05RollaXRS

LOL..No, not at all. I was just responding with a holistic view to a specific post where VIR lap times as just one single data point.

Bechtold

Slight necro post 8 months later... j/k

I don't think anyone here thinks the IS 500 is the ultimate track day car as that is not it's purpose. I do love the info you sent. It also shows how each car on a different track/day/driver can give pretty different results.

Only reason I didn't get an RC F back in the day was I had a two door and did not want to have two of them and I wanted an IS F a little more.

arentz07

Oh, right. I guess I misread. I forgot the LFA was also in the list, meaning the IS 500 would be the fourth-fastest to complete a Lightning Lap.

rant:
I don't think most IS 500 owners are kidding ourselves that our cars are somehow more track-capable than an IS F or RC F. After all, a big reason to get an IS 500 instead of an RC F would be because you want the V-8, but want a more comfortable daily driver for a slightly lower price (year to year, miles to miles, anyway). Now, someone like me may sometimes wonder if we made the right choice, but the fact that I can take the wife out for a day and not have her complain about the ride or anything of that sort is nice. If I had space for three cars, maybe I'd rather have a different daily and then the RC F as the weekend fun car. But we'll see. Right now, if I parked my third car in the driveway, there'd be nowhere for family to park when they visit (except in the street, which is not allowed overnight in my neighborhood). So, IS 500 nicely achieves both the fun and the usability. Not saying the RC F isn't usable - in fact, I am pretty sure I could make it work. But, to get a clean, low-miles example, I am still paying more than a brand-new IS 500. There is just something about having a brand-new car that is worth more than the numbers alone - especially when it comes to peace of mind. I know I'm the only driver who has put significant miles on it, and everything that breaks (unless I personally broke it) will be covered. Not only that, the sort of low-key sport sedan we see in the IS 500 was not a thing at Lexus prior. You couldn't get an M340i or Audi S4 equivalent from Lexus before. The IS 350 simply didn't keep up, and thankfully, the price was lower to reflect its lower-tier status. Those true mid-tier performance cars like the M340i probably make a lot more sense for people like myself who also plan to use them for things like commuting or going on "normal" drives more often, so it's great Lexus made the IS 500 how they did. Then, you consider the fact that the IS 500 has a special engine reserved for a handful of models, unlike those German offerings, whose engines are in loads of different cars (the M340i's engine is shared with a base-model BMW X5 40i, for example!), and the IS 500 is truly a unique option while not sacrificing the understated, usable package of a non-track-focused sport sedan.
/rant

05RollaXRS

@arentz07 Pretty much agreed on everything. I am fortunate enough to own both an IS350 F-Sporrt and RCF CF/TVD. Also, driven an IS500. Though, my 3IS is no IS500 F-Sport by any stretch, but it is lighter, slightly smaller and shares much of the same chassis and suspension geometry. What you said makes perfect sense, IS350 F-Sport does very well at what its intended purpose is, which is to be a E90 335i/G80 330i competitor. (and did very well against the 335i back in the day) The IS500 F-sport extends that same philosophy to the m340i and does very well against it (in a recent track comparo by Downshift channel).

The thing I have noticed does not get realized, the RCF chassis is actually quite amazing and is used in highly modified form in the GT3 RCF. Even at 400 lbs heavier weight, it was out-G'ing the F82 M4 in many turns in the hands of a pro driver. That Lexus-claimed 50+ percent additional stiffness of the chassis, is something that is so noticeable even at very slow speeds.

There are things that my 3IS does better than my RCF. What I like more about my 3IS is, it feels much smaller due to the bigger cabin and shorter hood not in the line of sight. The steering is also much lighter in my IS350 F-Sport than in my RCF with both in SPORT+ mode so the IS350 F-Sport feels more zippy at slow speeds due to the width, wider tires/wheels etc. Even with my RCF TVD in SLALOM mode with the most quick steering setting, the IS350 F-Sport feels more easy to tightly maneuver. Once the speed starts to go over 20 - 30 mph and you start going over 6/10ths, the RCF really starts to come together and shrink around the driver when you start to feel the Gs, pivoting or rotational point close to the rear axle and the flat cornering attitude and the very heavy steering begins to really show the off-center snappy behavior (I am on much better PS4S Extra Load tires with OEM suspension).

DLPTony

Yeah…I don’t care about 10ths of a second. I was a demon on the streets with both my 350s, but an absolute devil with my 500. Blu is sometimes parked for a day because my drive manners got out of control. 😈😎 #CoolItBuddy