Faisal Sheikh
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dylanfoos
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The 2024 IS 500 could be announced anytime now. 2023 was announced today, last year.
pressroom.lexus.com
2023 Lexus IS 500 - Lexus USA Newsroom
For more than 20 years, the IS has provided a dynamic bond between driver and machine for guests across the world. With the launch of the all-new IS in 2021, Lexus expanded on that legacy by sharpening the driving performance […]
Gecko
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I've been debating IS 500 vs. RC F vs. GS F vs. LC 500 for two years now and am getting closer to finally making the purchase. The car I keep coming back to is IS 500 mostly due to options, price, design and the fact that I think it'll be collectible long term since it's such a niche, low volume product with the V8. No surprise that my goal with this purchase is getting the 2UR-GSE in a fun to drive package that I'll keep for a very long time to come.
RC F: I never felt particularly connected to this car like I have the others, though I know Lexus has done so much to improve it over the years. They're also hard to find - only two for sale in the southeast, and one is a Fuji Speedway edition and I'm not spending $100k on an RC F. Even L-Certified inventory seems pretty slim. A new one is also $20k more expensive than the IS 500 premium and I don't really think that's worth it for brakes and coolers.
GS F: This is still my favorite Lexus car ever in terms of driving dynamics but I'm having a hard time finding color combos I like, or vehicles that are unmodified. I see a number of them lowered with headers and exhausts, bags, etc. and I'd want one as stock as possible. Most of them are around the same price as a new IS 500 but with 50-60k miles on them. The thing pulling me towards an IS 500 and away from the GS F is just how much the IS 500 reminded me of the GS F when I drove it... but in a newer package. Checks out since the IS 500 has a lot of GS F components under the hood and in the front end.
LC 500: This is what I'd really like, but out the door it's 2x the cost of an IS 500 and I already bought a Tacoma and GX 460 Luxury this year 🙃. I also need to pull aside some $$ for house renovations soon so I don't end up single
. It's my second favorite driving car ever after the GS F, we all know the LC is amazing. I'm not a fan of the 2024 dash/screen, and there are absolutely no 2021-2023 Nori Green/Glazed Caramel coupes anywhere for sale.
Onto the IS 500...
As much as I hate "what color should I get?" questions because so much of it is personal choice, I'm about to hit you all with that question. A few notes:
IS 500 Premium. My top choices for color combos at the moment are:
So what do you guys think? Which combo would you buy? Interested to hear opinions...
RC F: I never felt particularly connected to this car like I have the others, though I know Lexus has done so much to improve it over the years. They're also hard to find - only two for sale in the southeast, and one is a Fuji Speedway edition and I'm not spending $100k on an RC F. Even L-Certified inventory seems pretty slim. A new one is also $20k more expensive than the IS 500 premium and I don't really think that's worth it for brakes and coolers.
GS F: This is still my favorite Lexus car ever in terms of driving dynamics but I'm having a hard time finding color combos I like, or vehicles that are unmodified. I see a number of them lowered with headers and exhausts, bags, etc. and I'd want one as stock as possible. Most of them are around the same price as a new IS 500 but with 50-60k miles on them. The thing pulling me towards an IS 500 and away from the GS F is just how much the IS 500 reminded me of the GS F when I drove it... but in a newer package. Checks out since the IS 500 has a lot of GS F components under the hood and in the front end.
LC 500: This is what I'd really like, but out the door it's 2x the cost of an IS 500 and I already bought a Tacoma and GX 460 Luxury this year 🙃. I also need to pull aside some $$ for house renovations soon so I don't end up single
. It's my second favorite driving car ever after the GS F, we all know the LC is amazing. I'm not a fan of the 2024 dash/screen, and there are absolutely no 2021-2023 Nori Green/Glazed Caramel coupes anywhere for sale.Onto the IS 500...
As much as I hate "what color should I get?" questions because so much of it is personal choice, I'm about to hit you all with that question. A few notes:
- I tend to think special cars should be bought in special colors, but at the same time, most of the cars I've owned have been black and I'm always a sucker for black or grays.
- The red interior is an absolute no for me. The shade of red is too bright and there is too much of it on the doors panels and dash. The 2014-2020 IS with the darker red only on the seats and door inserts was much better IMO.
- Not a big fan of Cloudburst Gray or Grecian Water. My GX is Caviar and through that experience I found out about Caviar's paint issues (really bad orange peel). I like Ultra White but don't feel like it does much to show off the car's lines/curves, though something in me says Ultra White/Black could be beautiful. I actually saw an Ultra White/white IS 500 that looked hot. Iridium is nice but not for me. I do love Infrared but there's something about it on the IS 500 that I'm not sure if I'd want to own. Maybe I'm wrong? When I had an Infrared RC 350 press car, I was "meh" at first but smitten by the time I turned it back in.
