IS F CCS-R Takes Los Angeles Back to the Past to Pikes Peak
Built in 2012, purpose-built IS F CCS-R packs 416 horses and 371 lb-ft of torque in its 5.0-liter V8, later used in the RC F.
We’re coming to you from the floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center, spending the last media day at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show before the public rolls from November 22 through December 1 to check out the latest and greatest from Lexus (and Toyota, in certain cases).
While there are, indeed, plenty of new Lexus models to check out, a throwback caught our eye, one going back to the end of the first term of President Barack Obama. Behold the 2012 IS F CCS-R.
Built upon the solid foundation of the 2012 IS F, the IS F CCS-R was built to dominate Pikes Peak with drift master Kenshiro Gushi wielding the car’s mighty power.
And what mighty power it has. Under the hood is a 5.0-liter V8 delivering 416 horses and 371 lb-ft of torque to the rear 18-inch wheels via an eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic with paddle shifters and a manual mode.
Turned out that big V8 was hiding a big secret, though. At the time of its June 2012 debut, it was believed the engine came out of the production-spec IS F. According to Road & Track in January 2014, the IS F CCS-R was actually a test bed for the 5.0-liter V8 for none other than the RC F. That engine would go on to make 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft of torque for the then-new coupe when it entered showrooms in September 2014 for the 2015 model year.
The IS F CCS-R, whose appearance was based on the Japanese-market IS F CCS-P club racer, not only took on the clouds around Pikes Peak in 2012, but also proved its worth in December 2013 at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California.
During its brief time in the limelight, the IS F CCS-R scored a time of 12:03.085 at Pikes Peak in 2012, which was the best time in its class. Back on earth, it would finish fourth in the 2013 running of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. Now in 2019, it takes its place in Lexus history on the floor of the L.A. Auto Show for everyone to see.
Photos for Club Lexus by Derin Richardson
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