It seems having a powerful, V-8 engine under the hood and impressive performance credentials aren't always enough for a sports sedan to survive. Sales are equally important, and at least one such vehicle has failed to make an impact and is now facing the axe. We're talking about the Lexus IS-F, which will no longer be supplied to the company's dealerships, Telegraaf reports.

So what's wrong with a high-performance sedan that comes with a 5.0-liter, V-8 engine rated at 416 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque? Well, let's say that the 11,000 units sold since its introduction in 2007 weren't good enough for company executives. Then there's also the fact that the IS-F gained very few updates for 2014, while the regular IS got a complete makeover. Tough competition from BMW->ke178, Mercedes-Benz->ke187 and Cadillac->ke18 didn't help either.

Considering the aforementioned facts, Lexus' decision to discontinue the IS-F is not at all surprising. However, we can't help but notice that this sporty sedan->ke142 has yet to receive the love it deserves in its seven years on the market. Will Lexus->ke47 bring forth a brand-new IS-F? It's a bit too early to speculate on that, but the RC-F is coming to carry the performance label further, albeit in a coupe body style.

Click past the jump to read more about the Lexus IS-F.

Get One While They're Still Available

If you were pondering buying a 2014 IS-F, you'd better do that while Lexus dealerships are still offering them. Priced from $63,350, slightly more expensive than the $62,000 entry-level BMW M3, the 2014 IS-F comes with a number of updates including LED foglamps, a carbon-fiber trunk-lid spoiler, black Alcantara trimmings, and a re-tuned chassis. Should you opt for a highly equipped version, Lexus will be happy to add a 14-speaker, 300-watt Mark Levinson sound system, and convenience features such as Intuitive Park Assist and Voice command navigation.

Why It Matters

For the moment, Lexus remains without a proper competitor for the BMW M3, with only the RC-F to try and give the two-door M4 a run for its money. It's unlikely that Lexus will drop the IS-F nameplate altogether, but it seems the new-generation model will arrive a bit later. A bit peculiar considering the redesigned IS is already available for the 2014 model year, but we're not here to argue the company's marketing strategies.

Lexus IS-F

Lexus introduced the IS nameplate as an entry-level luxury sedan back in 1998, but the IS-F didn't arrive until 200 -- two years after the second-gen model had been launched. The high-performance sedan premiered at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show as the company's first F model and went on sale several months later. The 5.0-liter, V-8 engine stuffed under the hood propelled the sedan from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and onto a top speed of 170 mph, placing it in the same league with the BMW M3. For 2014, the powerplant mates to an eight-speed, Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.