IS 500 Premium. My top choices for color combos at the moment are:
- Atomic Silver/Black: I just love this combo in general, on every model. Atomic silver is an all-time great Lexus color IMO and it pairs well with the black interior that has gray/white stitching. I think this combo suits the car well because it's sporty but still very "Lexus" which will age well over the years.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/White: I don't know if a white interior would usually be my thing, but this combo gives me a nostalgic throwback to the 2008 IS F reveal. I love USB as the classic Lexus F color and it does feel special in comparison to some other color options IMO. It's dynamic and feels right for an Lexus performance car.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/Black: The change here to black interior gives me pause because I'm not sure how much I like blue and black together. I think it can work, but I'm not sure if I love it either.
- New color options for 2024? 👀
So what do you guys think? Which combo would you buy? Interested to hear opinions...
dylanfoos
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I have been in the same situation as you the past 2 years. I’m at the point now where I Sorda want to see what the next RC + LC looks like in 2025. All in all, it seems like the IS 500 makes the most sense at its price point and style. I personally love the infrared and cloudburst gray. I have always had either red or gray cars growing up, and it probably will never change.I've been debating IS 500 vs. RC F vs. GS F vs. LC 500 for two years now and am getting closer to finally making the purchase. The car I keep coming back to is IS 500 mostly due to options, price, design and the fact that I think it'll be collectible long term since it's such a niche, low volume product with the V8. No surprise that my goal with this purchase is getting the 2UR-GSE in a fun to drive package that I'll keep for a very long time to come.
RC F: I never felt particularly connected to this car like I have the others, though I know Lexus has done so much to improve it over the years. They're also hard to find - only two for sale in the southeast, and one is a Fuji Speedway edition and I'm not spending $100k on an RC F. Even L-Certified inventory seems pretty slim. A new one is also $20k more expensive than the IS 500 premium and I don't really think that's worth it for brakes and coolers.
GS F: This is still my favorite Lexus car ever in terms of driving dynamics but I'm having a hard time finding color combos I like, or vehicles that are unmodified. I see a number of them lowered with headers and exhausts, bags, etc. and I'd want one as stock as possible. Most of them are around the same price as a new IS 500 but with 50-60k miles on them. The thing pulling me towards an IS 500 and away from the GS F is just how much the IS 500 reminded me of the GS F when I drove it... but in a newer package. Checks out since the IS 500 has a lot of GS F components under the hood and in the front end.
LC 500: This is what I'd really like, but out the door it's 2x the cost of an IS 500 and I already bought a Tacoma and GX 460 Luxury this year 🙃. I also need to pull aside some $$ for house renovations soon so I don't end up single
Onto the IS 500...
As much as I hate "what color should I get?" questions because so much of it is personal choice, I'm about to hit you all with that question. A few notes:
- I tend to think special cars should be bought in special colors, but at the same time, most of the cars I've owned have been black and I'm always a sucker for black or grays.
- A certain little bird told me that a specific shade of gray could return as a standard color for 2024. I like that color and know that special colors hold value better long term. Just not sure about how it will age over time, though IS 500 is a "period car" in itself. I can be swayed one way or the other here.
- The red interior is an absolute no for me. The shade of red is too bright and there is too much of it on the doors panels and dash. The 2014-2020 IS with the darker red only on the seats and door inserts was much better IMO.
- Not a big fan of Cloudburst Gray or Grecian Water. My GX is Caviar and through that experience I found out about Caviar's paint issues (really bad orange peel). I like Ultra White but don't feel like it does much to show off the car's lines/curves, though something in me says Ultra White/Black could be beautiful. I actually saw an Ultra White/white IS 500 that looked hot. Iridium is nice but not for me. I do love Infrared but there's something about it on the IS 500 that I'm not sure if I'd want to own. Maybe I'm wrong? When I had an Infrared RC 350 press car, I was "meh" at first but smitten by the time I turned it back in.
IS 500 Premium. My top choices for color combos at the moment are:
The other thing to consider is wheels. Most IS 500s being built right now come with the matte black BBS wheels from the Launch Edition but... I don't really love those wheels, nor black wheels in general. I feel like they tend to get lost with tires and in the shadows of a car whereas silver or gray pop more and add some more dimension. If I ended up with the BBS wheels, I'd likely swap them and get something different. I really like the standard IS 500 wheels (the silver 2002 IS 500 FSP wheels sort of reminded me of the E39 M5 wheels in person, but the new 2023 wheels have a dark gray finish I don't love). Wheels are kind of a crap shoot IMO unless the 2024 comes up with something different.
