Lexus IS pre-prod drive
Credible 3 Series rival at last? PH sneaks a teaser drive in the forthcoming Lexus IS to find out
What have they been taking at Lexus recently? As if the LFA supercar wasn't enough, the brand best known for its hybrid tree-hugging, conservative nature and immaculate build quality unveiled a bonkers 650hp twin-turbo V8 version of its sedate LS saloon at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week.
Lexus will be hoping some of that feelgood factor rubs off on the new IS saloon, which will be officially unveiled at Detroit in January. We managed to sneak a drive of a disguised IS to get an early feel for the car and see if it's finally got what it takes to take on the BMW 3 Series.
Handling is tidy but BMW can sleep tight
The baby Lexus range is likely to need that kind of fillip too if it's to prise reps out of their A4s, 3 Series and C-Classes. Lexus sold about 2,000 IS models in 2011, but will be hoping for closer to 4,500-5,000 sales per year when it's up and running. To put that into perspective those are the kind of sales the 3 Series can push out of UK showrooms every six weeks, wider range or no.
And for all the glamour of the IS F and M3 models the reality is diesels are the bread and butter, accounting for four in five sales in the class and symbolised by the all-conquering BMW 320d. Which makes Lexus's decision to drop its previous IS Diesel and put all its weight behind a hybrid all the more peculiar - until that is, you look at the figures. The new IS300h will boast a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine allied to an electric motor and a CVT automatic, with an estimated 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds and 130mph top speed.
Lexus is staking its wedge on hybrids
So much for number crunching, how does it drive? Back to back with the existing IS, there's no question the new one boasts a sharper turn-in than before and the Lexus engineers' claims that they wanted more driver focus aren't without merit. It's reasonably easy to adjust your line mid-corner via the throttle and feels exactly how a rear-wheel drive car should.
Confident brakes and immediate reaction from the steering wheel paddles suggest plenty of promise for when the IS F eventually arrives, but for the moment the IS isn't quite the match for a 3 Series, even if it's probably a more rewarding and involving car than an A4 or C-Class.
Swiitchable dash inspired by LFA
Similarly gimmicky and bound to split opinion is the F Meter which, as on the LFA, allows you to switch the appearance of the rev counter, speedometer and trip computer by physically moving the dial sideways in the binnacle. It's initially quite fun to play with and isn't entirely dissimilar to the chronometer-style dials in the 1999 original.
We need to reserve our final judgement of the new IS until after we've driven the production version, but certainly our first impressions are positive. It might not be able to match the 3 Series for driver enjoyment and handling, but as an alternative to the big German three, it seems a credible choice. Now we just have to wait for the IS F...
Mercedes put fake tail pipes on their c63 amg black series/sls.
All these gimmicks are unnecessary.
A mini LFA.
A V10 soundtrack in an IS just isn't going to happen - well, short of synthesising it and piping that through the speaker!
It's a tough market to play in - let's just hope the final European tuned models hit the right spot.
Our IS 250 was a dog, so was the service, so it's been replaced by a Mercedes. When did anyone last see an ISF let alone care about it?
Lexus have a nigh on impossible job in this country - with domination by the German manufacturers that can easily cater for say three generations of motoring requirements in one family with all the niches covered.
Our IS 250 was a dog, so was the service, so it's been replaced by a Mercedes. When did anyone last see an ISF let alone care about it?
Lexus have a nigh on impossible job in this country - with domination by the German manufacturers that can easily cater for say three generations of motoring requirements in one family with all the niches covered.
Our IS 250 was a dog, so was the service, so it's been replaced by a Mercedes. When did anyone last see an ISF let alone care about it?
Lexus have a nigh on impossible job in this country - with domination by the German manufacturers that can easily cater for say three generations of motoring requirements in one family with all the niches covered.
Our IS 250 was a dog, so was the service, so it's been replaced by a Mercedes. When did anyone last see an ISF let alone care about it?
Lexus have a nigh on impossible job in this country - with domination by the German manufacturers that can easily cater for say three generations of motoring requirements in one family with all the niches covered.
However what they have to do is improve the range of engines they offer, especially if they are gunning for 3 series sales. BMW have an engine to suit every taste, from a small frugal diesel, through some very tasty NA straight sixes to some brilliant 3 litre turbo engines, culminating in the storming V8 in the M3. Lexus only had 3, an under-par diesel, a woeful underpowered yet thirsty 3 litre petrol and the pretty decent but very thirsty V8 in the IS F.
A hybrid may win over some company car sales if it's any good but I still think they need to bring in a decent diesel and a decent mid-range petrol engine to compete with the likes of the 335i. The new V8 also needs to be a lot more frugal if they hope to make an impact in the UK market.
However what they have to do is improve the range of engines they offer, especially if they are gunning for 3 series sales. BMW have an engine to suit every taste, from a small frugal diesel, through some very tasty NA straight sixes to some brilliant 3 litre turbo engines, culminating in the storming V8 in the M3. Lexus only had 3, an under-par diesel, a woeful underpowered yet thirsty 3 litre petrol and the pretty decent but very thirsty V8 in the IS F.
A hybrid may win over some company car sales if it's any good but I still think they need to bring in a decent diesel and a decent mid-range petrol engine to compete with the likes of the 335i. The new V8 also needs to be a lot more frugal if they hope to make an impact in the UK market.
The derv option was a 2.2 180ish bhp toyota job that makes about 300lb/ft of torque and is a great motorway cruiser.....
The is250 is a 2.5v6.....
The ISF is known for being frankly amazing on fuel for its size and application, a 5.0 v8 that does over 30mpg on the motor way and will do a genuine 180+mph. What other engine compares?
The derv option was a 2.2 180ish bhp toyota job that makes about 300lb/ft of torque and is a great motorway cruiser.....
The is250 is a 2.5v6.....
The ISF is known for being frankly amazing on fuel for its size and application, a 5.0 v8 that does over 30mpg on the motor way and will do a genuine 180+mph. What other engine compares?
For instance I wanted an engine with a good balance of performance vs running costs. The V8 was too much for a daily runner but the next engine down, the IS250 was just too slow. At the very least they need to improve the mid range choice or slot in another engine between it and the full fat V8 to compete with the likes of the excellent 3 litre twin turbo engines on the BMW's for instance. I also think they need to offer a bigger\performance diesel as some people want the frugality of a diesel but with more poke.
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