Road Test: Lexus IS 5.0 V8 IS F 4dr Auto

If you decided to have a crack at some full-on drifting in this updated Lexus IS-F on your nearest large roundabout, smoking the rears in a frenzied black circle, round and round and round until the police came, you would find it a more pleasurable experience because the IS-F now comes with a limited-slip differential as standard.

As the police drove you to the station in their patrol car, you could ask whether or not the patrol car had a limited-slip diff and whether or not they drifted it regularly, for fun.

They would ignore you, but you could impress on them just how much better cars are at drifting when they're fitted with limited-slip diffs, how the power is directed to the wheel with the most grip rather than being spun away by the one with the least, giving you more security and control at massive yaw angles.

They would probably hint that a car costing £55,995 should have a limited-slip differential as standard anyway, and that the other upgrades are more relevant, like the new improved 14-speaker Mark Levinson sound system with DAB radio and a 10-gig hard drive. If they really knew their cars, they'd point out that the new satnav on the IS-F was the most worthy improvement of all.

Then, as they slammed the door on your putrid cell, they'd tell you they were taking your Lexus IS-F out drifting, just to make sure you were telling the truth about good control at massive yaw angles.