- Atomic Silver/Black: I just love this combo in general, on every model. Atomic silver is an all-time great Lexus color IMO and it pairs well with the black interior that has gray/white stitching. I think this combo suits the car well because it's sporty but still very "Lexus" which will age well over the years.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/White: I don't know if a white interior would usually be my thing, but this combo gives me a nostalgic throwback to the 2008 IS F reveal. I love USB as the classic Lexus F color and it does feel special in comparison to some other color options IMO. It's dynamic and feels right for an Lexus performance car.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/Black: The change here to black interior gives me pause because I'm not sure how much I like blue and black together. I think it can work, but I'm not sure if I love it either.
- New color options for 2024? 👀
So what do you guys think? Which combo would you buy? Interested to hear opinions...
F1 Silver Arrows
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My most favorite combo is the USB exterior + white interior. That's going to be the color combination that IMHO will be an icon for the IS 500.I've been debating IS 500 vs. RC F vs. GS F vs. LC 500 for two years now and am getting closer to finally making the purchase. The car I keep coming back to is IS 500 mostly due to options, price, design and the fact that I think it'll be collectible long term since it's such a niche, low volume product with the V8. No surprise that my goal with this purchase is getting the 2UR-GSE in a fun to drive package that I'll keep for a very long time to come.
RC F: I never felt particularly connected to this car like I have the others, though I know Lexus has done so much to improve it over the years. They're also hard to find - only two for sale in the southeast, and one is a Fuji Speedway edition and I'm not spending $100k on an RC F. Even L-Certified inventory seems pretty slim. A new one is also $20k more expensive than the IS 500 premium and I don't really think that's worth it for brakes and coolers.
GS F: This is still my favorite Lexus car ever in terms of driving dynamics but I'm having a hard time finding color combos I like, or vehicles that are unmodified. I see a number of them lowered with headers and exhausts, bags, etc. and I'd want one as stock as possible. Most of them are around the same price as a new IS 500 but with 50-60k miles on them. The thing pulling me towards an IS 500 and away from the GS F is just how much the IS 500 reminded me of the GS F when I drove it... but in a newer package. Checks out since the IS 500 has a lot of GS F components under the hood and in the front end.
LC 500: This is what I'd really like, but out the door it's 2x the cost of an IS 500 and I already bought a Tacoma and GX 460 Luxury this year 🙃. I also need to pull aside some $$ for house renovations soon so I don't end up single
Onto the IS 500...
As much as I hate "what color should I get?" questions because so much of it is personal choice, I'm about to hit you all with that question. A few notes:
- I tend to think special cars should be bought in special colors, but at the same time, most of the cars I've owned have been black and I'm always a sucker for black or grays.
- The red interior is an absolute no for me. The shade of red is too bright and there is too much of it on the doors panels and dash. The 2014-2020 IS with the darker red only on the seats and door inserts was much better IMO.
- Not a big fan of Cloudburst Gray or Grecian Water. My GX is Caviar and through that experience I found out about Caviar's paint issues (really bad orange peel). I like Ultra White but don't feel like it does much to show off the car's lines/curves, though something in me says Ultra White/Black could be beautiful. I actually saw an Ultra White/white IS 500 that looked hot. Iridium is nice but not for me. I do love Infrared but there's something about it on the IS 500 that I'm not sure if I'd want to own. Maybe I'm wrong? When I had an Infrared RC 350 press car, I was "meh" at first but smitten by the time I turned it back in.
IS 500 Premium. My top choices for color combos at the moment are:
The other thing to consider is wheels. Most IS 500s being built right now come with the matte black BBS wheels from the Launch Edition but... I don't really love those wheels, nor black wheels in general. I feel like they tend to get lost with tires and in the shadows of a car whereas silver or gray pop more and add some more dimension. If I ended up with the BBS wheels, I'd likely swap them and get something different. I really like the standard IS 500 wheels (the silver 2002 IS 500 FSP wheels sort of reminded me of the E39 M5 wheels in person, but the new 2023 wheels have a dark gray finish I don't love). Wheels are kind of a crap shoot IMO unless the 2024 comes up with something different.
- Atomic Silver/Black: I just love this combo in general, on every model. Atomic silver is an all-time great Lexus color IMO and it pairs well with the black interior that has gray/white stitching. I think this combo suits the car well because it's sporty but still very "Lexus" which will age well over the years.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/White: I don't know if a white interior would usually be my thing, but this combo gives me a nostalgic throwback to the 2008 IS F reveal. I love USB as the classic Lexus F color and it does feel special in comparison to some other color options IMO. It's dynamic and feels right for an Lexus performance car.
- Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0/Black: The change here to black interior gives me pause because I'm not sure how much I like blue and black together. I think it can work, but I'm not sure if I love it either.
- New color options for 2024? 👀
So what do you guys think? Which combo would you buy? Interested to hear opinions...
