Lexus is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its IS sedan with an unmistakable special edition.
For 2025, the Japanese luxury carmaker is introducing a Special Appearance Package that is only available with the top-spec, V8-powered IS 500 F Sport Performance.
Exclusive add-ons include 19-inch BBS wheels, bright Flare Yellow exterior paint, a Black NuLuxe-trimmed interior with suede inserts and yellow stitching, colour-coordinated floor mats and key gloves, and a SmartAccess card key.
The package is limited to 180 units, available from later this year. Don’t expect any to be allocated locally, as the IS left Australian showrooms in 2021.
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IS 500 F Sport Performance with Special Appearance Package
While the history of the IS nameplate dates back to the turn of the century, the third-generation IS has been on sale since 2013. It received a facelift in 2017 and a reskin in 2020.
The current IS 500 F Sport Performance is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 that produces 352kW of power and 537Nm of torque, sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Lexus claims a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds, which is completed with plenty of noise through a familiar quad-exit exhaust system.
The IS 500 rides on adaptive suspension with Yahama rear performance dampers.
It’s a recipe that’s reminiscent of the golden age of sports sedans that lasted through the 2000s into the early 2010s.
Throughout that time the likes of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Jaguar and even Volvo all produced V8-powered sedans, competing in a kilowatt and comfort war.
Australia embraced V8s, too, in the homegrown Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.
In fact, the current Lexus IS 500 utilises the same 2UR-GSE engine that featured in the 2007-2014 IS F, albeit with more grunt. The IS F produced 310kW and 505Nm.
Technology has also come a long way since then.
The 2025 IS features a standard 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, which expands to 10.3 inches for vehicles equipped with navigation or the 17-speaker premium audio package.
Both infotainment systems feature standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The IS departed Australia in 2021 just 12 months after a heavy refresh due to stricter government side impact regulations.
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