With production of the IS set to end in November, Lexus is sending its sports sedan off with a bang.
The Japan-only Lexus IS500 Climax Edition follows in the footsteps of the North American IS500 Ultimate Edition, and the two special editions share most features.
Under the bonnet there’s an unchanged naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 from the regular IS500 F Sport Performance. It makes 352kW and 537Nm, and drives the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
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While the Climax Edition doesn’t have any extra get-up-and-go, it is down to get some friction on with saucy red six-pot Brembo callipers and high-friction pads ready to grip onto the 380mm ventilated discs.
The Climax Edition is shod with low-profile Bridgestone Potenza rubber wrapped around forged 19-inch BBS alloy wheels finished in matte black paint.
Inside the cabin black and red are the dominant colours, with the grippy front seats clad in a mixture of faux suede and artificial leather. The steering wheel and gear shifter knob are finished off with lashings of perforated leather.
A red lightning pattern is laser etched into the face of the analog clock, and a similar design appears on the scuff plates and Climax Edition plaque in the centre tunnel.
The Climax Edition goes on sale in Japan from August, and production is limited to just 500 cars. Prices start from ¥9.5 million (A$100,800), or a ¥1.0 million (A$10,600) increase over the standard IS500 F Sport Performance.
When production of the third-generation IS ceases in November, there will be no immediate successor as the fourth-generation all-electric IS is reportedly delayed until 2027. It will also mark the end of V8 engines in the Lexus sedan range, a tradition that dates back to the model that started it all, the 1989 LS.
The third-generation IS was launched way back in 2013, and it has been facelifted twice. The most recent facelift in 2020 saw the entire exterior redesigned, and also brought back the option of a V8 engine, although the IS500 F Sport Performance was never offered in Australia.
New side impact regulations meant the IS was withdrawn from Australian showrooms in 2021.
MORE: Everything Lexus IS