THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT a rear-wheel drive sports sedan that still appeals to keen drivers. Lexus is hoping its new IS will have what it takes to steal buyers away from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
If past performance is any guide, they should be fairly confident.
The new Lexus IS sports sedan has made its global debut revealing a dramatic exterior design, high dynamic standards and state-of-the-art driving technology.
Arriving in Australia in late 2020, the new IS blends stunning style with focused rear-wheel-drive handling honed at the company’s new technical centre in Shimoyama, Japan – as well as Lexus-debut technology including more advanced Lane Tracing Assist, and new Driver Emergency Stop Assist and Emergency Steering Assist.
The sports sedan reimagined
The IS reimagines the sports sedan concept with a low and wide stance, the sleek proportions of a four-door coupe, slimmer headlights and a lower, sharper side character line that combine to express a centre of gravity closer to the ground.
Gently sloped rear-quarter pillars help form a sleek cabin silhouette that wraps around from the sides, contrasting with muscular rear guards and available 19-inch alloy wheels to create a fast and aggressive look.
This is further emphasised by single-blade rear combination lights sporting an “L” motif and a sharper overall contour created by the character line around the bootlid.
The elaborate and dimensional forms unique to Lexus are made possible by the use of drawing die construction, the latest in high-precision stamping technology that adds a mechanism that slides in tandem with the movement of the stamping press.
Body rigidity is enhanced in the new IS by reinforcing radiator side supports, increasing the number of front-side-member weld points and optimising structures from the rear-quarter pillars to the sides of the roof, among other areas.
The new IS debuts the “Lexus Driving Signature” that will become the development standard for all future Lexus models.
The “Lexus Driving Signature” is defined by linear vehicle operation faithful to a driver’s intentions, providing seamless transition from braking to steering and acceleration through a corner.
These Lexus dynamic values were achieved by utilising the country road test course at the company’s new technical centre in Shimoyama, Japan, which opened in 2019.
The country road test course is based on many years of Lexus experience of driving on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
It was designed to take advantage of the local topography, featuring approximately a 75-metre change in elevation, a wide range of curves and a variety of road surfaces.
By repeatedly subjecting both vehicle and engineers to daily tests in this severe driving environment, Lexus was able to devise a higher dimension of vehicle performance.
Thorough tuning was conducted for multiple road conditions and driving situations to improve elements such as responsiveness to driver input and the suppression of unnecessary movement in sprung mass.
New swing-valve shock absorbers have been employed and are equipped with ultra-low-velocity valves that respond to even minor road irregularities, generating the most appropriate damping force.
Even when the stroke speed of the shock absorbers is low, appropriate damping force will be exerted to provide excellent responsiveness on all surfaces and result in consistently even ride quality.
The availability of new-design 19-inch tyres improves cornering performance. Hub bolts are used to fasten the wheels, resulting in tight handling and braking due to increased fastening strength and reduced mass.
The enhanced body rigidity has further aided in the elimination of unwanted noise and vibration while improving ride comfort, as well as enhancing steering response.
Improvements have been made not only in the greater responsiveness of the steering but also the controllability and smoothness upon “returning to centre”.
With available 18-inch wheels (as on the previous IS F Sport) the latest Lexus sports sedan rides on a 45mm-wider front track and 50mm-wider rear track.
Outstanding chassis performance allows the acclaimed Lexus powertrains to reach new heights, which offer customers low emissions, energetic performance and immediate response.
Hybrid option
A focus on imaginative technology continues in the hybrid IS 300h with improved throttle response delivering more immediate acceleration from the 2.5-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder engine and electric motor pairing.
This advanced powertrain now combines greater driver engagement with incredibly low fuel consumption and emissions.
For customers seeking a fine balance of performance and efficiency, the advanced 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the IS 300 now features enhanced adaptive control for the eight-speed automatic transmission.
The transmission more actively selects the most-appropriate gear for each driving situation, providing increased response to drivers.
An eight-speed automatic transmission also continues to be available in the 3.5-litre normally aspirated V6-powered IS 350, which provides the superb power, immediate throttle response and emotive soundtrack for which the grade is renowned.
Multimedia technology, plus safety
The design, dynamic and performance qualities of the new IS are further supported by the application of state-of-the-art multimedia and safety technology.
Inside, the 10.3-inch display screen features newly forward-mounted positioning, touch-display functionality and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility for the first time compared with the outgoing IS.
The high-resolution display complements the renewed ambience of the IS cabin, which features key firsts.
This includes a new form of Lexus decorative expression for part of the door trim, which features a graphic pattern of embossed intersecting lines, new accents in surface treatments and decorative ornamentation finished for the first time in Ash – open-pore black, Black Geometric Film, or F Sport-exclusive Satin Chrome.
Available chromatic colours are used on the upper instrument panel and new two-tone colour schemes – Ochre and F Sport-exclusive Flare Red – are available.
Lexus Safety System+ has also been upgraded with newly added functions to create a safer on-road experience, including the addition or enhancement of:
- Lane Trace Assist. This system now features improved lane recognition performance that aids stability and comfort by automatically reducing vehicle speed to ensure constant g-forces while driving through curves.
- Driver Emergency Stop Assist. If a driver does not respond to lane-departure warnings, Driver Emergency Stop Assist can gently reduce speed – and even stop the car in its lane – while activating hazard lights and the horn. It can then unlock the doors and activate an emergency rescue request.
- Emergency Steering Assist. This system can actively assist steering within the vehicle’s lane as cued by the driver.
- Pre-Collision Safety System. This system has been expanded to include intersection detection, where during right turns the system responds to vehicles and to pedestrians crossing the street ahead of the vehicle before it started to turn.
- Low Speed Acceleration Control. This system supports the prevention of collisions caused by pedal misapplication at low speed.
Lexus International chief designer Kenichi Hirai said, “To achieve a high degree of design, Lexus members in product planning, production technology, engineering, and styling combined their various insights and united behind development from an early stage.”
“This enabled us to achieve the proportions of a four-door coupe that has a low centre of gravity, an explicit form, and other elements that express the worldview of the new IS. We also pursued a deep and rich interior by paying close attention to detail, such as in the use of colour in design and as in ornamentation. I think the styling makes it possible to feel the maturation of the fun of driving.”
Lexus Australia Chief Executive Scott Thompson said the new IS represents a key opportunity in the Australian market as a rear-wheel-drive mid-sized sports sedan taken to new heights.
“Australian customer preferences align perfectly with the focus on sharp design, dynamic performance and cutting-edge technology with the stunning new IS, making it an important addition to Lexus dealerships later this year,” Mr Thompson said.
“Combined with Lexus values of customer care and the experiences delivered by the renowned Encore program, loyal and new luxury customers will be delighted by both the new IS and the Lexus luxury lifestyle,” he said.
“The IS also joins the successful ES to reinforce the Lexus commitment to the passenger vehicle segment, providing customers the luxury of choice with sedans that deliver diverse appeal.”
The IS remained the top-selling Lexus passenger car in 2019 with 818 sales, complemented by a 183.3 percent year-on-year increase in ES sales to 561. Last year the IS and ES also increased the Lexus share within their segment.
The IS remains the brand’s highest-selling nameplate in Australia, with a cumulative 46,187 sales (to May 2020) since the nameplate’s launch in 1999. Globally, the IS sales tally stands at 1.09 million.
Once we have tested and assessed the new Lexus IS, seniordriveraus will bring you a comprehensive review, including everything the over-50 driver needs to know.