Lexus IS | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Lexus |
Production | 1998–present |
Body and chassis | |
Class |
Entry-level luxury car/ Compact executive car |
First generation | |
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1999–2003 Lexus IS 200 sedan (GXE10; Australia)
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Kanto Auto Works |
Also called | Toyota Altezza (Japan) |
Production | October 1998 – August 2005 (Toyota Altezza) January 1999 – August 2005 (Lexus IS) |
Assembly | Japan: Kanegasaki, Iwate (KAW) |
Designer | Tomoyasu Nishi (exterior: 1995) 2003 refresh: Hiroyuki Tada (2002) |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 4-door sedan 5-door hatchback/station wagon |
Layout |
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Front-engine, four-wheel-drive (Japan, Altezza Gita) |
Platform | Toyota N platform |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 2.0 L 1G-FE I6 (AS200/IS 200) 2.0 L 3S-GE I4 (RS200) 3.0 L 2JZ-GE I6 (AS300/IS 300) |
Transmission | 4-speed A47DE/A340H automatic 5-speed W55 manual 5-speed A650E automatic 6-speed J160 manual |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,670 mm (105.1 in) |
Length | Sedan: 4,400 mm (173.2 in) SportCross: 4,415 mm (173.8 in) |
Width | Sedan: 1,720 mm (67.7 in) SportCross: 1,725 mm (67.9 in) |
Height | 1,410 mm (55.5 in) 1,440 mm (56.7 in) |
Curb weight | IS 200: 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) IS 200 SportCross: 1,430 kg (3,150 lb) IS 300 5-Speed: 1,476 kg (3,255 lb) IS 300 E-Shift: 1,490 kg (3,285 lb) IS 300 SportCross: 1,550 kg (3,410 lb) |
Second generation | |
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Lexus IS 250 (GSE20, US)
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Overview | |
Production | September 2005 – April 2013 (sedan) December 2007 – present (IS F) April 2009 – present (IS C) |
Model years | 2006–2013 |
Assembly | Japan: Tahara, Aichi (Tahara plant);Miyawaka, Fukuoka (Miyata plant) |
Designer | Kengo Matsumoto (2003) |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 2-door convertible 4-door sedan |
Layout |
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Front-engine, four-wheel-drive |
Platform | Toyota N platform |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 2.2 L 2AD-FHV I4 2.5 L 4GR-FSE V6 3.0 L 3GR-FE V6 3.5 L 2GR-FSE V6 5.0 L 2UR-GSE V8 |
Transmission | 6-speed manual 6-speed automatic 8-speed AA80E automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2730 mm (107.50 in) |
Length | 4,575–4,590 mm (180.1–180.7 in) |
Width | 1,800–1,816 mm (70.9–71.5 in) |
Height | 1,410–1,425 mm (55.5–56.1 in) |
Curb weight | 1,558–1,600 kg (3,435–3,527 lb) |
Third generation | |
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2014 Lexus IS 250 F-Sport (GSE30, US)
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Overview | |
Production | 25 April 2013–present |
Model years | 2014–present |
Assembly | Japan: Tahara, Aichi (Tahara plant); Miyawaka, Fukuoka (Miyata plant) |
Designer | Masanari Sakae (2010) Yuki Isogai (2011) |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 4-door sedan |
Layout |
Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Front-engine, four-wheel-drive |
Platform | Toyota New N platform |
Related | Lexus RC |
Powertrain | |
Transmission | 6-speed automatic 8-speed AA81E automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,800 mm (110.2 in) |
Length | 4,665 mm (183.7 in) |
Width | 1,810 mm (71.3 in) |
Height | 1,430 mm (56.3 in) |
The Lexus IS (Japanese: レクサス・IS, Rekusasu IS) is a series of Entry-level luxury cars sold by Lexus since 1999. The IS was originally sold under the Toyota Altezza nameplate in Japan from 1998 (the word is Italian for "highness") until the introduction of the Lexus brand and the second-generation Lexus IS design in 2006. The IS was introduced as an entry-level sport model slotted below the ES in the Lexus lineup. The Altezza name is still used at times to refer to chromed car taillights like those fitted to the first-generation model, known as "Altezza lights".
The first-generation Altezza (codename XE10) was launched in Japan in October 1998, while the Lexus IS 200 (GXE10) made its debut in Europe in 1999 and in North America as the IS 300 (JCE10) in 2000. The first-generation, inline-6-powered IS featured sedan and wagon variants. The second-generation IS (codename XE20) was launched globally in 2005 with V6-powered IS 250 (GSE20) and IS 350 (GSE21) sedan models, followed by a high-performance V8 sedan version, the IS F, in 2007, and hardtop convertible versions, the IS 250 C and IS 350 C, in 2008. The third-generation Lexus IS premiered in January 2013 and includes the V6-powered IS 350 and IS 250, hybrid IS 300h, and performance-tuned F Sport variants. The IS designation stands for Intelligent Sport.
Produced as a direct competitor to the luxury sport sedans of the leading European luxury marques, the XE10 series Toyota Altezza and Lexus IS was designed with a greater performance emphasis than typically seen on prior Japanese luxury vehicles. The engineering work was led by Nobuaki Katayama from 1994 to 1998 under the 038T program code, who was responsible for the AE86 project. Design work by Tomoyasu Nishi was frozen in 1996 and filed under patent number 1030135 on December 5, 1996 at the Japan Patent Office. At its introduction to Japan, it was exclusive to Japanese dealerships called Toyota Netz Store, until Lexus was introduced to Japan in 2006. The japan-sold AS200 Altezza sedan and AS300 Altezza Gita formed the basis for the Lexus IS 200 and IS 300 models respectively, sold in markets outside Japan, primarily North America, Australia and Europe. The Altezza Gita was a hatchback-station wagon version sold in Japan and was known in the US and Europe as the Lexus IS SportCross. The AS300 Altezza Gita was the only Altezza with the 2JZ-GE engine, while in export markets, this engine was available in the sedan models as well, as the Lexus IS300 Sedan.