How does one know if a car will be a future classic? Usually, anything that’s the last of its kind is a good sign. Think Audi R8 V10 manual, Honda S2000 CR, or Cadillac CTS-V wagon. In that vein, the Lexus IS 500 is probably the last naturally aspirated V8 sports sedan ever. And while a few examples are still hanging around showrooms, 2025 was its curtain call model year. I’m going to miss the hell out of it.
First, a little background: The now-outgoing Lexus IS along with the new Lexus IS are essentially both facelifts of the 2014 model, which is fundamentally a heavy evolution of the second-generation IS first seen for 2006. As a result, building a performance model meant going old-school, and an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission is only the start.
The crown jewel of the IS 500 is its engine, and what an engine it is. Five liters, eight cylinders, 32 valves, four camshafts, it all adds up to 472 horsepower at 7,100 RPM and 395 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 RPM. That’s 100 more lb.-ft. of torque than the grailed E90 BMW M3 and its 4.4-liter V8, even if the 7,300 RPM redline of the IS 500 doesn’t cross the magic 8,000 mark like the BMW of a bygone era. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2UR-GSE in this Lexus dates back to that wildest age of sport sedans—it started life in the 417-horsepower 2008 IS F before going on a serious bulk. However, despite the peaky power delivery, it still displays all the character you’d expect from a five-liter V8.
I’ve previously written that the Lexus IS 500 has a delightful sense of humor, and guess what? That still stands. During the daily commute, it’s a loping, slow-breathing understressed thing. A reasonably sized sedan pulling a Larry Byrd, perfectly content to lazily sit at fewer than 2,000 RPM on the highway, short-shift around town, and generally appear unamused at your feeble expectations. It’s not that this genealogical endpoint is lethargic, it’s just too self-assured to spend excess energy cautiously taking you to Whole Foods. Almost as if it’s aware that the chips aren’t usually down on the daily commute.
However, twist that Oreo-sized drive mode selector clockwise twice, flex your right foot, and something funny happens. This effectively 13-year-old car with an engine architecture dating back nearly two decades clears its throat and reminds you of the importance of life. At 2,800 RPM, a flap in the air box opens to remind you that this engine is more than twice as large as the one in the Mercedes-AMG C 43. At 4,500 RPM, the quad exhausts sing a siren song, luring you to take it all the way. At 7,000 RPM, everything comes together in a focused dagger of vitriol raging against the comparative lethargy of forced induction. A five-liter battle taunt reminding turbocharging that no matter how well-matched a compressor map is to an engine and no matter what sort of electronic wastegate wizardry’s on tap, exhaust-fed forced induction can never be this immediate, this baleful, this immersive of a sonic experience. From the intake horn above the core support to the tureens shorehorned into the rear bumper, the IS 500 is 15.6 feet of power chords, and that’s a good time.
Of course, power chords require the existence of an equally strong supporting roster, and this V8 Lexus goes far beyond layering inhalation over a tuned-down backbeat. Driven in anger, there’s a certain synergy to the IS 500. The steering might not be the most precise ever offered, but it serves up far richer texture than you’d expect from an electrically assisted setup. Likewise, while the gearbox is absolutely allergic to matching revs below 3,000 RPM, it rifles off shifts to your satisfaction provided you actually try some sense of spirit. Oh, and then there’s the differential. No open center section with brake-based torque vectoring, no heavy electronically-variable stuff, just a Torsen setup that’s as simple as a hammer. It works on the basic principle that you can’t backdrive a worm gear, and so long as one rear wheel hasn’t thoroughly made a bid to join the space program by achieving terrestrial liftoff, it’ll reward you with proper torque biasing. It all adds up to a level of transparency missing from most new cars, an instinctiveness you can feel when the going gets slippery that serves up immense confidence up to and beyond the limits of adhesion.
