Lexus IS-F Coupe spy

July 25, 2013 by Alastair Sloane

Lexus IS F coupe

We have captured the very first images of a Lexus compact coupe based on the new IS sedan for the 2014 model year. The car is not only the first IS coupe, but also a performance version that might be called the IS-F Coupe… or something else entirely.There has been a rumour that the IS-F nameplate will be discontinued and will be replaced by a new two-door model called the RC F.

Upon closer inspection, the headlights grille and bumper are different from the 2014 IS sedan. The car also appears to be wider and longer. Reports suggest the RC F would be 4,700mm long, 1,845mm wide and will ride on a 2730mm wheelbase.

No matter what we call this car, it will be a direct rival to the upcoming BMW M4, a benchmark in the compact sports coupe segment.

Some reports suggest the RC F will carry over the 5.0-litre V8, but the Lexus IS chief engineer said last week he’s not totally sold on that idea. Another possibility would be a turbo six-cylinder, taking into account that there’s an intake in the hood of the prototype. Perhaps the most interesting possibility would be a performance hybrid, but that would be technologically complicated, since electric batteries don’t have the necessary power for sustained performance.

Design-wise, the prototype reminds us of the LF-CC Concept, which had its headlights squared off at the top, something the 2014 IS doesn’t have. All reports indicate the Japanese are hurrying along with this project, which should be ready for production about a year from now.

If you are in a position to shell out upwards of NZ$600,000 for the 60^thanniversary Porsche 911 S/T or optional Porsche 911 S/T Heritage, you’ll no doubt want the signature titanium watch that goes with it. That’s how Porsche figures it anyway. Or, if you want the watch you’ll need to get the car. Both the car and the watch are limited to 1963 units, the year the original 911 model broke cover. The watch – Chronograph 1 911 S/T and Chronograph 1 911 S/T Heritage – and the car carry matching edition numbers. The watch is priced at $US13,500, or around $NZ22,200. The car, says Porsche NZ, starts at $NZ608,000. A “strictly limited number” will go into production for NZ early next year.

Eight European Union countries are pushing to weaken new EU emissions limits for cars, saying they are overly ambitious and unrealistic for carmakers to hit. The eight countries – France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia – said in a joint paper that parts of the proposed Euro 7 regulation, including curbs on exhaust pipe emissions, should be scrapped entirely. They said the limits would force carmakers to invest in improving exhaust emissions performance, money which would be better spent on developing zero-emission vehicles. Taken together, the countries would have enough votes to block the proposal.

A go-anywhere EV concept for the US military uses an onboard 12kW diesel generator to top up the batteries on the move. The all-wheel-drive has 800-volt technology and a 200kWh battery pack to power three electric motors, two in the rear and one up front. Claimed output is 745kW/15,590Nm, or 1000hp and 11,500 ft-lb of torque. The four-seater was developed by the defence division of General Motors and is based on the platform of the Hummer SUV. It rides on Fox performance shock absorbers and 37-inch tyres and comes with “exceptional” approach and departure angles for off-road mobility. Maximum range using the generator to keep things ticking over is said to be around 500km.

The outside temperature in Midland, Texas, was 40.5C when staff at the local office of the US National Weather Service set out to show the cabin of a closed car can literally get baking hot in summer. They mixed up a batch of chocolate chip cookies and laid them on the car’s dashboard – the surface of which showed a temperature of 87.7C. A little over four hours later the cookies were ready to eat. “Even though ours weren’t golden brown, we can confirm that they are done and delicious,” the staff wrote on Facebook.