After a rather long absence, Lexus decided to revive the IS F under a different nameplate. IS 500 F Sport Performance is how the 2022 model is called, and merely 500 units of the Launch Edition will ever be made, all of them destined for North America.
There are two ways to differentiate the limited-run model from the standard specification. For starters, the Launch Edition is finished in Incognito, a brand-new exterior color for the Lexus lineup. Secondly, each of the 500 units will be appointed with a serialized badge to highlight their exclusivity.
Scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealerships in the fall, the IS 500 F Sport Performance Launch Edition features matte-black lightweight wheels in the guise of 19-inch forged alloys from BBS. Open the driver’s door, and the compact executive sedan welcomes you with two-tone Ultrasuede upholstery for the front and rear seats, door cards, and the center console.
Even the steering wheel brings the point home with a leather-wrapped rim, heating, silver ash wood, and F Sport Performance badging. The most powerful IS ever, this fellow mirrors the output figures of the IS 500 with 472 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 395 pound-feet (536 Nm) at 4,800 rpm.
2UR-GSE is the codename of the 5.0-liter motor, which dates back to the 2007 North American International Auto Show when the original IS F was revealed. Back then, the all-alloy V8 with Yamaha know-how and D4-S tech was rated at 417 horsepower and 372 pound-feet (505 Nm) of torque.
A bit of a dinosaur compared to segment rivals, the IS 500 is probably the final compact executive sedan with a free-breathing V8. BMW is sticking to the straight-six configuration, AMG is downsizing to a four-pot mill, and Audi has recently announced that internal combustion is yesterday’s news.
Capable of 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 4.5 seconds, the IS 500 is estimated to return 24 miles to the gallon (9.8 liters per 100 kilometers) on the highway. For reference, the Environmental Protection Agency has rated the all-new BMW M3 at 24 mpg (10.2 l/100 km).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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