Lexus lifts IS F price

LEXUS shocked fans and rivals of its mould-breaking compact sports sedan when it announced a launch price of $129,000 (and an even lower $126,500 without a sunroof) for its IS F in Australia last November.

Just as it had warned then, however, a price increase was inevitable due to the relationship between the Australian dollar and Japanese yen, which now sees the IS F’s asking price rise by $3250 or 2.52 per cent to $132,250 from June 1.

While that moves it further ahead of Audi’s new, slightly milder S4 sedan ($118,900), the IS F remains more than $20,000 more affordable than its most direct rival in BMW’s M3 sedan ($152,300) and more than $12,000 cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sedan ($144,365).

Lexus Australia says the IS F has been a smash hit here as well as globally, with its deliberately small allocation of around 10 examples per month being snapped up before they arrive, and official VFACTS sales figures showing 51 have been sold Down Under since deliveries began this year.

The IS F wasn’t the only Lexus model to increase in price from June 1, however, with the new RX350 luxury SUV rising by $1000 at entry-level Prestige and mid-range Sports levels, and the flagship RX350 Luxury increasing by $2000 or more than two per cent.

Just three months after its local launch, when the redesigned RX arrived with prices increases of at least $4000, the latest hikes see the all-auto RX350 range now priced at $82,900, $89,900 and $96,900 respectively, with the second-generation RX450h hybrid set to join the range later this month.

In other June 1 pricing movements, Morgan has put a $375,000 pricetag on its upcoming Aero SuperSports hardtop convertible ($384,000 for the auto).

Finally, Mitsubishi has discontinued the entry-level LS version of its Grandis people-mover. The demise of the $41,590 LS sees the Grandis line-up now open with the VRX, which continues unchanged at $44,950.

Read more:

First drive: Lexus overhauls RX at a cost

First Oz drive: Lean Lexus IS F price won’t last

First look: Morgan airs Aero Supersports