The end result is a strong argument for atmospheric V8 hegemony, an emotional appeal for chunks of aluminum and steel combined to feel like the pulse of a beast. Alright, so the IS 500 may be thirstier than Hunter S. Thompson, guzzling gallons at an alarming rate once you’ve lit a fire in its belly, but performative emotion’s rarely free. It’s a deeply human experience for the price of the aforementioned Mercedes-AMG C 43, or a BMW M340i, or the outgoing Audi S4. We’re talking about an incandescent car here, something that flickers, glows, and warms like the real thing because it is the real thing.
However, such incandescence has some slight flaws, not the least being the relative inefficiency of 20 MPG combined. Objectively, the IS 500 is not the best middleweight sports sedan on the planet. A BMW M340i has a lower noise floor and tighter body control, a Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is sharper and offers a manual gearbox for truly keen drivers, and both of those rivals are quicker than the all-motor Lexus. Oh, and this limited-run 500-unit Ultimate Edition model has a massive hump in the trunk floor in order to accommodate a spare tire that clears the big, strong six-piston front calipers. Perhaps all of these factors partially explain why, despite its depth of character, the IS 500 is remarkably thin on the ground despite a starting price of $61,520 including freight, or $78,495 in Canada.
Just 6,687 examples of the IS 500 were sold in America from the start of production through January 2026. If that seems like a small number, let me give you some context. Last year, Lexus sold 19,714 IS sedans in total, but only 1,495 of those had eight cylinders under their hoods. That’s a take rate of just 7.58 percent. If that’s not enough for you, BMW sold 2,113 Z4 two-seat sports cars, Lamborghini sold 3,347 models across the Americas, and Porsche sold 13,574 examples of its 911 sports car in the same period. Yeah, you’re around 800 percent more likely to see last year’s Porsche 911 than last year’s Lexus IS 500 in the wild. It’s a similar deal in Canada, with only 566 IS 500 examples sold at the time of writing.
So, the IS 500 is bristling with character, it’s almost certainly the last naturally aspirated V8 sports sedan ever, and it’s rare enough to be exotic. Usually, when those factors team up, future collectability is virtually assured. Not value appreciation off the rip, but enough kudos to produce nods of respect from those in the know. It rides beautifully, it’s surprisingly engaging, and it truly feels larger than life. Shoutout to Lexus for keeping the naturally aspirated V8 sport sedan alive this long, a full decade after the Germans gave up on this concept in favor of turbocharging. We truly didn’t know what we had until it was almost gone.
Top graphic image: Thomas Hundal
I would think that the LS500, particularly the droptop would have a much better chance of being a classic I was impressed when I drove it in Arizona.
Not that many sedans make classic status like the E39 M5 or the Mercedes E500; most of them fade away, even good ones.
It’s interesting to read reviews of the is350/500, since these cars are compared to the BMW’s, Audi’s, and Cadillacs, but they are designed to be comfortable, reliable, yet have sporting performance available when you want it. Lexus is not chasing statistics. Example: Removing the spare would give the car a performance boost, but it would reduce reliability. With our crumbling roads, I’m actually considering a spare tire to be a useful feature.
Another thought: I remember reading about the Jaguar F-type and thinking: Why buy this when a Porsche, Corvette, or Lotus is a much sportier car? But the F-type is about comfort, ambiance, and performance, not just performance. The Lexus IS models are the same way.
I love the whole idea of this car, but I just really hate the current (dated) Lexus design language, particularly for the cars and the RX/NX/TX SUVs (less allergic to the refreshed GX/LX). I can’t even really say what I don’t like, but it has always rubbed me the wrong way. It’s too bad, b/c otherwise I would definitely consider this as a cheaper, more reliable alternative to the BMW or Caddy.
It’s funny. People commenting online either think the refreshed front end of the is350 is butt ugly, or they think the predator grill is butt ugly. I guess I’m in the unvocal middle ground.
I love the IS silhouette and rear end. The front looks too much like the LS sedan, making it tougher to spot them when they are coming at you.
