Japans Best Car magazine has fuelled speculation that Lexus is planning on building an lighter, faster and pricier version of its IS-F performance sedan.

The so-called IS-F/R would essentially be Lexus’ answer to BMW’s lightened CSL variant of their M3, which is widely considered to be the IS-F’s chief competition.
A reduction in mass would be accomplished by the extensive use of composites and lightweight metals such as aluminium and magnesium, with the end result being an estimated 100kg pared from the luxo-sprinter’s porky frame. Engine output from the 5-litre V8 would also be raised to a respectable 320kW and 510Nm.

Sounds pretty good hey?

Now for the catch. The price of such a car is rumoured to be around 11 million JPY - a whopping 40 per cent more than a base IS-F, and more than 2.5 million Yen over the cost of a full-fat Premium Edition GT-R. Crazy. It seems that if you want a lightweight performance Lexus, you’d be better off buying a normal IS-F and taking to it with a gas axe.

[Source: Best Car via The Passionate Pursuit, Winding Road]
[Photo courtesy of Lexus]