IS is a nod to the early days of Lexus, when "F1" became the code designation for the LS 400 prototype.