This is the obvious future classic. It’s an old car and new car but not a new new car, but it’s also got some old old car. The very last RWD NA V8 Japanese car in a beautiful wrapper that’s… compact! It’s better looking than a BMW, and it’s better looking than a 2026 Lexus IS.
The last one will be the LC, and the IS rides into the sunset alongside the even less popular RC F, which tends to get trashed by folks despite this car having better track-day chops than the IS. The real collectible is the GS F, but if you want used RWD V8 thrills without having to resort to a pony car, then any of these Lexuses is a cool option. I do like the looks of the IS the best.
I feel it’s an opening for Nissan to drop the 5.6-liter in the Z.
The RC is kind of a Frankenstein. If I recall, it’s platform is IS on one end, GS on the other and then the middle is the old IS C. They weigh more and have less torsional rigidity than an IS, and they’re comparatively hard to see out of.
And yet it has better brakes, torque vectoring, and a suspension that very track focused. I gotta wonder if Lexus considered using all that stuff to make an actual IS F (or IS F successor), but the suits looked at sales and said nah, let’s just F-Sport everything.
Yes. All of this is why I bought one but you need to add one more thing: it’s reliable, unlike some of its competitors. To me, “good engineering” also includes the ability to go past 100k without becoming a nuisance or taking the engine out. These will be on the road long after everyone dumps their equivalent bimmers.
The handling and power are excellent. The seats have way better side bolstering than my c6, my old Miata, STi, etc. The Mark Levinson sound system is good. The infotainment system is a little dated, but the car also has the tech you want without the tech you don’t want. It is a fair compromise.
The weakest point of the car is the transmission. Make this thing manual and it would be perfect. The transmission can shine, it can shift extrmely quickly and revmatch well, but you have to drive it at 9/10 to get there.
I want to believe you but i just think its too ugly and too an automatic and also not rare enough.
Nice exterior and the V8, but the interior kills it for me. It kills all Toyota/Lexus models for me. Won’t handle like a 3 series either, so I’ll pass.
Just a minor (tongue-in-cheek) complaint – since this review didn’t follow the standard format, I didn’t get to see the section header “Does It Have the Electronic Stuff I Want?” followed by the one-sentence paragraph “If you want this car you don’t want electronic crap, but it has it anyway.”
This car still has a CD player!
Oh, no kidding!
It seems they’ve made almost exactly as many as the target market would want.
It’s one hell of a GT cruiser, but it’s not attractive and it’s not a good sports sedan, especially compared to its rivals. But because it’s of such limited production and of such solid engineering, it’ll certainly be a collectable.
It’s collectable not so much by its merits, but by its scarcity and its Toyota reliability.
I was in the market for a entry-level luxury sport sedan and the IS500 was on my list for, you guess it, its engine. I didn’t even mind the dated interior and tech, middling handling or polarizing exterior. The issue was I was on the hunt in late ’25 and these were even harder to come by on dealership lots by then. More than one reasonably local Lexus dealership would claim to have one in inventory, but when pressed, they would say it’s still in transit. But they were sure eager to try to sell me on a IS350 and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t remotely interested. Oh, and at that point only the final Ultimate Edition featured here could still be found new in the US and they were all $70k+ MSRP. Plus ADM. Needless to say, I “settled” for a Genesis G70 and am quite content despite the less visceral exhaust note.
Supply on any IS F-Sport model has been dismal for the past year. Believe me, since I’ve been trying to test drive one. Sure, I can drive the F-Sport Design, but that’s a very different feeling car.
I wholly agree. The tracking system for the Lexus dealers sucks rocks.
Most definitely. Give it 2-3 decades and it’s right there in that sweet spot.
Curious car. Priced and allocated very intentionally to the buyer who knows specifically what this car offers and wants it. It’s not even remotely trying to be “competitive” on price. There are “better” cars in the segment but this one remains interesting and that’s not a given.
Not sure that’d be enough to sway me, but then I did reflexively turn my head at the sound one of thes emade accelerating down the street. It’s a very nice sound.
