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The Lexus IS is a series of entry-level luxury cars/compact executive cars produced by the Lexus marque of Toyota Motor Corporation. The IS was introduced as an entry-level model slotted below the ES in the Lexus lineup and competing against the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G35 sports sedans. The IS was originally sold as the Toyota Altezza in Japan until the introduction of the second generation Lexus IS design. The Altezza name is still used at times to depict chromed car taillights like those known on the first generation model.
The first generation Altezza (codename XE10) was launched in Japan in October 1998, while the Lexus IS 200 (JCE10) made its debut in Europe in 1999 and in North America as the IS 300 in 2000. The first generation, I6-powered IS featured sedan and wagon variants. The second generation IS (GSE20) was launched globally in 2006 with V6-powered sedan models. A high-performance V8 version premiered in 2007. According to Lexus, the IS designation stands for Intelligent Sport.
The IS was completely redesigned for the 2006 model year and was introduced in the fall of 2005. The Toyota Altezza name ceased to be used with the introduction of the Lexus name in Japan. A pre-production car of the second generation IS model was shown in the 2005 Geneva Auto Show. The slow-selling SportCross station wagon version was dropped from the lineup worldwide.
The new IS was the second debut of Lexus' new L-finesse design philosophy on a production vehicle, following the premiere of the 2006 Lexus GS performance sedan. The new IS design featured sleeker, coupe-like contours, a fastback profile, and a repeated arrowhead motif in the front fascia and side windows. The forward design was reminiscent of the earlier Lexus LF-C coupe concept. The second generation IS made its North American debut at the 2005 New York International Auto Show.
The IS 350's performance was praised in a 2007 Road & Track Japanese luxury sports sedan comparison, in which the IS took first place and clocked a 0-100 km/h (0-62.5 mph) time of 4.9 seconds. Citing independent testing by auto research firm AMCI, Lexus highlighted the IS' acceleration as the "fastest in its class." Some say this marks Lexus' first foray into the sport compact market that compares fairly well with its German competitors. However, prevailing criticisms are that its steering is not as communicative as that of the BMW 3 Series, the rear seat legroom (while improved over the first generation) is still tight, and that the higher-performance IS 350 is only offered with an automatic transmission. In response to criticism regarding the lack of a stability/traction control disable switch on 2006 IS models, Lexus added a VDIM off switch for the 2007 model year. Wikipedia |
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