The current generation Lexus IS has been in production for over a decade. Even with upgrades and facelifts spanning its production run, the sports sedan has been showing its age for a handful of model years now. Lexus seemed to pull a Hail Mary in 2021 with the introduction of the IS 500.
It was the first time an eight-cylinder powerplant graced the IS platform since the late, great IS F from the second-generation IS platform. In a world constantly turning toward turbocharging, prioritizing fuel economy, and especially developing more and more electric vehicles , the 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance, on its surface, seems like a breath of traditional fresh air. For us enthusiasts who aren't yet ready to say goodbye to our old ways, a rear-wheel-drive sedan with an angry V8 up front in the modern age is a dream come true.
After all, even AMG turned to a turbo four-cylinder in place of its iconic V8. When you get past the rose-colored V8 glasses, though, it becomes clear that the IS 500 is more about its eight cylinders than the car itself. What you're left with is a platform that, while perfectly fine, has overstayed its welcome and fallen behind compared to the competition First, the obvious positive: the 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance uses the 2UR-GSE 5.
0-liter V8 engine sporting a whopping 472 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque. It happily screams its way north of 7,000 RPM and sings a song that is nothing short of empowering and enlightening. I genuinely b.