Nice review, Thomas. Very well written.
Edit: deleted for stupidity as I was the confused one, not the author.
Bigger spare overall that can fit over the big brakes. This size results in this spare taking up more room that the regular car requires. Hence the hump. Hump is a funny word to type BTW…
I figured that out after posting the comment and tried to delete before I wasted anyone’s time. Sorry about that! I appreciate the info and correction.
All good. I had to read it a couple times before I got it too.
The car is cool , but if it was a manual??!! It would be similar to my CTS-V. Auto it great but it’s no E39
To say future classic implies these will ever have a moment of being forgotten. Much like the GSF before it, or honestly most lexus and toyota products. They will continue to be oddly expensive for what they are on paper until the heat death of the universe.
Gun to my head though if I had to buy a new car today, this would be it. So maybe in a decade when the wheels fall off my current ride Ill give them a look
Right. The IS-F never became “cheap” unless it was approaching 200k miles and questionably modified.
Lovely motor, shame what they bolt it into.
I wouldn’t be able to stand looking at the thing outside or inside. Or dealing with that horrific Lexus mouse thing. And I will take turbo efficiency – an F3X M340i can knock out near 30mpg when driven with restraint, and still go like a raped ape when required. Plus you could get them with the correct number of foot pedals.
“Lovely motor, shame what they bolt it into”
For me this statement is also more true of the current M340i than it probably should be. It’s not a looker anymore, it’s kind of chunky and inelegant with a pouty fish mouth it either cribed from the Civic or vice versa. No manual in what, 7 years now? Bland monoscreen interior with most climate and audio functions on the screen.
Should be an absolute slaughter given the Lexus’s age but BMW isn’t what it used to be either. Turbo sixes will probably be around for awhile–I wouldn’t blame anyone for seeing the IS500 as a more interesting choice in this moment.
Hence why I said “F3X” M340i, which was a contemporary of this car at the end of it’s run. Which wasn’t BMW’s finest hour, but it was not bad once they worked the kinks out of that platform, and they were decent looking cars inside and out – and had the pinnacle of iDrive evolution before they ruined it. Correct, you can’t even get a stick on the current Gxx models, zero interest in them, and the interior is ridiculous. But ultimately having owned an FXX car, I have no interest in anything newer than the E generation cars. From BMW or anybody else. The only Lexus I have ever cared about in the slightest is the SC300/400.
New IS500 vs decade old F30 or 20 year old E. Having to gonthat far back kind of demonstrates why the IS500 has appeal, though that probably wasn’t the intent.
What in autodom do you find appealing at this point? There’s nothing like those old bimmers in the market anymore.
None of the IS have ever held any appeal for me, right back to the first one, no matter what was under the hood. There was no reason to buy a Japanese copy of a European car when you could just buy the originals. Like this latest one, they always got some bits so right but other bits so wrong.
Absolutely nothing at all on the market today appeals to me. Literally not one single car on the US market today I have any interest in buying new, which sucks, because I have the means to buy pretty much anything I want below six figures without thinking about it much. Back when there were a zillion cars I was interested in and would have loved to own, I was skint. The irony is real.
I do make a half exception for the Gladiator – I have absolutely zero need or reason to own one, so I won’t buy one, but I do think they are cool. For no good reasons, I just do. If they made a 2dr, long bed version I could be tempted though. It’s not useful enough to me in it’s sole configuration.
What is in the market today are excellent, low-miles minty fresh used examples of the sorts of cars I actually like. And even though they aren’t cheap, they are lots cheaper than new dreck I can’t stand. Exemplified by the 40K mile ’11 128i convertible I bought in 2020. $17K was ALL the money for one then, but it was and is superb. Maintaining one is lots cheaper than the depreciation on a new one. And I still have the ’11 328! rwd/6spd wagon I bought new, and it only has 55k on it. I plan to be buried in it. 2005ish-2015ish were peak car, IMHO. I had a ’16 M235i that I liked but didn’t really love, which I didn’t keep. Sure wish I had kept the ’17 GTI Sport that replaced it though! Stupid me fell for the pandemic era used car pricing madness and sold it for what I paid for it new – should have kept it. I loved my ’18 Fiata but didn’t fit comfortably in it, hence the 1-series. Now the shark has been well and truly jumped.
