Spanning the two runways was one of those broken concrete segments that I mentioned a minute ago, this one causing

The IS 350's utter quickness between corners is dumbfounding. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

an unsettling stomach-in-the-throat feeling when not letting up off the gas, but lap after lap it became easier to negotiate and the long left hand sweeper that followed, complicated by a nasty little kink at centre, became all the more enjoyable at full speed. And the IS 350's utter quickness between corners is dumbfounding. I found myself overshooting the apex on a number of occasions, where with the IS 250 I was able to take each corner with seemingly professional grace and composure after a few runs.

This was especially true at the end of the second runway straight, where an abrupt right U-turn sent the car back up the other side, through a variety of impromptu curves, into a sharp right and then, after another annoying

The slightly lighter, less powerful IS 250's narrower tires give way more easily, which made for some seriously fun orange cone dancing, so to speak. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

chicane, onto the final and longest straight before circling in front of the pits, around a dreadfully tight left hander and past the pit exit, where the entire process was repeated infinitum - I wish. OK, while time only permitted a couple of hours on the course, most of it was behind the wheel of one of four models, the IS 250 rear-drive with a manual shifter, IS 250 rear-drive with the automatic, an all-wheel drive IS 250 that only comes with an automatic, and the rear-drive, automatic-only IS 350. The latter car delivers a night and day performance experience over the IS-light, but I have to admit to be duly impressed with the 250. Truly, it's easily up to taking on most competitors in this class, only laid for waste by its more powerful sibling. Actually, some less experienced drivers may find the lighter car's willingness to understeer when pushed to the limit, more appealing. Its narrower tires give way more easily, which made for some seriously fun orange cone dancing, so to speak.