Lexus showed its new IS 250 sport sedan and not unexpectedly, it follows the new swoopy design cues of the recently revised GS. Now 86-millimetres longer and 76-mm wider, the IS 250 will feature a high-revving 2.5-litre direct injection V6 engine making 201-horsepower. A 300-hp version will be introduced later this year, giving Lexus two IS models set to compete with BMW's new 328i and 330i.

If Lexus gave out awards to its own cars, the second-generation IS unveiled at Geneva would certainly garner the company’s Most Significant trophy, just as it scored the coveted AutoWeek hardware (AW, March 14) of the same name. Forget about a Formula One-inspired, six-figure supercar in the vein of the LF-A concept shown at Detroit (AW, Jan. 17). Build such a bank breaker and the Jay Lenos of the world will undoubtedly come, but the IS will serve as Lexus’ Sherpa. It needs to carry the company’s new look, new mechanicals and hoped-for buffed image up the mountain that forms the ultra-competitive entry-level luxury sport sedan segment.

BMW’s all-conquering 3 Series, itself reborn for a fourth time and about to hit the U.S. market, waits for the IS at the summit, as do others. While proclaiming your compact sport sedan as a BMW rival has more often proven hollow, relatively new players like Infiniti’s G35 show it can be done, and done well.


With the new IS, Lexus appears ready to fight the top contenders. Start with the exterior: Designed in southern France at Toyota Europe Design Development, the IS represents the continuation of the L-Finesse design philosophy and is the second production car after the GS to receive this treatment. Lexus says L-Finesse is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, with three fundamental elements including “incisive simplicity,” “intriguing elegance” and “seamless anticipation.” Er, whatever. Basically, the IS just looks cool. The car’s lines combine the best of the LF-C concept shown at the 2004 New York show (AW, April 19, 2004) with a touch of sinister avant-garde that likely has the SEMA set already whittling away at body kits.

Not that the IS needs much nipping or tucking. Viewed from the front, the car’s convex and concave surfaces recall BMW’s “flame surfacing” style, but Lexus has pulled it off so that the entire execution appears tighter and more purposeful than any modern BMW. Quibble over details if you must, but park the IS and the forthcoming 3 Series side by side, and reputation notwithstanding, the more visually dynamic Lexus pops as the BMW pings. The stance is wide and low, the beltline is high and sharp, and the rear end—with dual exhaust and a chunky bumper—looks good. The same goes for the “arrowhead” C-pillar configuration; it is intended to represent “Kirikaeshi,” a rapid yet fluid change of direction seen throughout the car’s design.


Expect the rear-drive IS to change direction on the road just as smoothly. Built from a new platform that Lexus says shares no parts with any of the company’s other offerings, the car is substantially larger than the one it replaces: 3.5 inches longer and 3.0 inches wider, with a 2.38-inch- longer wheelbase. The hood is aluminum, as is the new suspension: double wishbones up front and a multilink setup with toe control arms at the back. The electronically assisted steering system is new, as are the brakes, now activated via a variable-ratio pedal designed to offer a more progressive feel. As with the current IS 300, 17-inch wheels likely will be standard, with 18-inchers available.

Though Europeans may order the IS with a 2.2-liter diesel four-cylinder, a Lexus first, U.S.-spec cars will feature a 2.5- or 3.5-liter V6—the V-configuration replacing the IS 300’s inline layout—when they go on sale in the fall. The official U.S. debut will take place at this month’s New York auto show. The base IS 250’s 2.5-liter direct-injection V6 with VVT-i variable valve timing produces 201 hp at 6400 rpm and 184 lb-ft at 3800 rpm. This smaller engine making less power than the outgoing car’s 3.0-liter is a concession to the European market and its displacement taxation.


Good news for U.S. customers is the 3.5-liter V6 will produce upward of 300 hp and should easily propel the IS 350 from 0 to 60 mph in the low-five-second range, quicker than BMW’s new 330i by nearly a second and substantially faster than the IS 300’s 6.8-second time. The engines mate to six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the automatic featuring steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. The IS 350 also gets a more performance-oriented version of VDIM, the integrated system that controls traction, stability, brakes and steering.

Inside, Lexus has thankfully resisted the temptation to concoct some sort of pseudo-iDrive control center. There is a navigation system that Lexus claims is the world’s most advanced, with the fastest route-calculation capability available. The system incorporates Bluetooth technology, while the standard stereo features a six-disc changer and will play MP3 and WMA files. The overall interior layout is clean and modern, with nary an outlandish designer’s indulgence; that’s good news for serious drivers.



The best news, however, is that with the launch of the new IS, the iconic sport sedan sector gets even stronger. Lexus has not announced prices, but look for the IS 250 to come in somewhere below the IS 300’s $29,980 sticker, with the IS 350 commanding a moderate increase. A pricier, convertible model is also rumored to be in the cards, and whispers suggest a V8-powered IS 430 may be, too. Whether or not either sees the light of day, the view from the mountaintop never looked so good.