Lexus has trademarked the IS 500 nameplate in the USA, opening the door for a high-powered variant of its updated sports sedan.
Rumors of an IS 500 first started in Japanese magazine MAG-X, which claimed Lexus would use their 2UR-GSE 5.0L V8 to create the spiritual successor to the original IS F. Motor Trend followed up with a report suggesting it would instead be powered by the LS 500’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. Given the IS 500 nameplate over the IS F, the TTV6 seems a more likely option.
The enthusiast community has been unimpressed with the latest IS refresh, mostly due to a lack of powertrain upgrades. This makes a IS 500 a step in the right direction if Lexus want to start winning back loyalists.
[GT86 via DRIVE / Image by Motor Illustrated]