Lexus Brings Back a V8-Powered IS

Miss the V8-powered IS-F? Apparently Lexus does, as they just dropped this: the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport. The key here is that 500 number plate: the same 5.0-liter V8 currently found in the IS’s two-door relative, the RC.

Power output is rated at 472 horsepower at 7100 rpm and 395 lb.-ft. of torque at 4800 rpm, with …

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Oh what a glorious sound those engines make. I can't get over how ugly the lexus center console looks. They always look and feel dry and cheap to me. I have the same issue with bmw.

Excellent, the IS-F was a magical car.  I had it's little brother IS350 for about 2 years and loved it. 

I absolutely love that Lexus is doing this. 

I loathe the fact that the first person to develop "an angle kit" is going to be the hero of every SEMA build drift kid wannabe when the platform deserves so much better. 

Love it. This will depress the original IS-F prices finally. I also think this is better suited than a GS-F for us. 

Hoping the wife trades in her RC-F for this, finally!!!!! She was holding out for the LCF but I think the IS500 is the ticket

In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

I hear you on that one. I'll keep my fingers crossed it's less extreme angle and more widebody with a bumper-mounted spoiler.

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. Looks like Ive found a replacement for my WRX once we pay off the 4runner.

In reply to Colin Wood :

I trust that Lexus will have done it that way, I just cringe at how some of them will end up. 

IMO this will be the first mass produced (relatively) Lexus to surpass BMW at it's own game. They've come tantalizingly close in the past. 

And I'll bet that the rear seat still doesn't fold down.........and the front end is still  ugly beyond belief.

For that matter, so is the rear.

300zxfreak said:

And I'll bet that the rear seat still doesn't fold down

If that's the case, it's almost certainly for performance reasons.  A lot of BMWs have non folding rear seats (or it was optional) because of that.  Cutting a big hole in the bulkhead behind the seats means you either sacrifice chassis stiffness or add weight to brace around it and get the stiffness back.

Fitzauto said:

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. 

I mean, the original IS F didn't have a manual transmission, so I honestly wouldn't have expected one here.

NickD said:

Fitzauto said:

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. 

I mean, the original IS F didn't have a manual transmission, so I honestly wouldn't have expected one here.

Has Lexus offered a manual in anything since the original IS back in the 2000s?  And even those were rare as hen's teeth, I don't think i've ever actually seen one. (A manual transmission IS 300)

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

NickD said:

Fitzauto said:

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. 

I mean, the original IS F didn't have a manual transmission, so I honestly wouldn't have expected one here.

Has Lexus offered a manual in anything since the original IS back in the 2000s?  And even those were rare as hen's teeth, I don't think I've ever actually seen one.

You could also get SC300s with a 5-speed but, again, they were quite rare (less than 4000 built)

NickD said:

Fitzauto said:

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. 

I mean, the original IS F didn't have a manual transmission, so I honestly wouldn't have expected one here.

Yeah I think that ship sailed for Lexus a long time ago.  Considering their market demographic I'm entirely unsurprised.

No manual in the Supra though? Unforgivable.

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

NickD said:

Fitzauto said:

Im only saddened by the lack of manual. 

I mean, the original IS F didn't have a manual transmission, so I honestly wouldn't have expected one here.

Has Lexus offered a manual in anything since the original IS back in the 2000s?  And even those were rare as hen's teeth, I don't think i've ever actually seen one. (A manual transmission IS 300)

I have a 2012 Lexus IS250 with a 6speed manual trans.  My SC300 (17K) miles is also a MT. 

Having said that, the MT Lexus client is no more, and never was, even back in the day.

In reply to rslifkin :

Not  likely, even their "non-performance" plain Jane sedans don't feature fold down seats.....even my Jetta had those, and most every other car I've owned. And, my BMW has them. I just think it's pretty dumb of them when virtually everyone else does it.

The 7 spd dual wet clutch may prevent me from pining for a manual.  Bet it makes good noises.

84FSP said:

The 7 spd dual wet clutch may prevent me from pining for a manual.  Bet it makes good noises.

Yamaha tuned ones, usually do ;)

I really need to get around to driving one of these cars some time.  

oh yea you used to be able to get the IS with the manual, other than the fact that the trans was the same one from the tacoma thus bad as a sports car transmission.

This with a slight exhaust tweak and maybe some wheels from the Mackin catalog will be bee's knees, even with the automatic. 

I'm truly surprised. Almost 60hp more, standard LSD, only about 100lbs more, but it's slower than the original IS-F? Think I'll just keep mine

calteg said:

I'm truly surprised. Almost 60hp more, standard LSD, only about 100lbs more, but it's slower than the original IS-F? Think I'll just keep mine

It isn't slower 

the quotes numbers are quite conservative 

wait till the road test ;) 

I like that it exists, I wish it wasn't so damn ugly.