Wednesday 16th January 2013

New Lexus IS unveiled

F-Sport models to offer tuned steering & handling; no word on an IS-F yet, though

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Hot on the heels of the Infiniti Q50, another Japanese 3-Series rival has been revealed at Detroit: the new Lexus IS.

New IS styling is an evolution of the old

And it's rather a handsome thing, in that quirky, swooshy way we've come to expect from Lexus (and yes, that is a technical term). The new model shares much of its DNA with the previous generation; it’s styling is more an accentuated version of the old model’s than a whole new look, but it’s still distinctive, with plenty of interesting angles and pointy bits (also a technical term). In Lexus speak, the new IS ‘shows the mass of the cabin concentrated towards the rear, with a rising line flowing from the lower body into the rear lamp clusters, adding further elegance and dynamism’. Which is nice.

Turning to matters of substance rather than style, the 2.5-litre 204hp V6 petrol in the IS250 has been carried over from the previous model, but Lexus’s big news is the new IS300h, which it claims will be able to deliver 220hp while offering under 100g/km CO2 emissions and average fuel consumption of over 65mpg. Even if you’re not the world’s greatest hybrid fan, that’s a pretty impressive set of figures. Whether the IS300h will prove good enough to remove people from their diesels is another matter, however. Either way, both powertrains will be available in F Sport trim, which Lexus says will offer both suspension and power steering that have been tuned for a sportier driving experience, as well as a more aggressive front end and unique sports seats. And no matter which trim level you choose, it seems you also get the largest steering-wheel badge in the world, ever.

Old IS-F still makes a good case for itself

All par for the course, then, but what we’re really waiting for is confirmation that there’ll be another IS-F, a matter on which Lexus has been noticeably silent until now. Which doesn’t bode too well. Still, if you’re hankering after some rear-drive Japanese V8 daftness, you can now get hold of the old IS-F for just over £20,000, which doesn’t seem too bad for a distinctive M3 rival with a fantastic exhaust note. We certainly wouldn’t say no if one turned up on our driveway.

 

[Dazed & Confused]

From this angle it looks like it's got Bell's Palsey:

Edited by Dazed & Confused on Thursday 17th January 19:29

[jason61c]

Looks great compared to the its European rivals. I'd be interested to see how the is300H is on a motorway commute.

[Ferosferio]

[quote=Dazed & Confused]From this angle it looks like it's got Bell's Palsey:


[/quote]

It does appear to be sagging in some areas :-/

[jjr1]

I sold my ISF 2009 for 17k privately so you can definitely get them for less than 20k

[kambites]

So how come Lexus can keep their bonnet lines low like that when BMW and Mercedes seem to be forced into huge bulbous noses to meet pedestrian safety legislation?

[B10]

The styling, like the Infiniti, is trying to hard. Fussy over detailing. Shame; sure its a good car.

[Frimley111R]

Jeez, get a proper designer in guys! It looks like an 'extreme facelift' of the old one. In some pics, without the front number plate, I looks hideous. On a positive note the interior looks superb, right up there with the competition.

Still prefer the Mk1 IS200 I had all those years ago though.

And it absolutely needs to do 65mpg+ otherwise it'll be nowhere.

[matpilch]

have the taillights melted or was this sort of styling intended?

this is overdone

[mackie1]

Now that really does look like it's melted.

[Bear Phils]

It looks like it's had an impact on both sides at the front and there's something weird about the rear from the side view

[uremaw]

[dibblecorse]

And does the market really care about an IS-F being in the pipe ? no one bought the last one !!!!

[TaylotS2K]

Looks like Predator from the front with his mouth open.

[Oddball RS]

Dash role looks like its out of an old Freelander.

[garypotter]

Love the look of this Lexus, I was looking at the IS-F recently as family growing but any probs with rear leg room??

[hornetrider]

TaylotS2K said:

Looks like Predator from the front with his mouth open.

Beat me to it.

[E38Ross]

That front end is hideous!

[Beefmeister]

Truly awful looking front end IMO. Far too much going on - vents, intakes, silly little DRL 'arrows', wierdly shaped headlights, and that's all before we get to that grille.

Awful.

[Streps]

Prefer the old one.
New one has a fugly face.

[andrewparker]

The front is really quite odd, but I like everything else, particularly the interior. It's quite a masculine cabin.

EDIT: The front actually looks OK head-on, it's the front 3/4 shot that makes it look odd IMO.