Last month, we reported on the IS500 Ultimate Edition, made for the US market to send off the V8-powered luxury bruiser. It’s now on sale in Japan, though not with the Ultimate moniker.
The IS500 Climax Edition will serve as the Japanese market’s send-off model, and its features list largely reflects those on the US Ultimate Edition, however there are even more enhancements.
Based on the IS500 F Sport, the Climax Edition finishes the model’s run with matte black 19-inch BBS forged aluminium wheels, Brembo six-piston front brake calipers and 380mm rotors, and Neutrino Grey paintwork. The same paint colour is called ‘Wind’ on Ultimate versions.
There’s changes inside, including a perforated black and red contrast leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a ‘Climax Edition’ analogue clock, unique build plates, plus black and red Ultrasuede upholstery on the L-Tex sports seats, door trim and upper console. The front seat belts too are now red.
Lexus also claims to have made mechanical changes such as “strengthening and reducing the weight of the suspension”, though without detailing what tweaks were undertaken.
What it hasn’t done is squeeze any more power from the 5.0-litre V8, which continues to make 352kW and 536Nm, delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
The IS was axed from Australian showrooms in late 2021 due to side-impact laws, and up until that point it had only been sold with a choice of a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, a hybrid 2.5-litre four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine.
