When R34 becomes legal for importing, I might consider selling the F. IS500....nah, would rather lease AMG/M/RS cars over that.

 

Did you guys see the post by car and driver today? They tested a bunch of cars for 2022 and the is500 actually beat the RCF, GSF and ISF around the track! Only only thing that beat the is500 from lexus was the LC500 and rcf track edition.. Surprisingly the is500 was 2 seconds behind the track edition! Seems like the is500 has some potential to be a great and fun track car with some very very minor tweaks.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...lightning-lap/

https://www.caranddriver.com/lightning-lap/

 

I was just watching that video - pretty interesting! I bet with suspension tweaks, true 6 piston brakes, and coolers like the IS-F has it could be even better!

I'm assuming a new IS-F will be out eventually with the Tundra V6TT - but who knows.

 

I have a modded 2012 with 57k miles and would not trade it for a IS500, even if it was a straight across trade. Don't get me wrong, the IS500 launch edition is a beautiful vehicle but I don't really care for the interior. Also, I have a strong dislike for the latest Lexus touchpad interface.

 

What year ISF? I couldn’t find that data. The later models (11+) gained some decent time
on tracks.

Looks like the is500 immediately needs a trans cooler upgrade for the track.

 

IS500 beat every Lexus except the LFA, RCF TE, and LC500. https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...storical-data/

Not sure why anyone is surprised, and frankly I was a bit saddened to see some of the comments on this thread. The IS500 is lighter than the RCF/GSF, has the same power, and a newer suspension setup. Brakes and handling and much more can be upgraded for the $20k+ difference of the F's.

That being said, I think it only pushes the ISF's reputation higher as this 10 year newer platform, with more power, better/wider tires, more tech, and on a smoother track is only .5 seconds faster than a 2011 ISF. Kind of odd that they tested it with optional pads and oil cooler, may as well have slapped on optional semi slicks.

 

Lets not forget that the 500 is using prototype pads, 2022 tire technology, as well as the track was repaved since 2014, and is also wider in some spots and was only able to best the ISF by .5 seconds? Sounds like the F is still the better buy.

The aftermarket for the 500 will take some time to catch up to the ISF, so thats a factor for many as well. could be years before we see a FBO tuned 500, by that time I might be done with my degree and ready to buy one lol

 

Thats sort of my issue with these charts. Throw the same tires on and test them on the same day.

 

Exactly:👇
"On a fast lap we did manage to overheat the eight-speed automatic, causing it to burp fluid out of its vent. When that happened, the transmission refused to upshift, sending the V-8 bouncing off its 7300-rpm rev limiter. This thermal drama occurred despite an auxiliary dealer-installed transmission cooler."

Don't know if that will ever happen considering the ECU hasn't been cracked for the newer RCF/GSF after 2017 & the LC 500 unfortunately

 

The tune doesn’t matter anyway. We have non tuned ISFs putting down the exact numbers that tuned ISFs are. Headers and exhaust are the power adders. They add massive power to ISFs, and mild power to the newer Gen F cars because those have better oem headers. In the end, they all have close to the same power with headers/exhaust… with or without a tune. That’s why an ISF responds more drastically to mods… it’s the most restricted in oem fashion. That’s also why an ISF with header/exhaust is arguably the better track car. Same power, lighter chassis.

 

Small data point here. With the correct jets in my carburetors, my FJ1100 went 126 mph through the traps at Sac Raceway in 1991. One jet richer, 124 mph. One jet leaner, 124 mph. We know for a fact the factory tunes very rich (11:1 at WOT typically) and lets the cats clean up the mess because engines don't fail running rich, they fail running lean. Imagine having the maps deliver 13.2:1 instead of 11.0:1 AFR...

There's a lot on the table with the OEM tune, and the aftermarket tuners are often scared to hit the magic numbers for the same reason the factory is scared.

The IS500 is no flyweight. The IS F still does better when you consider the changes at VIR since the 2008 and 2011 were tested there. And the "dealer installed" transmission cooler is just plain cheating in hopes of producing better results. Even then, the gearbox cooked itself!

 

I'm not surprised but I say don't be saddened. The ISF is such a Lexus enthusiast car we're going to get defensive when something that's assumed to supersede it is announced & selling.

Park this thing next to ours and yeah, ours is gonna look a little dated right now. It's too soon for ours to be classic & it's become too late for it to look truly "current." I love the RCF/GSF and I dig this new one too (though I'd rip that "sport" badge off before I drove it off the lot). Just remember that since we were here first, odds are there's just going to be something more straight up raw about our cars. Too many on this forum have gone back after leaving. I'd drive an RCF in a second, but I'd never trade for one. Same with this.

 

You might be onto something more electrifying …




New Sequoia

Joe Z

 

The owner of VF Tuner ecu software just posted this earlier tonight!

 

That is a cool development if true! Then hopefully the LC500 isn't far behind if they were able to crack the latter model years of the RCF/GSF 🤞