Why So Quiet??? Lexus IS 500 F-Sport Performance First Look!
The Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance has the makings of a modern sleeper thanks to subtle looks and a massive V8 engine. But WHY can’t we HEAR its 5.0L glory???
Before we dive into the IS 500 F Sport Performance, please note this (and the above video) isn’t a full review. Why? Because there’s a media embargo on driving impressions and pricing. In other words, all will be revealed on September 10 (2021), so stay tuned for that. Until then, let’s cover the basic specs, how to tell the difference between an IS 500 and the IS 350, as well as some first impressions of the exhaust note.
IS 500 Specs
There are going to be three versions of the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance when it debuts this fall:
- A well-equipped Base model
- A Premium model with every option (our loaner was one of these)
- A limited-production Launch Edition with the exclusive Incognito (gray) color, a unique two-tone interior with a visual serial number, and matte black 19″ BBS wheels from the IS 350 F Sport Dynamic Handling package. (<– Click to read our full review!)
That’s right, you won’t be able to pick options outside of color(s) and trim level. Otherwise, here’s a basic breakdown of the IS 500 F Sport Performance features based on our Premium loaner:
- 5.0L Quad Cam 32V V8 making 472hp & 395 lb-ft of torque
- 8-speed automatic transmission
- Driver selectable drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport S, Sport S+, Custom)
- Rear-wheel drive only with a mechanical Torsen Limite Slip
- Adaptive Variable Suspension
- 14″ front & 12.7″ rear two-piece aluminum brakes
- 10-spoke 19″ Enkei alloy wheels running 235/40R19 (front) and 265/35R19 (rear) Bridgestone Potenza summer tires
- Premium Triple Beam LED headlights
- LED taillights and daytime running lights
- F Sport Performance badging (it’s the same badge as the IS 350 F Sport but a different color)
- RC-F inspired quad exhaust
- Black rear spoiler
- NuLuxe interior with F Sport bolstered heated and ventilated seats (10-way adjustable driver, 4-way passenger)
- Aluminum pedals
- Moonroof
- Mark Levinson 17-speaker, 1,800-watt Audio
- Navigation with a 10.3-inch Touchscreen (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible)
- Lexus Safety System+ 2.5
- Blind Spot Monitoring & Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Intuitive Parking Assist with Auto-Braking
IS 500 vs IS 350
Generally speaking, most folks aren’t going to recognize the IS 500 for what it is. (Especially with the stock exhaust, but more on this below.) This unicorn of a sedan is a total sleeper, destined to surprise the uninformed and non-Lexus aficionados. Why? Because it looks almost exactly like an IS 350 F Sport save for these few clues…
- A larger, bulging hood, necessary to fit the V8 in the engine bay.
- Unique “F Sport” badges that don’t say, but technically mean F Sport Performance. You’ll find these on the fenders and the steering wheel.
- Unique Enkei alloy wheels (unless you snag a Launch Edition),
- Blacked-out rear trunk spoiler.
- The IS 500 trunk emblem.
- F-inspired Lexus quad-tip exhaust.
Other than those things, the IS 500 is visually interchangeable with the IS 350 F Sport. Same swooping body lines, flowing LED lights, and muscular blacked-out grilles. Same interior amenities and infotainment ergonomics. Mostly this is a very good thing, but sadly, they even sound relatively similar…
Why is the IS 500 F Sport Performance so QUIET?
I reached out to Lexus to learn more about the LC 500’s exhaust tuning and what makes it so engaging and authoritative without sounding loud or raspy or obnoxious. I’ll update this post if I hear back, but I just don’t understand why the IS 500 (and the RC F) is so stifled, sonically.
I get that Lexus customers aren’t typical muscle car owners looking to straight-pipe the world and piss-off their neighbors (except you, Ken, you jerk!). This isn’t the Mustang crowd, of which I’m a part and, therefore, biased. But I’m also a tone guy above all else. Quality sound versus loudness.
In this regard, the LC 500 is my benchmark for stock Lexus exhaust notes (you know, outside of the LFA). Relatively mild when cruising, but noticeable. Drop the pedal and it screams like something European, almost as if it had a flat-plane crank. Down-shifts produce rev-matching cracks and burbles and a genuine sense of engagement. One of our YouTuber commenters mentioned that his wife says the LC 500 sounds like a race car. And I agree.
In short, the LC 500 is a 360-degree immersive driving experience.
And it should be for its six-figure MSRP. But with the same engine, why are the other 2UR-GSE-powered Lexus so… anonymous? I know they have different transmissions (10-speed in the LC, 8-speed in the IS and RC), so I’m sure the tuning there makes a difference. But these (non-LC) exhausts are masking the entire reason why you’d want to buy this car. In fact, as you can tell from the above video, INDUCTION noise often drowns out the exhaust, windows up or down.
I guess I just wish Lexus made these cars sound as epic and energetic as the LC, or at least offered an active-valve system like many other OEMs. Still, I think the IS 500 is going to be very popular for what it is, one of the last naturally aspirated V8 sedans on the planet. So if you have to put on a new exhaust to enjoy it, so be it.
Until then, stay tuned for pricing info and driving impressions on September 10. You don’t want to miss it.
What do YOU think about the IS 500 so far?
Let us know HERE in the forums!
Photos by Michael S. Palmer
