Wonder whatever happened to this. Judging from the date, it must have been the precursor to the IS-F... or was it similar to the difference between a BMW 550i and M5?

Caught! Lexus takes serious aim at BMW's M3 with IS 500
October 11, 2006
By Motor Trend Staff

Get a good look at this partially disguised Lexus IS at the legendary Nuerburgring Nordschleife. Note the pumped front end, the 19-inch BBS alloys, the monster brakes, and the massive, stacked quad pipes at the rear. This is the long-rumored Lexus IS 500, the 5.0-liter V-8-powered sport sedan aimed squarely at BMW's forthcoming V-8 M3, plus the V-8 AMG Mercedes C-Class and Audi RS4.

Word out of Japan is the 5.0-liter V-8 is based on the 380-horsepower, 4.6-liter unit in the newly launched Lexus LS 460. With a claimed 0-to-60 of 5.4 seconds, the big Lexus is no slouch and with what sources say is well north of 400 horses under the hood, the IS 500 ought to easily be the fastest production car ever built by Toyota.

An IS coupe is planned for 2008 and a convertible early the following year, though it's not certain Lexus will do IS 500 versions of these. Yet, given Mercedes's success in building AMG versions of just about everything, don't rule them out.

http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...8:z0&ID=loomia

 

They created the IS-F using a similar rendition of the 5.0 L V8 they talked about. The IS500 name it self was just speculation by the press I believe.

 

Yeah, I guessed the same thing.

 

that's just the IS-F

 

Too bad, I like this concept with the black and gold wheels better than the blue and gunmetal. Don't get me wrong, I like the IS-F, but I would have preferred a more subtle appearance, i.e. no fugly front fenders.

 

the date says oct 2006!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

3rd Gen GS... so yeah.

 

Yeah. Old. And yes, I know this is a GS forum, but we are all Lexus fans... Anyway, the point was that I would have liked to have seen an IS-F that was not so over the top. Granted, I like the IS-F and would not have a problem driving one (white or black, not blue), but there's something about understated elegance. It's what drove most of us to a GS... power, grace, stature, and sophistication. The IS-F, while a great performer, missed the opportunity to be "sleek".

Disclaimer: I like the IS-F, so don't bash me.

 

IS 500 = IS F

you can clearly see in the picture the front grill and fog lights and even the rear bumper that it is what the IS F is now...500=5.0 liters just like 350=3.5 liters and 250=2.5 liters..looks like the only diff is the tail lights and gold g-spyders..

 

That was the prototype of the IS F back in 2006. My how time flies.

Now time to see the prototype of the GS F...

 

they are different cars in different league. to me if you are in the market of GS segment, the IS-F won't excite you at all. and if they make the IS-F into something pleasing the GS crowd, then they would miss where the IS-F market is now as well, which i think goes pretty well with m3 and c63

now if we give them another year but they come out with a GS-F that's somewhat in line with the IS-F, then yes i'd have a problem with it.

 

The IS-F came out already... LoL

 

^^^^^^^^^^^

this

 

i wonder if a v8 was ever squeezed into the first gen

 

Very old news, that is an IS-F mule. Now we have an IS-F forum