2021 Lexus IS Sedan + IS500 F SPORT

CSUfiend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
131
Reaction score
278
Location
CA
Car(s)
Lexus GS400
My initial reaction is disappointment. If you’re going to carry cover the powertrain just like that and give it a styling refresh, my question is why not just cancel it like they did the GS?

It’s sad that Lexus still doesn’t have anything as exciting as the 2006 IS350 or 1998 GS400 as far as sub-$60k cars aren’t concerned. Or anything faster than those cars at that price point either. And what’s sad is that it’s now 15-20 years after those cars have been made.

Is it too hard to ask for Lexus to create an IS that significantly outperforms the 2006 IS350 in a way that a car with an additional 16 more years of developmental knowledge would do when compared to a car that was made 16 years ago?

Is it too hard to ask for Lexus to create an (..well.. now that the GS is gone, let’s leave it to the) ES that significantly outperforms the 1998 GS400 in a way that a car with an additional 20+ years more of developmental knowledge would do when compared to a car that was made over 20 years ago?

I don’t think those two new cars would even beat the old ones in a straight line. Let’s see if the 2021 IS can do sub 5 second 0-60 like the 2006 IS350 has been tested for. I already know that the ES350 has not tested for sub 6 second 0-60 like the 1998 GS has tested for.

I dare you to compare any 2006 version of anything and compare it to the 2021 version of that same car. The differences will be more significant than the Lexus examples above.. in a very embarrassing way. It will make you think that Lexus has pretty much stood still for all of those years. Sad indeed. At this point, it’s doubtful that the IS makes it to a next gen.

Even in the SUV world, Lexus is behind. They have been talking about making a car based 7 seater SUV (Positioned above the RX) since the 3GS was around back in the mid 2000’s. In fact, by the time the LF-1 concept makes it to production, it should rival the time that it took for us to go from A80 to A90.

And I say these things as a Lexus owner, not just some random internet hater who has never driven one and never would care to consider owning one.
 

JasonAtMagic

Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Feb 14, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
9
Reaction score
3
Location
Edmonds
Car(s)
GrSupra
Based on the is350 they just pulled off on this magically track.... the new 86 is gonna have a whole 6 horse power more and a body refresh and some “suspension” tuning.
 

vb22

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Threads
6
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
2,510
Location
USA
Car(s)
SC300
https://www.thedrive.com/news/34521/lexus-files-is500-trademark-for-potential-v8-sport-sedan

Lexus Files 'IS500' Trademark for Potential V8 Sport Sedan

Our dreams of a true IS F successor aren't dead yet.

fter hearing rumors that Lexus would bring a 5.0-liter V8 back to its compact sports sedan, we were pretty disappointed when the heavily-refreshed (but not all-new) 2021 IS debuted with zero new powertrain additions or changes. If a new trademark filing holds any water, however, our dreams for a spiritual successor to the IS F may not be dead just yet.

Spotted by a GR86.org forum member, the Toyota Motor Corporation filed a trademark for "IS500" to the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week, the same name those previous rumors gave to the supposed upcoming high-performance Lexus IS. Naturally, the mark is described to be for "automobiles and structural parts thereof."

When unofficial rumblings of a future IS 500 were heard last month, it was said to be Lexus' last application of its naturally aspirated V8, the same 5.0-liter that lives under the hoods of the LC 500, GS F, RC F, and defunct IS F. In its current applications, the engine makes around 470 horsepower which would make for a vast jump over the IS 350's 311 hp. Still, that's lacking compared to the 500-plus ponies expected from the upcoming BMW M3 and M4 with which an IS 500 would compete.

Around the same time Toyota was filing this trademark, however, reports stemming from a Japanese publication surfaced saying that the twin-turbo V8 LC F had been canceled due to the global pandemic, which begs the question: If Lexus can't afford to do a high-performance LC, can it come up with the scratch to build a high-po IS?

Whatever the answer to that question may be, Lexus unveiled the "new" IS a couple of weeks ago making a lot of hoopla over that car's apparently enhanced, more balanced handling and the fact that it was developed at Toyota's NĂŒrburgring-imitating test facility in Shimoyama. If Lexus is serious about targeting the IS at enthusiasts, there are few better ways of doing it than offering eight, turbo-less cylinders.

A Lexus spokesperson declined to comment when reached by The Drive.
g%2Fmessage-editor%252F1593542819705-lexusis500trademark.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=js-1.4.jpg
 

F1 Silver Arrows

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
683
Reaction score
1,234
Location
Circuits around the world
Car(s)
Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid
It’ll be the v8, probably be the last car the v8 is put into before they retire it
At first I thought it'd be the 2UR-GSE but I'm now leaning more for it to be the V35A-FTS engine instead. There's a few reasons why I think this, one of them being, if it had the V8 why wouldn't they just call it the IS F?
 

