IS500 has been pre-sold in North America and is very popular, and many consumers in Japan want to buy it. Basically, the chassis of IS350 has been strengthened and a 5.0-liter V8 engine (2UR-GSE) has been installed. The maximum output power at 7 100 rpm is 48 1 horsepower, and the maximum torque at 4800 rpm is 535 nm. 48 1 horsepower is not a big number for this level, but interestingly, it is produced by a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated engine with large displacement.
That is to say, this engine adopts D4-S, an efficient engine intake system, which adopts in-cylinder direct injection and port injection according to the speed. D4-S was first mounted on IS350 V6 engine, and now it is also mounted on GR86 horizontally opposed engine of Toyota, which has a good reputation. Its biggest feature is that the torque in the low-speed range is obtained by direct injection in the cylinder, while the power in the high-speed range comes from port injection. In this way, the high output of 48 1 horsepower and 535 nm can be achieved without turbocharging.
If V8 engine needs turbocharging, it needs double turbocharging. Adding extra intercooler and auxiliary equipment will increase the weight and reduce the space efficiency. It can be said that the use of naturally aspirated engine makes it possible to install a large 5.0-liter V8 engine in the engine compartment under the condition of relatively compact IS. In addition, by using the vertical position of the engine, the cannon supporting the suspension shock absorber unit occupies the space on the left and right sides of the engine room.
The suspension system is a front double wishbone, and by vertically placing the engine, long vertical suspension arm arrangement is also allowed. The wide fender allows a larger cab and front wheels to turn at a large angle, thus reducing the minimum turning radius to 5.2 meters.
For example, when turning in the opposite direction during drift, this large steering angle will produce a larger drift angle. The upper and lower suspension arms are made of aluminum. By reducing the spring load, the rigidity and good shock absorption are improved, which is helpful to improve the riding comfort and steering stability.
The rear axle is equipped with Torsen LSD and supported by multi-link rear suspension. The front tire is 235/40R 19 and the rear tire is 265/35R 19. The front and rear dimensions are different to improve the balance between handling performance and power. Recently, however, the Honda Civic Type R has a FF 2 liter of 300 HP, but considering that the front and rear tires are equipped with No.265 tires, if it is a high-powered car like the IS500, it can be equipped with wider tires.
The first edition is equipped with specially designed BBS wheels, painted in matte black. Inside the hub, you can see the 356mm large-diameter cast iron disc brake at the front of the car and the special brake caliper painted in black with the words Lexus printed on it.
The rear brake is a cantilever sliding disc, but it can't be ignored that the diameter of the disc is large, which is 323 mm Because the test drive is carried out on ordinary roads, it is impossible to test it in the limit range such as drift driving, but I think you can get a glimpse of this performance.
Entering the room, you are greeted by the center console with the first edition of decorative patches. Despite the familiar dashboard design, suede and sewn seams create a special atmosphere.
The instrument is an 8-inch LCD, and its equipment is similar to that used in LFA. The display mode is switched by selecting the driving mode. You can also switch the display items in the instrument by operating the switch on the right side of the steering wheel.
When the engine starts, the starting display is first displayed in the instrument in the form of animation, and the V8 engine starts after a short interval. The engine sound itself is not flashy, but it is not as light as the V6 engine.
If you step on the accelerator, it will react as quickly as a naturally aspirated engine, but surprisingly, it won't make a sound that makes you feel motivated. There are three driving modes, Eco, Sports and Sports+. Switching between them when stopping will not change the engine sound.
When I started the test drive, I felt a little uncomfortable sitting up. Pedals, footrests, brakes and organ accelerator pedals all adopt aluminum covers, which are solid in workmanship. In addition, the seat itself adopts suede's sports appearance treatment, which has excellent body support. Steering can be electrically adjusted for expansion and tilt, and has enough functions to find the ideal driving position. But the slightly uncomfortable position is because the whole pedal is slightly biased to the right.
When I realized the center of rotation, I found it was a little to the right. This is because the seat is installed near the center of the vehicle.
