2021+ 3rd Generation Lexus IS (300, 350, 500) Megathread

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Gecko

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mordecai said:

The new Lexus IS announcement video is now at 1.6 million views. It's already the Lexus Youtube channel's 5th most watch video ever.

Who still thinks Lexus can't create excitement around their sedans?
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This is a good point. The IS has, IMO, always been one of the most important Lexus products because of how it appeals to a different demographic and pulls new, younger buyers into the brand. Every generation has been bold, unique and unapologetically "IS." Hopefully Lexus sees that value and invests for another generation.
 
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Most real world 0-60 numbers for the LS are around 5.3-5.4 seconds, which is decent for a 5,000lb sedan, but it has also left me rather unimpressed with the V35A-FTS after all Lexus' claims of it being an engine that is comparable with competitor's V8s. I think a lot of that is because of the LS' weight and lax shift logic on the 10AT.

"IS 500" would be a great exercise to see what the V35A-FTS is really capable of, but it would certainly need a different transmission shift calibration.

~420hp/450lb-ft + 3,800 lbs is definitely heading in the right direction.
 
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ssun30

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For those wondering which one's faster here's a comparison of a '2UR-GSE IS500' and 'V35A-FTS IS500'. Here I'm assuming each powertrain is identical to the LC500 and LS500.

The V35 has a much wider power band and in fact is more powerful than the 2UR from 1300 rpm all the way to 5600 rpm. This makes it overall a better performing engine in most use cases. Assuming turbo lag is well suppressed, the V35 IS500 would be notably faster at overtakes.
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In a drag race the 2UR IS500 would win every time. Both engines will overwhelm the rear wheels in 1st gear. But from 2nd gear onwards the V8 will pull away. Despite having a narrow power band the gears are closely spaced to allow the V8 to stay in the high end. The 10AT is not 'ridiculously long' as some on this forum claims. in fact it covers 0-180mph in 7 gears which is as short as many race cars. The V35 is all about effortless mid-range power while you get rewarded for revving the 2UR to the limit (revving the V35 actually does nothing above 4800rpm). The V35 IS500 will also be slower to 60mph since it requires two shifts assuming the final ratio is unchanged from LS500, 4.2-4.4s would be my guess while the V8 can get sub-4s.
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internalaudit

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^ I wonder if the V6 will be at least 20% more fuel efficient in most use cases haha.

But people who can afford to buy these babies new probably would shrug a $5k/year fuel expenditure off.
 
Gecko

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ssun30 said:
Both engines will overwhelm the rear wheels in 1st gear.
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Based on my experience with the V35A-FTS/10AT, I'm not so sure that powertrain will even chirp the rear wheels... turbo lag below 1,300RPM is obvious, combined with very delayed throttle response. Once you are up and moving, it's very quick, but based on the LS 500, I don't see the IS 500 being a "launch monster" without some modifications to the throttle input or transmission tuning... which they should definitely do for an IS execution vs. LS.


Even with brake torquing it, watch at ~1:10 and 7:20... the car has a very soft start.
 
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Gecko said:
Based on my experience with the V35A-FTS/10AT, I'm not so sure that powertrain will even chirp the rear wheels... turbo lag below 1,300RPM is obvious, combined with very delayed throttle response. Once you are up and moving, it's very quick, but based on the LS 500, I don't see the IS 500 being a "launch" monster without some modifications to the throttle input or transmission tuning... which they should definitely do for an IS execution vs. LS.


Even with brake torquing it, watch at ~1:10 and 7:20... the car has a very soft start.
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To be fair, the B58 even has turbo lag below 1,300 yet is a tire shreader in the MKV.

I don't think difference in tunes should be understated. I had a 740Li loaner (with the same B58 as the Supra) while my car was in for service and disregarding the chassis differences, the engine and transmission tuning was so much different than all the stock Supra's I have driven. So I could definitely see the IS500 being a monster with the right tune even though the LS500 is tuned for refinement.
 
