[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\William Looper\My Documents\My Pictures\int02.jpg[/IMG]

hope i did this right. look at the steering wheel, arnt those shifters?

 

obvisouly i didnt do it correctly but anyways look at another pic

 

You have to host the pics somewhere other than your hard drive.

Yes, the IS has the most SMG like paddle shifters of any car without an actual SMG tranny.

 

Preliminary rumors. The news we heard from Lexus HQ Marketing reps and Team Lexus were 300+ for here in the US at least.

 

The new Avalon with the 3.5 engine has 280hp, I would hope the performance oriented IS350 would get more than that.

 

Lexus is hardly a household name in Europe, the way it is here in the States, but Toyota's intention of changing that was underscored by the unveiling of the all-new, second-generation IS sport sedan at the Geneva show. The gasoline-engined IS250 and diesel-powered IS220d unveiled at the Pal Expo are for the European market; we'll see the U.S.-spec IS at the New York auto show later this month.

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Toyota expects the new IS to help establish its premium brand in Europe, so it features a state-of-the-art diesel engine--the price of entry for any automaker serious about success in that market. Built at a new plant in Poland, the 2.2-liter, all-aluminum, direct-injection four-cylinder produces 177 hp and a hefty 295 lb-ft of torque, while the 2.5-liter, gasoline V-6 also features direct injection and pumps out 204 hp and 184 lb-ft. Both engines can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission, and the V-6 is also available with a six-speed manu-matic.

Exterior styling is very much in the vein of the new GS. Lexus calls this design theme "L-Finesse." With a wheelbase that's more than two inches longer and a body that's three inches wider and 3.5 inches longer overall than the outgoing IS, the new car has a much roomier interior, especially in the rear seat. The original IS interior was more weird than elegant, but the new car's cabin is as well-crafted, modern, and luxurious as you would expect from Lexus. Highlights include an input port for your iPod, optional Mark Levinson audio, a navigation system with a rear-view camera, and a total of ten air bags. Other safety equipment includes available swiveling Xenon headlights, radar-sensed, pre-crash seatbelt tensioners, and Lexus's advanced stability control system. Unfortunately, the is no button by which a keen driver can completely disable the stability control, which is a major deficit when compared with the 3-series, the latest version of which also debuted at Geneva. Even Saab, in its 9-3 Aero, lets drivers turn off all the electronic nannies.

In the U.S., the IS will use a breathed upon version of the new Avalon's 3.5-liter V-6 and thus wear an IS350 badge. Exact horsepower figures have yet to be confirmed, but we expect slightly more than the Avalon's 280.

One thing that has been confirmed is that there will not be another Sportcross wagon version of the IS, but other iterations are definitely on the way. Likely candidates for IS body style #2 include a convertible hard-top coupe inspired by the LF-C show car that debuted at last year's New York auto show.

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_sh...3_lexus_is250/

 

Finally some engine ratings. And NO MORE SPORTCROSS Wagons are picking up and they are a big market in Europe. Why add Diesal, then take away the sportcross, which got great reviews in Europe

 

I think the black wood on the new GS is so hot looking. It would be so cool to offer this on the new IS, it would look hot against the metal lining the console area & shifter. I like regular wood but the black wood is so different looking than what everyone else has.

 

to be honest, imho, if they want to make the IS a sporty car, give it some brush aluminum trim as an option for black and grey interior (if available). that would be cool

 

If you use brush aluminium in place of wood, I wonder how well it will match up with the controls panel above, which looks like painted plastic to me, similar to that on the RX.

 

damn, you have a good point andrew... the plastic would look really cheap..... plus the color probably won't match up too well (too many 'silver" in the middle).

 

While I do see an occasional IS200, I never see a sportcross - this in the land that loves wagons. Of course one can never say never. It may be that it's so far off - maybe 2 years - that the answer for now is no.

 

i think that the IS should offer the saddle leather trim like in the SC, LS and the sportdesign trim of the 03 GS

 

meant to put this in that post but im gettin tired of seeing Lexus offer the same leather in each car, IVORY, BLACK, ASH, add some creativity in it, 2-tone leather, blue, dark purple, something

 

I agree make some limited editions leathers like black/blue or black/red, something as easy as this could make it sporty.

Don't like saddle (tan) colored interiors, there is way too many of them.

Brushed Aluminum Trim would be excellent choice if it matched up correctly. Blackwood would be my choice over red wood.