The way these are depreciating (aka, barely at all) certainly seems to indicate they will remain desirable for a long time.
I know the GS F is still holding its value really well, which is the only reason I didn’t buy one last year.
Yeah I think all of the Lexus F cars are going to hold value and end up being classics.
I don’t usually read the car reviews so I don’t come across Thomas’ material as frequently as that of other staffers, but this is easily the best writing to carry his byline that I’ve seen. Props for a composing a compelling ode to a car I wouldn’t otherwise have cared at all about!
A lot of the reviews here seem to have plates from Canada. Are you guys going up there for these? Do they come in at port there and get tagged? I don’t have an opinion on it, just curious as to the background.
Maybe its just a coincidence.
Thomas is Canadian, so yeah his cars will have Canadian plates on them.
Thanks, I did not know that.
Not a coincidence: that’s where the reviewer lives, and Thomas writes a lot of the reviews.
I love this car, I think you’re right about its collectibility, but I can’t quite bring myself to sing its praises from the rooftops.
It’s a bold strategy to make an E90 M3 fighter 15 years late and it didn’t pay off for them because the engine isn’t the only thing that feels of a ‘bygone era’. For the engine, admittedly that’s a good thing. But a touchpad, two-tone wheel, and torque converter feel time-worn in 2026, and those are just the alliterative anachronisms. If you don’t have the two-tone interior, it’s no better, because the alternative is entirely lacking in theatre. It’s the complete opposite of that AMG discotheque Matt had a couple weeks ago. That ends up feeling like an old car for an old person.
As a whole, it feels more ‘we have the parts so may as well’ and less Relentless Pursuit of Perfection. I loved this as a loaner in 2023. It was my favorite car I drove that year. But it’s just not ‘enough’ to justify the price tag. In a decade or two, maybe it will be.
Yeah these are usually $70,000 by the time you get one off the lot…which is a lot to ask for what’s basically an entry level luxury sedan with a great engine and nothing else. The transmission sucks, these don’t have the hardware to be considered legitimate performance sedans, and their interiors are outdated and weirdly cramped.
You have to value a V8 over all else to choose one of these over an M3, RS5, CT4V BW, etc, which they basically cost the same as. Do I think for the right buyer it’s worth it? Sure, but even then you can find a used 300C for $50,000 that has more power, more space, better brakes, a better transmission, etc.
I really wanted to love these and was toying with going for broke and financing one back when they were announced…but for this much I’d rather have something I can take to the track or a used LC500.
This is the weirdest take on a vehicle I have read in a while.
Yes, a compact, V8, sports sedan will demand money (except it’s the cheapest way to even GET a V8 Sedan not counting leftover 2023 Dodges) and no, people won’t cross shop this with a 300C.
There’s nothing weird about it lol, this take is all over the internet. My main point is that it’s no where near as capable as what you can get for the same money. I can buy an M3 or CT4V Blackwing or RS whatever and take it directly to a track day after the break in period. And I would, I take my Kona N to the track.
You can’t do that with this. Everything about it is mediocre except the engine and the fit and finish. For $70,000+ it’s a hard sell for me personally. It has the same performance as the mid tier variants (M340i, S5, etc) of its competitors but costs as much as the full fat performance versions when all’s said and done because Toyota will only build fully loaded ones.
In order to take that plunge you have to really, really want a V8 and not care about much else. There’s an argument to be made that the residuals make the high purchase price worth it, and I get it. But nothing is depreciating much anymore outside of economy cars. A 4 year old M3 with 50,000 miles is still 60 grand…and for this much money I’m not attached enough to V8s to justify it over its competitors.
