Toyota invented the name "Lexus" for its luxury division back in 1986 because the word sounded pleasant and memorable.

The same could be said for the 2008 IS-F high-performance sport sedan, truly one of the most memorable cars ever to bear the Lexus logo.

Before the Lexus brand was born, the luxury division was known sub rosa by its code: "Circle-F." Later, the "F" code came to represent a vehicle tweaked by an elite squad of performance geeks suffering from over-stimulated adrenal glands.

You might say that, for Lexus, "F" represents a passing grade, since there are few cars on the road that the sedan can't outrun. We're talking 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds, 13 ticks to the quarter mile and 170 miles per hour top track speed.

And imagine accomplishing those feats in the lap of luxury: leather trim interior with 10-way power adjustable, heated seats, dual automatic climate control and 13-speaker audio system with MP3/iPod inputs and in-dash, six-disc CD changer. Perhaps you would enjoy hearing Mantovani's version of "Some Enchanted Evening" as you blow the doors off a BMW.

While $56,000 might not qualify as a "Blue Light Special," the IS-F seems almost underpriced for its rarity. Lexus expects to sell fewer than 6,000 of the sedans in the U.S. and no more than 500 in Japan in the 2008 model year.

True enthusiasts will appreciate details that might escape the attention of mere motorists.

Take the 19-inch, 10-spoke, forged aluminum wheels, for example. The front pair measure 8-inches wide, while the back set gains an additional inch, apropos for a rear-drive performance car. Look through the spokes and you'll see a massive set of Brembo disc brakes with 14.2-inch drilled rotors in front and 13.6-inch vented discs in back.

When you want to decelerate, your Brembos get back-up from a four-channel anti-lock system with electronic brake-force distribution.

Accelerating is more fun behind the 5-liter, double-overhead cam, 32-valve V8, which pulls 416 horses out of its combustion chambers and 371 foot-pounds of torque with the crankshaft turning at 5,200 rpm.

Breathing through a dual air intake system, the V8 uses high-flow cylinder heads with titanium intake valves designed by Yamaha, Variable Valve Timing with intelligence and electrically controlled intake cam and other refinements, resulting in 83.2 horses per liter. (See, I told you these guys were geeks).

Let's give a round of applause, also, for "the world's first eight-speed Sport Direct-Shift automatic transmission with a quick and direct special lock up clutch and a control system that enables ultra-quick manual upshifts and blips the throttle for precision downshifts."

It wasn't that long ago when four-speed automatics were cutting edge. Then, the Euro brands made six-speeds the benchmark. Lexus just couldn't leave well enough alone.

With paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel, drivers can really test their track skills, preferably on the track.

Lexus engineers put the IS-F through its paces at Germany's legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife and Japan's Fuji Speedway. Happily, the wheels did not come off.

To handle high-speed and endurance tests, engineers lowered the suspension an inch below that of the regular IS, enlarged the stabilizer bars and tuned the electric power steering for more direct feel.

The Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management electronics system is designed to provide the best possible dynamics and traction control.

The IS-F is based on the rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS, which is powered by a mere V6 and rides on a stiff, double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.

For buyers worried that their IS-F might blend into the IS crowd, designers blessed the sedan with identifiable front fascia, hood, fenders, underbody and rear spoiler.

Badges bearing a silver, black and blue "F" ride on both front fenders and the trunk lid. Four exhaust diffusers, stacked two per side in a vertical arrangement, are built into the rear bumper.

"The 'F' in this model's name is the signature for a new high-performance marque conceived by an engineering team charged with expanding the definition of Lexus," said Lexus general manager Mark Templin.