V8 FAREWELL DONE RIGHT – MEET THE 2025 LEXUS IS 500 ULTIMATE EDITION - US MARKET ONLY
It’s been more than two decades since the original Lexus IS sent shockwaves through the premium sports sedan world - a sharp-edged, rear-wheel-drive weapon that dared to challenge the Germans on their home turf. Since its 1999 debut, the IS has racked up over 1.3 million sales across 40+ countries. But this latest version? It’s something altogether more special. Say hello to the 2025 Lexus IS 500 Ultimate Edition - a properly rare, properly loud, and properly old-school celebration of one of the last naturally aspirated V8 engines left in the luxury game. Lexus is only building 500 units, exclusively for North America, and each one is a full-throttle tribute to everything the IS has stood for since day one: balance, bite, and that unmistakable rear-wheel-drive kick. At its core is the legendary 5.0-litre 2UR-GSE V8, the same one you’ll find in cars like the RC F and LC 500. No turbos, no hybrid trickery - just 347 kW and 535 Nm of torque routed to the rear wheels through an eight-speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) auto. The soundtrack is going to be pure, mechanical theatre with power delivery as sharp and addictive as ever. To keep all that power in check, Lexus has fitted this beast with Brembo six-piston aluminium calipers up front, clamping down on 380 mm ventilated discs. Red-painted calipers serve both form and function, standing out just enough from behind a set of 19-inch forged BBS alloys. These wheels are matte black, featherlight, and built for rigidity - a subtle nod to motorsport cred. Then there’s the colour: an exclusive new finish called Wind. It’s a metallic light grey that looks rather good, it’s a sort of variation on the more popular than it should be Nardo Grey from Audi.
The cabin blends old-school luxury with track-day vibes. Circuit Red meets Black, trimmed in a mix of NuLuxe and Ultrasuede, stitched tight and ready for action. Red seatbelts add flair, while a dimple-textured leather steering wheel and shift knob, inspired by the LFA, reinforce this car’s bloodline. Each Ultimate Edition is individually serialised, with custom badging on the console and door sills. Even the analogue clock gets special treatment - a multi-layered dial laser-etched in red, because Lexus didn’t miss a single detail. Fire it up, and the TFT display greets you with a bespoke start-up animation, reminding you this isn’t just an IS - it’s the IS. Every Lexus Driving Signature model is shaped at Shimoyama, Toyota’s technical centre and proving ground in Japan. It’s here that the IS 500 Ultimate Edition was fine-tuned to deliver what Lexus calls “linear control, confidence-inspiring grip, and refined ride quality.” That’s code for: it handles like a dream, rides like a Lexus, and still knows how to party. This final chapter for the V8 IS is a standing ovation with a last hurrah. It's a beautifully engineered, high-revving sendoff that’ll have future collectors kicking themselves for missing it. The 2025 Lexus IS 500 Ultimate Edition is what happens when a brand with motorsport roots, obsessive craftsmanship, and a deep love for driving decides to go out in style. Only 500 cars. One last howl. And a whole lot of Wind.
Take a look at the YouTube video from good old Kirk as he goes through everything that makes up the new limited edition IS500 that's sadly only headed to the US market - a last hurrah for the Japanese V8 makes it particularly rad: The 2025 Lexus IS 500 "ULTIMATE" edition takes performance further... | Kirk Kreifels
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