In terms of maneuverability, theoretically, the rotation torque around the Z axis can be reduced by moving the occupant closer to the center of the vehicle. The impression may vary from person to person, but from my point of view, it feels a little too close to the center. The shift lever is located on the center console near the driver. It is an ordinary AT gear lever, which can move the gear lever back and forth. The transmission is an 8-speed SPDS hydraulic torque converter AT, but it meets the design requirements of extraordinary motion, and all gears have clutch locking function.
When you step on the accelerator and start driving, you can start driving on the ordinary paved road like an ordinary bus without feeling any discomfort or difficulty in handling. This is a common problem in all driving modes, and the driving performance in the low-speed range will not make you feel any problems on ordinary roads. When the expressway flows in, try to accelerate at full speed.
When shifting gears manually, 1 gear will reach 65 km/h if the engine speed is as high as 7000 rpm, and 100 km/h manually before 7000 rpm if shifting to second gear. This is a gear setting. When driving on general roads, only 2 gears are needed at most, but you can see that in some cases, 8 gears are completely shifted to improve cruise fuel efficiency.
The gear can be displayed on the instrument, and even in the D gear, the driver can know which gear is running. In addition, in manual mode, you can use 8 gears to drive efficiently.
When you run on the winding road, you will see that the suspension is well adjusted. Both front and rear are equipped with performance shock absorbers that Toyota is proud of. Combined with the adjustment of the shock absorber, the suspension is extremely flexible and the stroke is full. In addition, even if Sport or Sport+ is selected, the damping force of AVS shock absorber will increase slightly, but the foot feel is not hard enough, giving people the feeling of hard suspension. This area is softer and more comfortable than the cars of competitors such as Mercedes-Benz AMC C 63, BMW M3 and M5.
Good adjustment is even reflected in corners, and EPS (Electric Power Steering System) is particularly exquisite. Its setting allows drivers to easily feel the road conditions, steering angle and tire grip level. It can be said that the sense of light and heavy steering shows the good of this car.
It is said that the adjustment and adjustment of the chassis, suspension and steering system have been improved in Toyota's new "downhill test site" in Aichi Prefecture. Up to now, Toyota has always regarded the new Borgling as a holy place for car refining, but in recent years, it has shown the characteristics of the "F SPORT" model for training in the downhill test site.
I have never been to the downhill examination room myself, but I heard that a facility has been built near the company's factory, so I can take the driving test equivalent to going to New Boglin without going to New Boglin. In fact, the test in newberg Forest needs a lot of preparation work, including the transportation of test vehicles, materials and personnel, and the improvement work on site.
Therefore, the development department sets up development test courses near the factory, which is very efficient. When you get the IS500, you can feel the fruits of these efforts.
Compared with the car developed by newberg Forest, the suspension has good sportiness, comfort and balance.
The question now is, where does the performance of these high-performance cars come from? This time, it is impossible to test the limit range of vehicle maneuverability, maximum speed, maximum acceleration and braking force in drift driving. The only test method is to test on a special high-speed track like Fuji.
With the dynamic performance of IS500, even on a high-speed track like Fuji, it is necessary to remove the speed limiter. I don't know if it has an application that can do this, but without it, even on the track, you will feel stressed while driving.
In all parts of Japan, it is important to maintain courses that can release the performance of IS500, and hold schools and driving activities. For Toyota GR/ Lexus brands with high-performance sports cars such as GR86, GR Supra and GR Yaris, it will be a challenge to further strengthen such efforts in the future.
Those lucky enough to draw 500 limited tickets will set foot in The Way, which leads to the national track, release the full potential of the IS500, improve their driving skills, become a model of road driving, and be admired by everyone around them. I hope you can become the owner of a performance car
This article comes from the second half of the Ninth Automobile Bureau, and is the author of Easy Car Number. The copyright belongs to the author. Please contact the author for any form of reprint. The content only represents the author's point of view and has nothing to do with the car reform.