LEXUS 2008 "IS F SPECIAL BUILD SEDAN" IS NEIMAN MARCUS' SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT

Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has teamed-up with Lexus and they are offering 50 not-quite-yet-available 2008 IS F models through this year's annual NM holiday catalog. These particular IS F autos are a limited edition run of the IS F with special features inside and out. These "Lexus IS F Special Build Sedan" holiday models feature obsidian black paint, a Mark Levinson premium audio system, and limited edition, hand-polished, 19” wheels. A custom interior with F-logo embossed headrests is also part of the package. And one (or more) can be all yours for $68,000 per car.

Last year, the BMW M6 convertible which NM offered sold-out in 92 seconds. Yep, you read right. Other memorable cars to be sold through the Neiman Marcus catalog include first-year versions of the most-recent Ford Thunderbird and the first-year Cadillac XLR. The new NM IS F even includes a half-day of pro-driver training, compliments of the Skip Barber Racing School, including travel and accommodations.

The "F" originates from the "Circle-F" internal code for what became the Lexus Division nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the "F" code has come to signify a special vehicle program within Lexus that falls outside the normal engineering and development process. Much of the IS F development took place at Fuji Speedway and the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan.

The IS F is the fastest production car Lexus has ever built, delivering more than 400 horsepower and 350 ft. lbs. of torque from its 5.0-liter V8. The IS F can go from 0 to 60 in under 4.9 seconds. It has the world’s first eight-speed Sport Direct Shift gearbox and a specially engineered Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system featuring a high-performance sport mode. There's also a Mark Levinson CD/DVD Premium Surround Sound Audio System with navigation and Bluetooth technology.

Only 50 Neiman Marcus IS F special build sedans will be made. These limited edition vehicles will be among the very first IS Fs off the line and have an exclusive interior design of high-style black with white accent stitching. Each will feature a unique steering wheel with white leather accents, front headrests embossed with an F logo, hand-polished finish on the wheels and a sequentially numbered Special Build badge.

(Photo --- Non-Neiman 2008 Lexus IS F showing front wheel and brake assembly).

All IS F sedans feature unique quad tailpipes, Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors and 6-piston front calipers, and 19″ forged alloy wheels, but for this limited edition the wheels have been hand-polished to a high luster (see photo top of page). That's interesting, because we thought "any wheel you can see yourself in" went out of favor at least five years ago ...

Available beginning Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm EDT. The number to call and order is  1.888.747.4504. Sweet, young Texas things/operators are standing by!

(Photo --- Non-Neiman 2008 Lexus IS F rear).