It appears likely that the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance will soon launch in Japan. An image shared to Twitter by the company’s Japanese arm includes a teaser of the IS 500 F Sport Performance and notes that it is “coming soon,” with more details to be announced today.
The current Lexus IS is only available in
IS 350 and IS 300h guises in Japan, meaning the country has so far missed out
on the V8-powered IS 500 F Sport Performance that is available in the United
States. This teaser image previews the rear and side of the sports sedan and
while it appears identical to the IS 500 available elsewhere, there has been
speculation from Japan that it could undergo a few changes.
In May, Spyder7 suggested that the new
model will actually be badged as an IS F in Japan and that it will receive some
minor upgrades. These could apparently include a carbon fiber roof and bonnet,
tweaked headlights, a front splitter, and upgraded side skirts (although they
are not visible in this teaser). Spyder7 also speculated that the Japanese
model could receive an extra 10 hp.
As a reminder, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport
Performance is powered by the automaker’s 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8
pumping out 472 hp at 7,100 rpm and 536 Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm.
This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission powering the rear
wheels and helping the car hit 96 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