Gor134
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Just because of size and the suspension/chassis upgrades, GS F would be the choice for me... Otherwise yeah Atomic Silver for IS 500... Or Or Or... Save up for 3 years and get the LFR 👀
Faisal Sheikh
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I have to defend the RCF here as that seems like an unfair characterization. I had high praises for IS500 when I wrote my review. I am also not saying you should like the RCF more than you do. Totally understand if it is not worth the extra money, but just stating the differences are way bigger than just 'brakes and coolers'.
We are looking at:
- A track tuned stiffer suspension including wider axles/wheels/tires that was tuned on the Nurburgring
- Optional TVD and carbon fiber package for more track oriented performance.
- Brembo big brake kit and cooling systems as you pointed out
- A much more high performance and rigid chassis that is more nimble. Officially, it is 50% stiffer than IS/GS chassis. I can feel the difference when I drive the 3IS and RCF. Solid as a brick under high-G. The reinforcements underpinned need to be seen to be believed.
- To the previous point, the IS500 has a known structural/apron weakness in the bumper sagging issue. It is due to the lengthened front end without any additional structural reinforcements.
- PS4S tires/specific BBS wheels.
- From my experience, the transmission is more responsive in the RCF than IS500. It seems like a software tuning difference.
- Interior differences like the RCF-specific seats, CF trim and the gauge cluster all of which were developed
- A much more track-oriented steering feel. Heavy and direct in the RCF due to a special rack and bushings.
- The styling of RCF and the attention it gets, is truly really special even after so many years of owning it.
- The only F car that was tested to hit nearly 1.00g on street PS4S tires.
If you put all of the money to modify an IS500 for wheels/suspension/chassis/tires etc. to make it feel more aggressive/sportier, it will cost quite a lot of money. Not the $30K that my RCF CF/TVD costs more than IS500, but still quite a lot. Call me crazy, but I hate soft, squishy and vague feeling cars. To be perfectly honest, the IS500 F-Sport did not feel THAT much more aggressive than my IS350 F-Sport if you take out the engine/transmission from the equation. Not saying RCF is the most hardcore thing for the price. Not by a mile including the RCF TE as they are street cars that can be taken to the track, but it checks all of the necessary boxes for me. A good cross section of everything.
Owning an IS350 F-Sport, having driven an IS500 F-Sport and owning an RCF Carbon Fiber/TVD, regardless of whether it is worth all of that extra money or not, it comes to driving habits. For someone like me who likes to do spirited driving and once in a while go to some track events, RCF is objectively the best performer of the bunch you wrote above. Its a no brainer do everything car that also hauls two baby seats in the back and a big stroller in the trunk. Whether that is worth the money or not, is completely a matter of choice.
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Ian Schmidt
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I'd go USB and black if it was me, but USB and white looks great too.
Gecko
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I get you and I know the RC F has more track-ready hardware than the IS 500. What I actually like slightly more about the IS 500 is that it's quick, sporty and great to drive but a little less "hardcore" than the RC F. I have no aspirations of track days -- just the occasional run through the mountains, which I've done with an IS 500 and really enjoyed.
Before I drove it, I was expecting more hardcore performance from the IS 500, but after 3 days I came away surprised -- and even more in love -- with how it was more of a GT vehicle than a hardcore sports sedan 🙂. It's a very "Lexus" formula in my opinion.
I also like the older RC F front end like yours moreso than the 2020+. Looks meaner!
Faisal Sheikh
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Well said. Totally agree 100%.
MichaelL
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I like the RCF the most of the cars listed, wish the price was closer to the IS 500
For colors I like the Blue/White combo as my first choice, Blue/Black as my second, Red/Black as number 3.
I hate black wheels, don’t get the appeal at all, no contrast, big blob of black is it the tire, wheel?
just my thoughts for whatever value its worth.
For colors I like the Blue/White combo as my first choice, Blue/Black as my second, Red/Black as number 3.
I hate black wheels, don’t get the appeal at all, no contrast, big blob of black is it the tire, wheel?
just my thoughts for whatever value its worth.
Gecko
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I worked with a friend at Lexus to find the color combo and options I wanted, and a dealer had that exact spec on the lot thankfully. Now just trying to pin down transportation because me flying to Florida to get it and driving back on the highway isn’t good break in protocol 😭
Faisal Sheikh
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Congratulations. Cannot wait to see pictures and read your impressions.
Gecko
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Thanks man!
I appreciate everyone's help and input here very much. I got a peek at the 2024 order guide and the combo I wanted will no longer be available for 2024, so it was a quick decision. Much quicker than I anticipated!
Is it the final year of production for the current gen IS or will it live for 1 more year?
I could never. The way I mull over options the current gen IS would've went out of production. 😂