Lexus IS F Could Return With Twin-Turbo V8 Power

Room at the Top

While most automakers have ditched the beloved V8 in favor of smaller-displacement engines, Lexus has held strong in recent years, for the most part. It even went to the trouble of fitting the new IS 500 with V8 power, and it's undoubtedly a fantastic offering. But the automaker also purposely left room at the top for something even more special, and that very well might be a new IS F with twin-turbo V8 power.

Photos: Lexus 

Two Versions

The most recent evidence of this comes to us from a patent that was filed in September of 2020, but recently discovered by the folks at the GR86 forums. It's a pretty big revelation, as we can clearly see that this is a V8 with the possibility of both single and twin turbochargers, which means that more than one version could also be offered.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

Where There's Smoke...

Of course, filing a patent doesn't mean that we'll see this engine come to life for certain. But Lexus has been toying with the idea for years now, whether it be for an IS F, LC F, or something completely different. But the automaker has admitted that the IS 500 wasn't an all-out performance machine on purpose, as they want to fill out the lineup with something even more special.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

Proper Sendoff

Since the IS 500 produces 472 horsepower, this would theoretically leave the door open for something like a twin-turbo V8-powered IS F with at least 600 horsepower, something that fans of the brand have been clamoring for in recent years. As automakers transition to EVs, it would also be a proper sendoff for the internal combustion engine as we know it.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

Other Uses

Such an engine could also be used in a variety of Lexus and Toyota products, including an IS F, LS F, LC F, or even the forthcoming all-new Tundra pickup, which Toyota could transform into a high-performance model to compete with the likes of the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram TRX.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

Making Sense

There's also a new Land Cruiser on the way, which Toyota could produce a similar high-performance off-road version of to satisfy a market hungry for them. Regardless of how you slice it, a twin-turbo V8 makes a lot of sense for a lot of products.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

Flagship First

Alas, as we've done for years now, all we can do is sit here and hope that it happens. If Lexus does indeed decide to move forward with this magical engine, it would theoretically debut in the flagship/halo LC first, so we'll be staying tuned to see if and when that might happen.

Photos: Lexus

>>Join the conversation about a new possible IS F right here in Club Lexus.

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