[Flipside909]

So, I learned something pretty interesting about 2008 model year production IS-F's. These are answers direct from my sources. So lets get started...


FACT: There were about 2,733 IS F's made for the USA.

FACT: There are a total of 4,828 IS F's made in the world, including pre-production vehicles.

FACT: All IS F's come off the one production line for every destination

FACT: The last 2008 IS F VIN for the US ended in 4828, with an August 6, 2008 build date.

FICTION: The last 4 digits of the VIN, 3600 was the last 2008 model year IS F.

How to decode the 17 digit VIN:

Digits 1 - 3: WMI = World Manufacturer Identifier
Digits 4-8: VDS = Vehicle Descriptor Section
Digit 9: Check Digit
Digit 10: MY (in case of USA)
Digit 11 - 17: Plant Serial Number (Digit 11: Plant Code)

Example (Pre Production 08 IS-F Starfire w/Alpine):

This concludes your IS F production lesson for today.

 

[old$parts]

Great information. Thanks for your diligent iput. Any other tidbits that you may have obtained.



This my sound stupid..... Can anyone tell me where the ISF is manufactured?
By that I mean what city and state, etc. Also, can a person go visit the plant and watch the assembly line process?

 

[BigMikeISF]

Wow, that is awesome info! Thanks Flipside! Its a little more exclusive then I thought, which is great!!

 

[Flipside909]

Great information. Thanks for your diligent iput. Any other tidbits that you may have obtained.


This my sound stupid..... Can anyone tell me where the ISF is manufactured?
By that I mean what city and state, etc. Also, can a person go visit the plant and watch the assembly line process?

It's manufactured at the award winning Tahara Plant, Aichi Perfecture, Japan.

This is the same place where the LS, GS, IS and GX are built as well as many other Toyota models.

Interesting article about the Tahara Plant:
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0712_makingof_lexus/index_01.htm

Unfortunately, this plant does not have tours like the Toyota plants here in North America.

 

[Flipside909]

Wow, that is awesome info! Thanks Flipside! Its a little more exclusive then I thought, which is great!!

NP! Exclusivity is great.

 

[old$parts]

Flipside 909 thanks for the response..... I'm learning as we go.

The little known facts are very informative.

My guess is the new M3 is made is far greater numbers. Probably 10,000 or more. Maybe one of the techies on this site will know. If so please let us in on the info....
The rarer the better.

Old$parts

 

[BigMikeISF]

Interesting article about the Tahara Plant:
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0712_makingof_lexus/index_01.htm

Thats a pretty sweet article! I find it interesting how many checks each Lexus goes through as well as the whole squeezing golf ball exercises, never seen another business do that particular exercise before!

NP! Exclusivity is great.

The rarer the better.

Old$parts

Both of those statements are beyond true

 

[permasmile]

Any idea how many are here in Canada? Just curious

 

[newzfirst]

Great post Flipside, great work on the numbers.

08 IS-F Blk/Blk 3/31/08 #498
06 IS 250 AWD Silver/BLK

 

[Flipside909]

Any idea how many are here in Canada? Just curious

No I don't unfortunately. Just for the USA only.

 

[IS-F-I-DID]

Good stuff, looks like my car was made within the last 1000 units.
My last 4 are: 3943.

Any build info estimates for 09s?

 

[BigMikeISF]

^Definitely going to be reduced numbers for '09 due to a slowing and stoppage of production by Toyota. The F might become more exclusive, especially if you have an '09

 

[X20A]

Hmmm, that's pretty cool! So that means the # of IS Fs in Canada would be from that small fraction of 1,xxx or so for the rest of the world... pretty exclusive if you ask me!

 

[mondo540]

Flipside, very interesting...Any idea how many preproduction cars there were in total and where they eventually end up? I see the one in your example is #150 so does that mean there were at least 149 cars made before that? Where do they end up?...I assume some were crash tested, etc. ....just curious...also when did actual production start? Dec. '07? Thx for any info...

 

[robtown]

Cool Info, Thanks. My VIN ends in 4622, looks like it was on of the last '08s!

Rob

 

[oldtimer]

Mine seems to be the one of the very last of the '08's. My VIN ends in 4822, just six from the end. Any later ones here?

 

[Flipside909]

Flipside, very interesting...Any idea how many preproduction cars there were in total and where they eventually end up? I see the one in your example is #150 so does that mean there were at least 149 cars made before that? Where do they end up?...I assume some were crash tested, etc. ....just curious...also when did actual production for the non-preproduction cars start? Dec. '07? Thx for any info...

Yeah don't quote me on the exact pre-production number, but the first cars that were released were the 50 Special Build Nieman Marcus Edition F's.

The first pre-production ones were hand built, and end up as either auto show displays, Taste of Lexus and event cars, press pool of cars, T-Ten program or in the crusher. Most of them end up in the crusher after their useful life. I think it was either 11/07 or 12/07 for first regular production.

 

[MRxSLAYx]

Yeah don't quote me on the exact pre-production number, but the first cars that were released were the 50 Special Build Nieman Marcus Edition F's.

The first pre-production ones were hand built, and end up as either auto show displays, Taste of Lexus and event cars, press pool of cars, T-Ten program or in the crusher. Most of them end up in the crusher after their useful life. I think it was either 11/07 or 12/07 for first regular production.

No Crusher for my car

 

[ChrisLiles]

My vin is 0235 and was built in 2007. Does that mean it was a pre-production model?

 

[lowrider]

^^^^No, but it is very early production.

Lou