This is also a very long winded way of saying they should’ve made it a full ISF and charged the same amount of money. If they did that I’d be pinching pennies to try to buy one. As is? They’re cool, but I don’t think they’re worth the money…especially when you can get a used RCF or LC500 for the same money.
They’re obviously less practical, but then again how practical is a compact gas guzzling sedan with a back seat that’s approximately GTI sized? Not very. You’re not going to have a good time putting adults or car seats back there.
I agree with your take, except for the 300c bit. I get your point if you want the engine in a sedan with a little luxury. I think Bjorn was confused because you didn’t say price, other than comparing it to things like an M3, though those will be more expensive these days. I follow your logic, though.
Ahhh fair. Bjorn has always been a okay in my book so no harm no foul.
I just find your points to not be logically aligned.
You want a track car, yet say this is too small.Let’s face it, no one’s gonna track this, or a CT4 BW, or a new M3, or a new S5.It’s more expensive, than 5-10 year old used cars; no shit!.Cross shopped it with a 300c (that was the oddest one….)The disposable German/American performance cars are better. Yeah, they’re disposable, this isn’t.
The internet of influencers/AI bots isn’t the source it once was. Using it to validate ones opinion is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I may sound like a Toyota/Lexus stan, but I am not. I’ve never even owned a Toyota/Lexus.
I’d want a track car with usable back seats so I can sell the wife on it. This is how I wound up with my current car lol. People do track luxury performance sedans though, there are M and S/RS cars at every track day I go to. I feel like these are on the upper edge of what the sort of people who actually go to the track can afford and aren’t rare enough to get mothballed like six figure sports cars.
I think 5 years ago the disposability point was super valid, and I still think it’s valid for non-Japanese commodity luxury cars that are almost entirely leased. But the current crop of these cars like the Blackwing, M3, RS5, etc. are holding their value because they’re more reliable than they used to be. The S58 in particular seems to be pretty bullet proof and the V6 in the RS products is a Porsche engine that’s built to their standards.
Are any a better long term bet than an IS500 reliability and value wise? No, but I don’t think the contrast is as stark as it used to be. That being said this is all going out the window as soon as all the German performance sedans become heavy PHEV mutants. I’ll be avoiding those like the plague haha…
Right. So might as well buy the V8 now.
If you’re willing to pay the price premium for it then sure, go right ahead
Someone who can afford the BMW can afford the Lexus.
You’re speaking in made up hypotheticals as someone who shouldn’t be buying either.
What exactly do you want me to say? You’ve been criticizing my original comment for a full 24 hours now despite me trying to turn it into an actual discussion. Do you just want me to say I misspoke?
Here! I misspoke making general proclamations. I will not be buying one personally because it isn’t worth it for me at the price it sells for. It is worth it for other people and they are welcome to buy one.
Have a wonderful day! Also you’re not beating the Toyota fanboy allegations lol.
It just snowed a foot, I have nothing else to do!
Gotta remember what my user name means!
How can I tell you to go touch grass when the grass is covered in a foot of snow?!?!
Yea, that whole situation was a bit nuts.
100% agree. My biggest complaint was the transmission, a throwback to the mid 2000’s in the worst ways. Ruins the car for any sort of spirited driving IMO.
I remember always wishing years/decades ago that the RS4, M3, C63 and ISF all had naturally aspirated V8s that they had all come with a manual option. Life would have been that much sweeter.
Contender for ugliest car to gain value over time?
People kept telling me I’d eventually get used to what Lexus is doing, but that hasn’t happened. Hideous as ever. LC included.
I agree that this is a future classic.
I debated getting one before the end of production, but on one hand I still have my E92 M3 6mt and my E90 M3 DCT, and on the other, the ancient auto tranny on it tipped the scales. But it was close!
NA V8s have so much more charm than turbo ones. And even after getting turbos, I still prefer the V8 configuration to anything with less cylinders. This is probably why there are four V8s in the driveway
E92 M3 is my favorite BMW of all time, nice dude! Curious about your thoughts on the negative biases about them that are out there.