Jeff Lange

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
341
Reaction score
1,183
Location
Canada
Car(s)
AE86, GSE21
At first I thought it'd be the 2UR-GSE but I'm now leaning more for it to be the V35A-FTS engine instead. There's a few reasons why I think this, one of them being, if it had the V8 why wouldn't they just call it the IS F?
I could see it being either the V35A-FTS or the 2UR-GSE. The LC500 has the 2UR, the LS500 has the V35A, though I think part of that was that the LC F was supposed to see something more interesting than the 2UR, so then the question becomes do they make an IS500 with the 2UR and an IS F with something more interesting in the future, or make an IS500 with the V35A because it's not going to be a real "F" car?

Or there is no IS500 coming and the trademark means nothing, or it's going to be a concept car, or something else. There are a lot of options.

Personally, I would be fine with either the 2UR or the V35A, definitely won't be disappointed with either of them.

As far as model updates go, the 2021 IS is a proper update, but one that probably should have been done in 2017-2018 instead, with a new model coming for 2021-2022, though I do think that the modern consumer's desire for a car to change all the time is a bit misplaced. Spend the time and make a good car that can stand the test of time, and keep making it. Cars aren't iPhones - even iPhone's probably don't need to be updated as often as they are.

Jeff
 

Captain_Kirk

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kirk
Joined
Sep 19, 2017
Threads
23
Messages
1,373
Reaction score
2,252
Location
US
Car(s)
?
I saw on the Lexus forum that they plan on selling this car until 2025. At that time we'll either see a new replacement, or RIP IS.
 

justbake

Well-Known Member
First Name
Justin
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
1,366
Reaction score
2,402
Location
Indy
Car(s)
F10 535i
I don't understand why Toyota is so apprehensive about putting the V35a in anything but the LS right now. I know there are several projects in the pipeline but this motor has been out for almost 3 years now. This doesn't just impact the IS but they could have had performance SUVs in '500' and/or F variants as well.
 

2JZ-No-Sh*t

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Threads
14
Messages
1,803
Reaction score
3,389
Location
NM
Car(s)
My feet
I don't understand why Toyota is so apprehensive about putting the V35a in anything but the LS right now. I know there are several projects in the pipeline but this motor has been out for almost 3 years now. This doesn't just impact the IS but they could have had performance SUVs in '500' and/or F variants as well.
This is Toyota were talking about, a comanpy that took like only 12 yrs to finally add a 3 row of seats on their best selling model. :crazy::lol:
 

CSUfiend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
131
Reaction score
278
Location
CA
Car(s)
Lexus GS400
2021 Acura TLX puts out 355HP and 354 Ft. Lbs. Torque

Meanwhile, Lexus is still sitting at 300HP (or was it 306HP or 311HP... whatever, I have lost track of it) as their gold standard:hmm:



Kids that were born in the same year Lexus introduced the 2GR-FSE are in high school now:rolleyes1: and at this rate, they might be great grand parents by the time Lexus considers moving on from that power plant.


Lexus is literally Acura right now. And I used to joke with my Acura fanboy buddy about the decline of Acura in the early 2000’s. It has come back to bite me now:(
 

Jeff Lange

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
341
Reaction score
1,183
Location
Canada
Car(s)
AE86, GSE21
The 2GR-FSE had 306hp and was used in the IS350 from 2006-2017, and was replaced by the 311hp 2GR-FKS for 2018-2021.

Lexus does seem to be playing things a bit too conservatively on the engine front these days, but really when haven't they? Lexus used the 1UZ/3UZ engine relatively unchanged for 21 years from 1989 to 2010, ditto for the 2JZ-GE for 14 years from from 1991 to 2005, and the 1MZ/3MZ for 15 years from 1993 to 2008.

Jeff
 

F1 Silver Arrows

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
683
Reaction score
1,234
Location
Circuits around the world
Car(s)
Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid
The 2GR-FSE had 306hp and was used in the IS350 from 2006-2017, and was replaced by the 311hp 2GR-FKS for 2018-2021.

Lexus does seem to be playing things a bit too conservatively on the engine front these days, but really when haven't they? Lexus used the 1UZ/3UZ engine relatively unchanged for 21 years from 1989 to 2010, ditto for the 2JZ-GE for 14 years from from 1991 to 2005, and the 1MZ/3MZ for 15 years from 1993 to 2008.

Jeff
The 3MZ-FE engine is pure gold. Such a creamy, buttery smooth engine with a high end shriek. One of the most underrated Toyota engines ever.
Sponsored

 
 




Top