Since Lexus joined the premium set, you could almost have the words set on your laptop as a function key: something along the lines of, “it’s a wonderful car, with superb engines and huge amounts of equipment, and it’s very well-built and will last forever—but the brand doesn’t really have any heritage, and however brilliant the cars are they aren’t very exciting.” Or words to that effect.

But Lexus has been around long enough now for the heritage argument to have worn a bit thin, and if you look at the cars on their Geneva stand this year you can’t help noticing something even more striking: all of a sudden, Lexus has hit the funky button, and these are beyond argument some of the most exciting cars in the place—both visually and in terms of content.

Take the big three—the IS-F, the LF-A, and the LS 600h/LS 600h L. None of them is less than stunning in the metal, and their mechanical specifications are bordering on amazing. The IS-F, now in production form, is described simply enough as ”the most sophisticated and powerful IS ever.” And by that they mean a 5.0-liter V8 delivering more than 400 horsepower, an eight-speed paddle shift automatic transmission (yes, that’s right, eight), Brembo brakes and special BBS wheels.

It has electrically driven variable valve timing and both port- and direct-fuel-injection, to combine best-in-class CO₂ performance with 0-125 mph in 16 seconds. Oh, and the F apparently stands for the F-sports engineering team, who developed the car at the Japanese GP circuit at Fuji. No personality? I don’t think so.

Then, making its European debut, there’s the LF-A concept, ”Lexus’s definition of a super sports car,” and super it definitely is, inspired again, they say, by motor sport technology all wrapped in sleek L-Finesse design. With more than 500 horsepower from its “less than 5.0-liter” V10, it’s a front mid-engine 200 mph coupe just oozing attitude, and it is where Lexus is increasingly going.

And then there are the LS 600h twins, normal and long wheelbase. The world’s first full-hybrid V8s, with the performance of a V12 and the emissions levels of a V6, plus sledgehammer technology that would make your head spin—way beyond the hybrid gas/electric drive system.

It comes with all-wheel drive, incredibly sophisticated air suspension, a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management package that would make the space shuttle look crude, obstacle detection, driver alertness monitoring, emergency steering assist, right through to extending, aircraft-style rear-seat leg and footrests—you can hardly argue when they talk about the LS 600h as ”the world’s most advanced production car.”

But best of all, forget the old “full but dull” function key—these are a new breed of Lexus, with character.