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CRSKTN said:
Driving the avalon/Camry 2gr fks vs the new ES, it seems the Lexus is tuned more aggressively, or so I have heard.
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I think that thought originated from a savagegeese review (I love him, btw) that was wrong. ES/Camry V6/Avalon V6 have the same exact gear ratios and transmission tuning. ES with smaller wheels and softer rubber can feel faster than the same engine/transmission/car with larger wheels and stickier rubber (Camry XSE V6).

It will be very interesting to see how an IS 500 is executed because while we are all postulating and guessing, turbo motors should in theory make it somewhat easier for Toyota to change the tune and feel of a powertrain for power-specific applications like a sporty IS 500 vs. a luxurious LS 500. Toyota has historically setup most of it's powertrains for maximum reliability and minimum fuel consumption, and then standardized that format across the vehicles that use the powertrain - just like Camry, Avalon and ES, or Highlander/RX.

V35A-FTS could feel and behave very differently in a much lighter, sportier IS - and it should - or they could say, "we know this tune works, we put a lot of time into it, so we'll just use it across the board: IS 500, LS 500, LX 500, etc."
 
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Sulu

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Gecko said:
I think that thought originated from a savagegeese review (I love him, btw) that was wrong. ES/Camry V6/Avalon V6 have the same exact gear ratios and transmission tuning. ES with smaller wheels and softer rubber can feel faster than the same engine/transmission/car with larger wheels and stickier rubber (Camry XSE V6).
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One thing I do not see in this list is throttle mapping. Has it been proven that the ES does not have a more aggressive throttle mapping than the otherwise similar Camry and Avalon V6 models?
 
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Sulu said:
One thing I do not see in this list is throttle mapping. Has it been proven that the ES does not have a more aggressive throttle mapping than the otherwise similar Camry and Avalon V6 models?
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Not sure about that.
 
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ssun30

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Gecko said:
Based on my experience with the V35A-FTS/10AT, I'm not so sure that powertrain will even chirp the rear wheels... turbo lag below 1,300RPM is obvious, combined with very delayed throttle response. Once you are up and moving, it's very quick, but based on the LS 500, I don't see the IS 500 being a "launch" monster without some modifications to the throttle input or transmission tuning... which they should definitely do for an IS execution vs. LS.


Even with brake torquing it, watch at ~1:10 and 7:20... the car has a very soft start.
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My guess is the official 4.6s time for the LS500 was done with pre-production software with less restrictive TC. Despite the weight the V35A-FTS should have enough power to saturate the rear wheels on the LS500 at 10-30 mph. Maybe they consider it to be inappropriate for the LS since buyers of this vehicle always expect total control of the vehicle.

On the IS the 20% less weight alone should make the entire first gear traction limited. Maybe they will offer launch control from the RC-F as standard.
 
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ssun30 said:
My guess is the official 4.6s time for the LS500 was done with pre-production software with less restrictive TC. Despite the weight the V35A-FTS should have enough power to saturate the rear wheels on the LS500 at 10-30 mph. Maybe they consider it to be inappropriate for the LS since buyers of this vehicle always expect total control of the vehicle.
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It *is* possible to get the LS500 to accelerate quite abruptly off the line, but I haven't figured out exactly what causes it and it definitely does feel like a brief loss of control when it happens. I think the software can be made to do a lot of things people aren't expecting with the V35A.
 
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spwolf

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Gecko said:
This is a strange comment to me. IS 350 is "plenty quick." The whole point of an "IS 500" would be speed because nobody actually needs 400+hp.
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what i meant was that both V8 and V6tt will be plenty fast.

Also, turbo lag under 1300 rpm is not a thing. That is better than diesels.
 
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Excited to see the IS500 trademark being registered in the US. I say it will be the turbo V6 from the LS. Like the styling somewhat but its not enough to trade in my 2019 IS350 F Sport Series 3 in Atomic Silver. Yes I’d like  Carplay but can cope with the outdated info system.
 
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