Top Speed Reviews the Lexus IS F Sport Performance

The IS 500 F Sport Performance is a perfect pairing of luxury and performance. For the Lexus-informed, it immediately conjures memories of the IS F, the first IS with a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 up front. The F Sport Performance is less single-mindedly performance-focused than that track hero and yet is significantly more powerful. Whereas the 2014 IS F offered 416 horsepower and 371 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0-liter V8, a decade later, that engine has been tuned to deliver 472 horses and 395 lb-ft in the IS 500 FSP.

More Balanced than the IS F

Lexus insists that the IS FSP is not a return of the IS F. The track-focused bits of that model live on in the RC F coupe. There, you will find the torque-vectoring rear differential, the adaptive suspension system, and the carbon ceramic brake rotors that define pure F models. Instead, the IS 500 FSP gets its non-drivetrain chassis upgrades from the IS 350 F, albeit with a taller hood to fit the V8 and its own set of 19-inch alloy wheels. Thus, the purpose of the IS 500 FSP is to combine the muscle car thrills of its big V8 with the expected Lexus values of quiet, luxury, comfort, and refinement. 

Thrill vs. Stats

Quiet, of course, until you put the hammer down. At that point, the V8 emits a roar that no turbocharged-6 or hybridized model can hope to match in terms of primal satisfaction. It will roar from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds. TopSpeed notes that speed is about a half-second down from the 2024 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, which they deem as the IS 500 FSP’s closest competitor. However, the Lexus reels the Caddy back in by the quarter mile with 12.7 seconds at 112.7 mph compared to the Blackwing’s 12.8 seconds at 111.1 mph. Both models are rated at 472 hp though the Caddy’s twin-turbo V6 has 50 more pounds of peak torque.

TopSpeed points out that the numbers miss the point.  This is the only compact sports sedan on the market with a V8. It is that roar and the linear throttle response of the IS 500 that is its reason for being. In their words: “…where the Lexus powertrain digs down into your heart and snatches out pure passion, the Cadillac’s is merely good at being fast. It’s like comparing a truly funky bass player to one who is just good at keeping time.”

They level the same charge at the Audi S4 with its 349-hp turbocharged V-6 and AWD, the appearance-challenged BMW M3 and its 473-hp twin-turbo inline-6, and the Mercedes AMG C43 with its 402-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter Inline-4. All three of these models will beat the Lexus to 60 mph, and the latter two will reach the quarter mile first. However, unless you are drag racing for pink slips, the Lexus V8 is simply more fun to play with. They go on to note that the others are “hard-pressed to match the carefully concocted blend of style, comfort and performance provided by the Lexus.”

Shortly put, the Lexus is not a “numbers” car. It is a high-performance driving enjoyment car. It is a car that has to be experienced to be appreciated, and the best way to experience it is to visit Lexus of Henderson, where we have IS 500 Sport Performance models ready to do just that.