The IS F was well received in the motoring press since its production began a few years ago and this new announcement will serve only to swell the positive opinion on Lexus’ high performance take on their IS model.

The LSD is now fitted as standard and will allow its owners to enjoy improved handling and stability that saw Lexus’ own engineers shave a couple of seconds of their previous best at Fuji International Speedway.  The LSD obviously has no effect on the two headline speed figures many of us immediately look to of the dash to just over 60 and what it will do flat out.  0-62mph (100km/h) will arrive in 4.8s and the unchanged 5.0L V8 will allow you to run up to 168mph before an electronic limiter calls time on the fun.

New satellite navigation system covers all of Europe

Inside, the 2010 IS F features a new satellite navigation system that covers maps across all of Europe and handily also overlays local traffic information to ensure you can avoid the jams in pursuit uninterrupted driving pleasure.  You can even load in some of your own songs to the system, with 10GB of disc space being available should you want a permanent home for your favourite tracks.

If you’re not content with the glorious 420hp V8 soundtrack as music for your ears then fear not as Lexus has fitted a whopping 14-speaker Mark Levinson 5.1 surround system inside the upgraded IS F.  You’ll also now be able to pick up DAB digital broadcasts as well as plug in any media device via a new USB port, with the standard aux-in remaining allowing easy connectivity for your portable music devices.

At £55,595 OTR and available now, are you tempted to shell out on Lexus IS F’s riposte to the Germans?

Porsche has unveiled details of the revised Boxster and Cayman line-ups.  In best Porsche tradition the exterior tweaks are minor and hard to spot – essentially new front and rear light clusters – but underneath it’s a more thorough update.

As leaked on DR back in July, the Boxster and Cayman get a new 2.9-litre engine, with power outputs rising to 255bhp for the roadster and 265bhp for the coupe (up 10bhp and 20bhp). The S models’ 3.4-litre flat-six now features direct injection and develops 310bhp and 320bhp respectively (up 15bhp and 25bhp over the old models). Both the 2.9-litre and 3.4-litre cars will be available with Porsche’s 7-speed PDK gearbox, replacing the old torque-converter Tiptronic S system.

In conjunction with improved engine efficiency (particularly in the case of the direct-injection 3.4-litre unit) PDK helps to markedly reduce fuel consumption: The Boxster and Cayman with PDK return 31mpg, the S models 30.1mpg.

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