Lexus IS-F tagged posts

On July 25th, the last unit of the Lexus IS-F rolled off its assembly line at the Lexus Tahara plant.

During its 7-year life span, approximately 12,000 units are build. Currently there is no successor model planned for the new generation of IS series. However with the brand’s ambitious V8 engine plans, and also upcoming new F-variant models, I believe the IS-F will be revived for the new IS sedan.

As we are approaching the market release date of the completely-new Lexus RC-F, speculations of how Lexus will do for its V8 engines in the next few year starts to emerge.

As we know the 5.0L V8 engine in the RC-F is based on the firm’s 2UR-GSE V8, which is currently used in the IS-F, but with significant modification and enhancement to push maximum output way more than the 450 hp mark.

At the same time, Lexus’ flagship sedan: the LS460, although with many impressive features, it lag behind its German rivals, such the Mercedes-Benz S550, the BMW 750i, the Audi A8, in engine output. The LS460’s 1UR-FSE 4...

Toyota Motorsport GmbH (a.k.a TMG), the Köln Germany-based motorsport division of the Toyota Group, told Australian media that they are developing a double-clutch transmission for the company’s Lexus brand.

According to Rob Leupen, business operations director of TMG, in the next 2 or 3 years we should be able to see the TMG-developed DCT on the Lexus RC-F, and also the next generation of IS-F.

For the IS-F, Leupen also hinted that the redesigned IS-F may use hybrid powertrain technologies.

Last week I have discussed the GM 8AT and the ZF 9AT, today let’s take a look at the Aisin AA80E, which is used in the Lexus IS350, GS350, LS460, IS-F and the upcoming RC-F.

Unlike other longitude mounted 8AT such as the ZF 8HP and GM 8L90, the Aisin transmission uses compound planetary gear sets. A compound planetary gear set is a planetary gear set that has multiple sun gears or multiple ring gears. There are different types of them, the one we are interested in is called the Ravingeaux gear set, which has two sun gears, two planet carriers and they share one common ring gear.

One Ravingeaux gear set can provide 4 forward gear ratios and also the neutral and reverse.

T...