They are great cars! The rod bearings are the most common serious issue, but they aren’t hard to replace (my brother and I posted a DIY) and it’s a small percentage of cars anyway. The other things people talk about (throttle actuators for example) are not serious and easy to replace.
The E92 is a 2013, individual Montecarlo Blue, no nav, cloth seats, zcp, 6mt. It lives a good life as a garage queen. It currently has a 4.6L stroker engine, GTS ccbs and GTS cf wheels.
The E90 is used more often. Also no nav, cloth seats, slicktop.
Both have been tracked, the E90 more extensively, and they are great cars to learn on. Whenever a student shows up in one I know we will have a great time!
Track duties have moved on to an M4 GT4 and M4 GTS, but I still miss the E9Xs on track! The regular E90 provides more theatrics and joy during break in than the M4 GTS ever will.
I appreciate your feedback, and it’s interesting to hear, as I want to get an E92 in the next couple of years for project-car purposes. Sounds like you have a nice garage over there. I guess you moved to the M4 for a more track car.
The M4 has more power runway as it’s a turbo car, that’s basically it.
For a street car or a street-track car, the E9X is hard to beat
This is the part where I tell everyone to keep quiet and let these cars start depreciating so I can one day own one, but the lack of depreciation already indicates that may be too late. Oh well.
It doesn’t have to be, though.
Come on GM, do the right thing here.
I, for one, would not hold my breath on GM doing the right thing, for this value of “right thing”.
100%
Give us another Camaro or even better, a 4 door Camaro. With the 6.6L ls6 they’re working on
Eh, let’s be real we’re not getting anything from GM with a naturally aspirated anything under the hood let alone a V8 that isn’t a truck, with the one exception to that rule being the Corvette. We likely won’t ever be seeing another Impala SS or equivalent. I probably wouldn’t be holding my breath for a 7th gen Camaro either. Not that I wouldn’t be beyond thrilled to be wrong.
GM has already said the CT5 is getting another generation, and we know there is a new generation of V8s coming as well.
Replacing the TT V6 in the CT5V (non Blackwing) with a NA V8 is a move with a lot of upside and very little downside.
Color me intrigued. I knew a new V8 was in development. Didn’t know there was gonna be a new gen CT5. A non Blackwing 2nd gen CT5-V and top luxury trim CT5 with an all motor V8 would make a lotta sense I would agree with you there. It’s not as if the 3.0 turbo V6 they’re currently using is out there in huge numbers of cars so why not go for broke there and help amortize the cost of the new 8 in something other than a Silverado
The TT V6 is such an odd choice by GM. It’s ONLY used in Cadillacs where the V8 already fits, and makes the same power as the V8 they make millions of. Just use the V8 and don’t build these orphan engines when people would probably rather have a V8 anyways.
The downside is it canablizes $100K+ supercharged Blackwing sales. A large fraction of current BW owners would have opted for the NA version if it was offered. I sure as hell would have.
I hope this happens (actually I’m kind of waiting for it), but it has to come with the manual trans.
At some point, everyone that wants a 5BW will own one, and this is a way to boost high-margin CT5 sales with out much development, so I have my fingers crossed
Oh man, if they put an LT1 and the TR6060 in a CT4-V Blackwing, GM would have the best naturally aspirated sports sedan of all time. Possibly even the best sports sedan of all time. The inputs on that car as it sits are just that good.
Step 1: Take LT2 out of Corvette and put in CT4VBW
Step 2: ????
Step 3: Profit!
Many have been saying!
Everyone under the sun offers a turbo six sports sedan, very few have a compact, affordable, and powerful V8 just sitting on the corporate shelf ready to go. Why GM wastes their biggest advantage and just plays “match the Germans” is beyond me.
100%
And their turbo V6 isn’t a particularly good one. Why not use the V8 they already have and offer something unique vs the Germans?