A Close Look At All Of Lexus' Performance Cars
In 1989, the Lexus brand launched with two cars: the LS 400 and ES 250. Two years later, the brand was the #1 luxury import in the US. Today in 2025, Lexus will sell you a lineup of vehicles that includes 15 SUVs, 6 sedans, 13 hybrid and electric models, and 8 performance-oriented vehicles, including performance versions of the TX 500h and RX 500h and established favorites like the LC and IS 500.
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Lexus
Founded in 1989, Lexus is a premium automaker created by Toyota as a rival to Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Its first model, the Lexus LS, became renowned as a true S-Class rival at a fraction of the cost and is known as one of the most reliable cars in the world. Subsequent models from the brand have achieved equal fame, including the IS, RX, and LX. With global sales of 824,258 cars in 2023, Lexus has become a prime example of how a start-up can enter the premium space and succeed, something few rivals have managed since.
Before models like these, Lexus also built some epic performance cars that go back generations– and you might not know it, because Lexus is strangely not known primarily as a performance brand. Still, it should make a significant blip on the mental radar of shoppers after a high-performance thrill ride, because a good number are available. Ditto other models enhanced by the F-Sport package to give drivers a taste of the highest-performing Lexus in something a little more modest.
Let's start back in 1992 and connect 9 great Lexus performance cars to today’s modern-day offerings.
This list covers Lexus models built with performance as the main intention since the brand started back in 1989.
Lexus SC 300 / 400 (1992)
Lexus SC (4)
Fast Facts:
- An engine update for 1997 brought 40 more horsepower to the V8 engine for 290 in total
- The inline 6 engine got more torque for the 1997 update as well
- Almost every surface on the first-generation SC was curved
- Launched in 1992, discontinued after 2000
In 1991, Lexus was gaining steam as America’s number-one luxury import brand, but they didn’t have a sports car. Their first, the SC 400, debuted in 1991 for the 1992 model year and allowed Lexus designers to flex some muscle with a new body style. Engineers brought a new taste of Japanese performance to the scene with two engine options: the SC 400 ran the 4-liter V8 from the Lexus LS, and the SC 300, which arrived later, ran the legendary 2JZ-GE from the Supra of the day.
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Noted for a quiet cabin and comfortable cruising manners, the SC 300 was often considered the more engaging and nimble version to drive. The initial 4-liter V8 made 250 horsepower, good for 0-60 in 7 seconds. The straight six made 225 horsepower, adding a half-second to the job. Four-wheel steering was available via the active chassis package.
Lexus SC 430 Convertible (2002)
sc 430 (1)
Fast Facts:
- Key competitors included the Jaguar XK Convertible, BMW 6-Series and Mercedes-Benz SL
- An available hard-disc based navigation system and DVD auto-changer were available in 2010
- First Lexus to use an 18-inch wheel
- Launched in 1992, discontinued after 2000
It’s now 2002, and the original SC lineup had been on sale for nearly a decade before being replaced by a new model, this time, called the SC 430. Available only in a hard-top convertible configuration, the rear-wheel-drive drop-top has an aluminum double-overhead cam (DOHC) 4.3-liter V8 engine with 288 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of peak torque. With a six-speed automatic, 0-60 arrived in as little as 5.8 seconds.
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Notably, the SC Convertible went on to help build Lexus’s strong reputation for reliability and quality, with recognition as the highest-ranked premium luxury vehicle by J.D. Power And Associates in the 2004 and 2005 Initial Quality Survey. Production stopped after the 2010 model year.
Lexus IS F (2008)
2008-2010 Lexus IS F - back view
Fast Facts:
- Most powerful engine ever put in a Lexus (2008)
- 3ms response time for downshift throttle blips
- 1-inch lower than the standard model
- Torsen LSD standard from 2010
It’s now been six years since the on-sale launch of Lexus’s last performance car, the SC 430, which remains on sale but is getting very old. In the time between the SC 430 and the new Lexus IS F, the automaker had been busy focusing efforts elsewhere– primarily on crossover and SUV models, new hybrid powerplants, and some freshly updated sedans.
The IS-F came along in 2008 for the IS sedan’s second generation, putting a high-performance variant with a glorious 5-liter, 414-horsepower all-motor V8 into top position in the model range to battle machinery like the C63 AMG and M3. Here was a car that could happily tackle your weekend track day, and whisk you home quietly and comfortably afterward. With lots of high-RPM pulling power, a great soundtrack, and an on-the-ball transmission, the IS-F quickly built up a loyal following of performance sedan fans who you’ll often spot on weekend track days.
Lexus LFA (2011)
Lexus LFA on the road
Fast Facts:
- The first prototypes were completed in 2003
- Built at Toyota's Motomachi Plant, which also builds the GR Corolla
- Engine breathing and acoustics tuned by Yamaha for a signature soundtrack
- Production ends officially on Dec 14, 2013
By now, Lexus has a pretty solid reputation for building high-quality performance cars that have challenged other luxury rivals like Audi, Cadillac and Acura– though the decision was made to build a halo car, and what a halo car it was. With it, Lexus would take the fight to some of the hottest, fastest six-figure cars around.
Lexus built their legendary LFA supercar from 2010 to 2012, and it’s perhaps most famous for the shrieking wail of its 4.8-liter V10 engine with 552 horsepower. Advanced engineering and CFRP construction kept the car light and stiff, and only 500 copies were made– making the LFA a highly exclusive car despite being much pricier than competitors, including the Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 458 Italia and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
Tuned on the world’s fastest racetracks and built to leverage decades of best practices from Lexus’s engineering and motorsport toolkits, the LFA quickly earned a place in the history books as one of the world's most desirable cars.
