The Ultimate Edition is a limited-run send-off model, with very few units allocated across North America (500 for the US, 40 in Canada).
For decades, sports sedans and naturally aspirated V8s went together like peanut butter and jelly. From the thunderous Mercedes-Benz 500E to the hair-raising E90 BMW M3, eight cylinders breathing unadulterated air was a surefire way to add excitement to the executive car park. The 2025 Lexus IS 500 Ultimate Edition might be where this lineage ends. It’s the last sports sedan sticking to this age-old formula, and it drives like nothing short of a love letter.
V8 Power and Driving Impressions
- Engine: 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8
- Output: 472 horsepower
- Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive
- Differential: Torsen limited-slip differential
- Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
- 0–60 mph: a shade over four seconds
- Fuel Economy: 20 mpg combined
An Engine That Doesn’t Need Turbochargers
The undeniable centerpiece of the Lexus IS 500 sits underneath an elongated hood. It’s a five-liter, quad-cam, 7,600-rpm naturally aspirated V8 pumping out a stout 472 horsepower. That’s more power than a Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, or an Audi RS 3, or any of the middleweight C-segment sports sedans on sale for 2026. Unburdened by the muffling of turbochargers, Lexus’ 2UR-GSE engine uses flaps in the air intake and exhaust to conduct a symphony of internal combustion. Intake bark, tailpipe growl, and everything in between.
“Sure, this may just be a heavily facelifted version of the 2014 IS, but it’s amazing what a good nip/tuck can do. The result is a sports sedan that doesn’t need oversized wings, fake vents, or a shouty presence to make its point.”
Even though it’s hitched to an occasionally recalcitrant eight-speed torque converter automatic that predates the R35 Nissan GT-R, this motor is an all-encompassing force of nature, hurling Lexus’ littlest sedan from zero-to-60 mph in a shade over four seconds. That’s quick enough to peel back your eyebrows, even if some of this car’s turbocharged competitors are a few tenths quicker.
Actually, you’re first likely to turn the rear tires into vapor as prodigal torque and the confident torque biasing of a Torsen limited-slip differential turn all those ponies into rotational motion, but once the IS 500 hooks up, it’s largely a treat. Rich steering texture pairs with suspension that breathes with the road to produce a refined mini-GT feel. A Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing may be sharper, but the V8 Lexus is more comfortable and an absolute belly-laugh when your right foot grows heavy.
Related – Small Tweaks, Big Gains: 2021 Lexus IS 350 F Sport
Interior and Technology
A Cabin That Keeps Things Refreshingly Simple
The old-school feel of the IS 500 extends to the cabin, but that’s no hardship. While competitors shock-and-awe with more ambient lighting strips than a Twitch streamer’s room, the Lexus presents little to no learning curve. You get real buttons for just about everything, a sensibly sized touchscreen, and the plushest pair of heated and ventilated sport seats this side of $100,000.
Granted, wired-only Apple CarPlay is a bit of a miss in the luxury space, but if you find yourself broken up about it, there’s plenty of microsuede to stroke while you calm down. Oh, and I must give compliments to the thunderous Mark Levinson audio system. Is it powerful enough to cave in the neighbour’s front window when you turn it up without so much as hinting at distortion? Just about.
Clean Styling, Old-School Muscle
In fact, the only thing quiet about the IS 500 is its styling. Apart from a slightly longer nose, four exhaust tips, and the Ultimate Edition’s six-piston front calipers poking out from behind BBS wheels, it’s hard to tell the hi-po IS apart from its V6 siblings. Granted, when you start with shrink-wrapped quarter-panels and raking surfacing, you wouldn’t want to upset the visual balance of such a devilishly handsome thing.
Sure, this may just be a heavily facelifted version of the 2014 IS, but it’s amazing what a good nip/tuck can do. The result is a sports sedan that doesn’t need oversized wings, fake vents, or a shouty presence to make its point. The real drama lives under the hood, and that understated approach is part of what makes the IS 500 feel so special.
Related – Lexus Went Dark in Japan. We Followed
Takeaway
Consider the 2025 Lexus IS 500 Ultimate Edition the last of the old-school sport sedans. Subtle, atmospheric, a machine that puts experience over spreadsheet domination. While a price tag of $71,495 including freight in the U.S. or $87,205 in Canada isn’t cheap and a combined fuel economy figure of 20 mpg isn’t outstanding, there’s an overwhelming likelihood we won’t see many more new sedans quite like this. If it’s your last chance to dance, wouldn’t you want to get on the floor?
