Toyota Altezza

Lexus IS
Overview
Manufacturer	Lexus
Production	1998–present
Body and chassis
Class	Entry-level luxury car/ Compact executive car

First generation
1999–2003 Lexus IS 200 sedan (GXE10; Australia)
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
Lexus IS 250 (GSE20, US)
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
2014 Lexus IS 250 F-Sport (GSE30, US)
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 AS200 and AS300 Altezza sedans formed the basis for the Lexus IS 200 and IS 300 models sold in markets outside Japan, primarily North America, Australia and Europe. A hatchback-station wagon version was sold in Japan as the "Altezza Gita", and in the US and Europe as the Lexus IS SportCross.