LEXUS launches new “IS”: Lexus has made a minor change to the compact FR sports sedan “IS” and set a special specification car “F SPORT Mode Black”, which was released on November 5th through Lexus stores nationwide.
Since the birth of the first model in 1999, Lexus IS has pursued “the fun of operating a car” as a compact FR sports sedan. IS has continued to evolve to become the cornerstone of Lexus’s ride quality, gaining popularity for its high athletic performance and sporty design that makes us feel it, and has sold a total of about 1.1 million units globally for over 20 years. I did. The new IS announced this time has been running around the world, including the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama, to improve its driving performance.
By pursuing a linear response that is faithful to the driver’s intentions, such as the comfort of seamlessly connecting deceleration, steering, and acceleration, you can feel comfortable driving even in everyday driving scenes. In the design, in addition to sticking to wide and low proportions, we realized sharp modeling with high-precision pressing technology, making it an aggressive design. In addition, we are actively adopting advanced safety technologies such as the advanced Lexus Safety System +.

Main features of Lexus IS
At Toyota Technical Center ShimoyamaTrainedExcellent maneuverabilityRide comfort
Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama is a test course for vehicle development newly established in the Shimoyama district of Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture in April 2019. The country road currently in operation is based on the experience of running on the Nürburgring, which is known as one of the toughest courses in the world and combines various road surfaces with a height difference of about 75 m and many curves utilizing the natural terrain.
It is designed as a course with a total length of about 5.3km. The new IS has made it possible to create high-dimensional vehicle performance by repeatedly conducting daily driving tests by both cars and engineers in harsh environments such as the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama.

Some important points
- Based on the results of the driving test, we thoroughly tuned according to the road surface conditions and driving scenes, such as agile response to the driver’s input and suppression of unnecessary movement in the spring. Furthermore, with the new IS, not only the initial response of the steering wheel and pedals but also the controllability when “returning” has been improved to make the series of driving operations smoother.
- Focusing on the human sensitivity value that cannot be measured numerically, we pursued linear maneuverability that is faithful to the driver’s intentions, such as the connection and rhythm of a series of driving operations. In creating a ride, we have verified the unpleasant vibrations and sounds from all directions, and have returned to the basics of car manufacturing, such as finding out the cause and eliminating it and have evolved the comfort of driving.
- The 2.5L hybrid model changes the driving force control of the engine and motor with respect to the accelerator opening. The 2.0L turbo model uses adaptive control that determines the driving environment based on the driver’s accelerator opening and sets the appropriate gear stage according to the scene, realizing a more linear response to the driver’s accelerator operation and intention. Did.
New IS the main specifications
full length | 4,710 (+30) mm |
---|---|
Full width | 1,840 (+30) mm |
Overall height | 1,435 (+5) mm |
Wheelbase | 2,800 ( ± 0) mm |
Power train | 3.5L V type 6 cylinder2.5L in-line 4-cylinder hybrid system2.0L in-line 4-cylinder turbo |
tire size | 18/19 inch |
weight | 1,640-1,790kg |
Premonition of high athletic performanceAggressivedesign
With the design concept of “Agile & Provocative”, Lexus Motors aimed for an aggressive design with a wide and low stance that gives a feeling of running and a sharp character line. In order to realize the high design, product planning, production technology, design, and design worked together from the initial design stage, and as a result, the proportions and intonation like a four-door coupe with a low center of gravity were effective. Realize a new world view of IS. In addition, we pursued a design that allows you to feel the joy of operating a car by creating details such as color design and ornaments.
Exterior

- In addition to adopting a thin headlamp equipped with a newly developed compact and lightweight lamp unit. The low center of gravity is expressed by shaping the lower grille area, the side character line lowered accordingly. And the rear end of the luggage.
- Adopted overhanging front and rear fenders, L-shaped one-letter signature lamp, and three-dimensional bumper garnish. In addition, the newly designed 19-inch tires and wide tread have realized proportions that give a feeling of sporty driving.
- The gently sloping rear quarter pillars create a tight cabin silhouette that wraps around from the side, and the contrast with the overhanging rear fenders accentuates the aggressive impression.
- In the body panel manufacturing process, we adopted the “push-up method” that added molding to push up from the inside and realized a sharp character line of the rear fender. In addition, the world’s first “Yoseshibori method” that enables precise and three-dimensional modeling unique to LEXUS, with the addition of a mechanism that allows the mold to slide from the side according to the movement of the press in the vertical direction. Development. As a result, the character line at the rear end of the luggage has achieved high-precision and sharper modeling.

Interior

- The multimedia system newly adopts a touch display and is compatible with SmartDeviceLink TM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto TM. By linking your iPhone or Android TM smartphone to a 10.3-inch touch wide display. Convenience has been greatly improved, such as screen operation and voice operation.
- By setting chromatic colors on the upper part of the instrument panel and the door panel to create a two-tone color scheme, the spread in the left-right direction is emphasized. In addition, the contrast of the two-tone color scheme gives a feeling of exhilaration when riding.
- A graphic pattern that intersects multiple embossed lines, which is a new decorative expression of LEXUS, is adopted as part of the door trim. Ash (open finish/black), black geometry film, and satin chrome for F SPORT are newly adopted for the ornament panel. By adding accents such as surface treatment, we have created a sporty interior space that is particular about expressing the original texture of the material.

“F SPORT”

“F-SPORT” has nineteen-inch wheels with different front and rear sizes set exclusively, and stabilizers, EPS, etc. tuned exclusively. In addition, NAVI / AI-AVS, which optimally controls the damping force of the shock absorber. It is standard equipment to achieve both excellent ride comfort and running stability depending on the situation. Combined with sharp handling when cornering, it demonstrates the true value of IS driving.
In addition, the dedicated F mesh design spindle grill used in the F-SPORT and F models used. Also, the air intake of the grill lower part, rocker molding fins on the side, rear spoiler. And rear bumper lower garnish arranged, and the piano black painting coloring is unified to express the fearlessness of “F-SPORT”. In addition, Radiant Red Contrast Layering used as the outer panel color for the F-SPORT. LEXUS’s high coating technology and craftsmanship utilized in the strict control of the coating thickness to achieve deep red.
Main mounting technologies
- By improving the performance of the monocular camera and millimeter-wave radar. We have expanded the range of “pre-crash safety” that can detect daytime cyclists and nighttime pedestrians. It is now possible to detect oncoming straight vehicles coming from the front when turning right at an intersection and crossing pedestrians coming from the front when turning left or right. In addition, the driver’s avoidance steering assists steering in the own lane. Also, providing emergency steering support that contributes to ensuring vehicle stability and suppressing lane deviation. And low-speed acceleration that supports collision avoidance or damage reduction at low speeds. Added functions such as suppression.
- Equipped with “Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)”, an advanced driving support function that assists steering so that the vehicle can drive in the center of the same lane. The lane tracing performance greatly improved due to the improvement of camera recognition technology. And in addition to the support on gentle curves. It has become possible to drive smoothly in the center of the lane.
- “Radar cruise control,” which controls acceleration and deceleration so that the distance to the vehicle in front is constant within the vehicle speed set on a motorway, is equipped with an all-speed tracking function.
Model | Engine | Transmission | Drive |
IS350: “F SPORT” | 2GR-FKS (3.5L V type 6 cylinder) | 8-Speed SPDS | 2WD (FR) |
Model: IS300 | Engine | Transmission | Drive |
“Version L” “F SPORT” | 8AR-FTS (2.0L in-line 4-cylinder turbo) | 8-Speed SPDS | 2WD (FR) |
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