2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance Is An Affordable V8 Monster
More power per $1000 than anything else in its class.
When Lexus debuted the IS 500 Performance a few months ago, we all knew it was something special. A tiny frame with a rev-happy V8 making 472 hp is as desirable as they come. While Lexus didn’t mention the price at its reveal, we did expect it to be on the exuberant side. At $57,575 including destination, the IS 500 F Sport Performance isn’t exactly affordable but considering that it is almost as much power as a base M3 in the price of a Mercedes-AMG C43, the IS 500 seems like a steal.
For comparison, it sits in the same segment as the aforementioned Mercedes-AMG C64, the Cadillac CT4-V, Audi S4, and the BMW M340i. All of which are at least 87 hp down in terms of power and barely any cheaper with the exception of the CT4-V which starts from $46,090 including destination. The most powerful among its competition is the C43 which starts from $57,550 which makes 385 hp from its 3.0-liter V6 biturbo.
SEE ALSO: 2021 Lexus IS 350 Review: First DriveWhile the horsepower figures put the IS 500 F Sport Performance (I really wish they had gone with a shorter name) in a segment above, we can’t say if it can go toe to toe with the more expensive lot unless we get some seat time. Speaking of seat time we did take the IS 350 for a rather comprehensive spin and realized that its biggest shortcoming was in fact the drivetrain.
The IS 500 F Sport Performance certainly addresses that problem thanks to 472 hp but is the upgrade worth spending the extra $14,000? Well, we will find out shortly. Stay tuned for the full review.
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