What was the last year Lexus made the IS-F?
The last year the Lexus IS-F was produced is the 2014 model year.
The IS-F was Lexus’s high-performance variant of the IS line, built to compete with rival sport sedans. This article reviews its production window, why the line ended, and how performance-focused models evolved in the IS lineup afterward.
Production timeline
The following timeline highlights the key production years and how they translated into model years for customers around the world.
- Production years: 2007–2014 (global), with the first public release in 2007 and sale beginning around 2008 in many markets.
- US model years: 2008–2014, reflecting the typical rollout pattern for Lexus’ IS F in North America.
- Final model year: 2014, after which Lexus discontinued the IS-F variant and shifted focus to other IS configurations and the broader performance ecosystem.
In summary, the IS-F had a seven-year span in production, encompassing 2007 through 2014 globally, with U.S. sales aligning to the 2008–2014 model years.
Reasons for discontinuation and what came next
Several factors influenced the end of the IS-F, and they shaped how Lexus approached performance in the IS lineup going forward.
- Strategic shift: Lexus pivoted toward new IS generations and expanded the F SPORT branding rather than maintaining a dedicated V8IS-F model.
- Regulatory and market pressures: Emissions, fuel economy standards, and intense competition in the high-performance sedan segment made a dedicated V8 version less viable.
- Cost versus benefit: The development and production costs of a standalone IS-F were weighed against the sales volume and future product plans, leading to prioritizing other performance variants within the IS range.
Ultimately, Lexus chose to evolve the IS lineup through F SPORT variants and newer technology rather than continuing a separate high-performance V8 model.
What followed in the IS lineup
Even after the IS-F ended, Lexus maintained a performance-oriented path for the IS family, culminating in new generations and a later, explicit V8 performance model.
- Continued F SPORT branding: The IS lineup retained performance-oriented variants under the F SPORT badge across generations, emphasizing handling and styling enhancements rather than a dedicated V8 powerplant.
- IS 500 F SPORT (the later V8 option): As part of the fifth-generation IS family, Lexus introduced the IS 500 F SPORT with a 5.0L V8, debuting for the 2022 model year (announced in 2021). This served as a modern interpretation of high-performance within the IS lineup, but it is not labeled as IS-F.
Thus, while the original IS-F ended in 2014, Lexus later offered a contemporary high-performance option in the form of the IS 500 F SPORT as part of the newer IS generation.
Summary
The Lexus IS-F ceased production after the 2014 model year, marking the end of its seven-year run. Lexus continued to pursue performance through the IS F SPORT variants and, later, introduced the IS 500 F SPORT (5.0L V8) with the fifth-generation IS for the 2022 model year, signaling a shift from a dedicated high-performance variant to a broader, evolving performance strategy within the IS lineup.
