What would you rather buy – the cheaper BMW M3 Sedan or the Lexus IS-F?

January 29, 2008 Omar Rana

Lexus had set BMW’s M3 as a benchmark when producing their competitor for the high-performance sedan segment. According to Yukihiko Yaguchi, chief engineer for the Lexus IS-F, “Since we were coming after the M3, there were numerical targets we had to hit.”

If you take a look at the technical specs of both cars, Lexus did a tremendous job at hitting their targets. The Lexus IS-F is powered by a 5.0L direct-injection V8 engine that produces 416hp with a peak torque of 371 lb-ft. 0-62 comes in at 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 200mph. The 2008 BMW M3 Sedan on the other hand, is powered by a smaller 4.0L V8 engine that produces a 414hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 time is the same as the Lexus IS-F coming in at 4.9 seconds.

But, both auto makers recently released the pricing for their mid-sized high-performance onslaught and surprise – the BMW M3 Sedan is cheaper by $1,425.

The Lexus IS-F starts at $56,000 while the M3 Sedan carries a starting price tag of $54,575. Now we’re not saying that the Lexus IS-F is overpriced, but $1,425 could be enough to lure fans away to an already established marquee such as the “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” Not to mention its Lexus’s first year competing in the segment so we can expect a few hesitations from consumers.

Oh and of course, Mercedes still has to release pricing for the C 63 AMG which is expected to be around $63k. And let’s not talk about the $69k Audi RS 4.

Let us know what you’d want to take home in the comments section below.

2008 BMW M3 Sedan Gallery: