2022 Lexus IS500 F Sport Performance: What Do You Want To Know?
Image: Lexus
Lexus is still trying to inject some much-needed performance cred into its F performance line. Since the brand’s inception, there have been just three dedicated performance models: the original IS F, the forgotten GS F, and the RC F. Other than that, the F brand has pretty much been a slew of appearance packages on everything from the RX to the ES. Now, Lexus has gone old school with the IS500. Throwing a big engine into a smallish sedan is always great and is a performance blueprint. Before I get to hooning this thing, I want to know what you guys want to know about it.
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Image: Lexus
There aren’t many options for the IS500 F Sport Performance. The model I’m driving is pretty well equipped at $62,075. The only major option available that my car is missing is a $2,450 package that fits the IS500 with 19-inch split-spoke black BBS wheels. With the Grecian Water blue exterior paint on my example, I wish it had come equipped with those wheels. But the standard 19-inch silver Enkei wheels don’t look too bad, either.
Image: Lexus
Power comes from the same 5.0-liter V8 that powers the RC F and LC. It makes 472 horsepower in this application and gets paired with an eight-speed automatic. Sadly no manual transmission is available. Power comes on strong. There’s nothing like a naturally aspirated V8, and it sounds fantastic. Lexus went the surprising route of letting you hear the engine sounds naturally. There’s no fake engine noise piped into the cabin.
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I’ll be taking this thing on some local canyon roads this week and on into this weekend to see if it’s actually more than just great in a straight line. I’ll also be judging how it is to live with on a daily basis. Performance is great, but an ill-placed control or annoying feature can ruin a whole driving experience. So let me know what you guys want to know about it. I’ll answer as much as I can in the comments and leave the rest for the full review.