Lexus RC (2015)
2024 Lexus RC 350 F Sport side
Fast Facts:
- Rear-wheel steering available
- Signature 'Infrared' paint color marks the first use of contrast-layering paint, introduced on earlier concept cars
- Laser screw welding and major structural reinforcements target the stiffness required for excellent handling
- Compared to previous six-speed automatic, the new 8-speed unit has a first gear that's 8.5 percent shorter and a top gear that's is 2.9 percent taller
In the ten years since the Lexus RC initially launched in 2015, it’s gone on to sell 90,000 units in 62 countries. That’s bittersweet news, since both the RC 350 and the extreme-performance RC-F will be officially discontinued at the end of the 2025 model year. This two-door model range was launched for 2015 on a unique platform that featured a front end based on the Lexus GS, which was setting standards for stiffness and response in mid-sized sedans at the time. The rear of the RC’s platform is based on the third-generation Lexus IS Sport sedan platform, which had debuted a year earlier.
The ultra-stiff structure laid the foundation for an expert balance of cruising comfort and engaging handling, while the all-motor 3.5-liter V6 delivered 306 horsepower through an 8-speed automatic that can monitor vehicle g-forces to make smarter decisions. Adaptive variable suspension and rear-wheel steering capability help round out the RC’s high-performance innovations.
Lexus RC F (2015)
2025 Lexus RC F Final Edition Black/Red Interior Driver Seat
Fast Facts:
- First Lexus with an EXPERT mode, only intervening to prevent a spin
- World's first front-engine, rear-drive vehicle with a torque-vectoring differential
- Redline is 7,100 RPM, up 300 from the previous V8, with 12% more power
In 2015, the Lexus IS F and its V8 drivetrain had been established for 7 years. The RC was the next model to get the F treatment, with 467 horsepower from a tweaked new version of the 5-liter V8. The improvements to power output versus the earlier 414-horsepower version in the IS F come from a new throttle body that’s enlarged 10 percent, a redesigned fuel injection system, a new intake cam and VVT-iE programming, new exhaust headers, and a one-way alternator pulley clutch.
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With an active rear axle and various custom drive modes at the driver’s fingertips, the RC F could be set up from anything between ‘mild’ and ‘wild’, depending on the driver’s current intentions. The 5-liter V8 had now become more powerful and connected with an array of customizable hardware that made the driver the boss of the experience.
Lexus GS F (2016)
2020 Lexus GS F Blue Front Angle
Fast Facts:
- Designed for track-capable thrills and comfortable everyday use
- 380mm front brake rotors with Brembo calipers
- Aggressive sport bucket seating holds occupants inplace
- Redline is 7,100 RPM, up 300 from the previous V8, with 12% more power
The 467-horsepower version of the 5-liter V8 from the RC F, as well as various supporting systems and technologies, were applied to the Lexus GS the following model year, in 2016. The resulting GS F packed supporting upgrades to its brakes, cooling aerodynamics, suspension, and chassis to support the added power.
2020 Lexus GS F Fender Badge
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With rear-drive and a torque-vectoring rear axle borrowed from the RC F, drivers could finely tune the GS F to their exact desires with a rear axle that can adjust torque distribution across the rear wheels in 1/1000th of a second. For drivers after the grins that come with piloting a big, fast, heavy sedan with a punchy V8 and lively rear axle, the Lexus GS-F made a comfortable and relaxing choice.
Fast Facts:
- Designed for track-capable thrills and comfortable everyday use
- 380mm front brake rotors with Brembo calipers
- Aggressive sport bucket seating holds occupants inplace
- Redline is 7,100 RPM, up 300 from the previous V8, with 12% more power
Lexus LC 500 (2018)
2025 Lexus LC 500 Coupe Black Front Angle
Fast Facts:
- Even the rear muffler, angled like a diffuser, plays a role in aerodynamic performance
- 0-60 in 4.5 seconds
- CFRP and aluminum body, only the rear fenders are steel
The heart-stopping LC 500 arrives in 2018, launching a new model range with styling that instantly makes it one of the most beautiful and recognizable coupes (and convertibles) on the road today. There’s a hybrid available, as well as the standard version, with a 5-liter V8 developing 471 horsepower in this application. New hybrid tech, materials and safety features are flaunted, but the real story on the LC 500 quickly becomes its ability to comfortably and quickly whisk occupants around with a gorgeous soundtrack in its wake.
2025 Lexus LC500 Convertible Red Roof Down Front Driving
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Engineers spent triple the usual amount of time tuning the steering for linear feel, dialed in nearly-perfect weight balance, and adapted lightweight materials technology first used in the LFA supercar to help make the LC lighter and more potent. The cabin bathes occupants in premium finishes, and a drive mode selector can get the LC riled up or settled down at the flick of a dial.
Lexus IS 500 (2022)
2023 Lexus IS 500 V8 engine
Fast Facts:
- Dynamic Handling Package (DHP) with Torsen axle and Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) was standard
- Yamaha rear performance damper for improved high-speed stability
- Enkei or BBS alloy wheels included
It’s now been 14 years since the Lexus IS-F hit the market, bringing the initial version of the brand’s high-performance 5-liter V8 engine along with it. The original IS F was discontinued when the next (third) generation IS Sedan came along in 2014 before a 2017 facelift and another in 2021. The year following that second facelift of the IS Sedan’s third-generation, the IS 500 F Sport Performance arrived, stuffing the 5-liter V8 once again into Lexus’s smallest sedan, with little more than quad tailpipes and a lifted hood to give things away in the visual department.
With 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, available adaptive dampers, and a Torsen LSD between the rear wheels, this 472-horsepower, all-motor sport sedan was one of the last of its kind– untouched by either electric motor or turbocharger.
