10 February 2011
New Car report; More oomph for IS
As good as the Lexus IS250 may be, those who appreciate some get up and go in their luxury car couldn’t help but feel a little let down by the lack of pace. And those wanting something with a bit more of a modern, youthful appeal might have felt the IS range was just a little too conservative.
So the people at Lexus have taken note and addressed both issues with the introduction of two new IS models with an extra thousand cubes (centimetres, that is – not inches!). For 2011, there’s an IS350 Limited and for the first time in the Lexus line-up, a more aggressively styled F Sport model.
The IS350 Limited continues the Lexus tradition of quality, refinement, high build quality and superior fit and finish, while the IS350 F Sport is Lexus’s assault on the BMW Motorsport and Audi S Line derivatives, offering sporty trimmings and finishes, while retaining all the traditional luxury car qualities.
Not just quick, but it rides well too
As a newcomer to the sporty segment (with the exception of the fire-breathing LFA and ISF) Lexus has learned a thing or two from their rivals’ mistakes. Unlike BMW’s bone shaking Motorsport suspension set-up and upsized wheels with mini-profile rubber, Lexus has firmed up the soft riding Limited’s suspension a tad, but it isn’t overdone and the Lexus retains its comfortable ride, so no hard jarring on bumpy Kiwi roads.
Technically, both IS350 models are virtually the same, delivering a very respectable 0 – 100km/h time of 5.6 seconds from the 233kW/378Nm 3.5 litre V6, which is mounted longitudinally, driving the rear wheels through a six speed auto with paddle shifters.
Both offer fuel consumption of 9.4L/100km, which by today’s standards, might not be the most frugal around, but given the performance on tap, it’s probably something a Lexus owner could live with.
Separating the F Sport from the Limited are sport seats in place of the Limited’s luxury chairs, an Ash Blue Metallic centre console finish instead of Birds Eye Maple, a sport style steering wheel and gear lever, F Sport door sill trims, body kit, sports pedals, rear spoiler and alloy wheels, 18 inch in diameter, the same size as the Limited but of a more sporty style.
Well equipped with all the creature comforts expected of a luxury car, the IS350 range comes with a Mark Levison premium audio system compatible with all the modern devices, including Bluetooth and voice recognition. A seven inch EVM (Electronic Multi-Vision) display with touch screen, Satellite Navigation and a high quality reversing camera is standard fare.
LED daytime running lamps, HID headlamps, headlight washers and front fog lights are standard, and the F Sport has heated front seats, while the Limited adds seat cooling as well.
Both models are priced in six figure territory, with the IS350 Limited retailing at $101,900 and the sporty IS350 F Sport at $103,300. Those wishing to tow a trailer will need to shop elsewhere as there is no towing kit available for the IS range.
More F Sport models coming
There are plans in the pipeline for Lexus to roll out further F Sport models in the future, which Lexus says offers their customers a full range of performance and visual enhancements over their other models.
The 2.5 litre IS continues too, with an IS250 F Sport version added to the previous model line-up of a standard IS250 and an IS250 Limited, along with a couple of open top models, the IS250C and IS250C Limited. IS250 models start at $69,990, with the top of the line IS250 convertible breaking the $100k barrier, at $103,700.
It’s still a conservative proposition, but the added cubic capacity and power output has made a huge improvement to the luxury IS range, and with the modern day sporty touches to the IS350 F Sport, Lexus showrooms may start to attract a new kind of buyer.