If only we had nickels for all the times we’ve heard “It’s poised to take on the best from BMW.” Domestics, Japanese, Europeans, and probably even the Koreans and Chinese will soon be guilty of making such a claim. To date, few such promises have held water. However, Lexus came to a split decision in its pitched battle with the 3 Series when it launched the IS 350. Now it’s going one further with an M3-fighter, the 2008 IS-F. To ensure an even fight, Lexus has stuffed a 400-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 under the hood along with a rev-matching eight-speed automatic tranny featuring paddle shifters. Lexus estimates a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.