Thanks guys. Appreciate all the feedback.
I am now even more tempted to get a Lexus.
However, I am actually still considering several other cars from different price brackets at the moment and the IS is at the top end of my budget.
I am driving a 2008 Civic Type R at the moment and I actually prefer to get something that has performance and refinement in the 40k to 60k bracket, the only options in that bracket are the Golf GTI, Golf R and the S3. But generally I am not too sure with the reliability/after sales service of the German cars, especially with the VW.
There is the new WRX STI, although it looks more refined than the previous model, it is still more on the performance side.
In order to get the IS I will have to push my budget even further.