Classic Turbo IS200 Gets a Tidy Upgrade
UK-based owner and Japanese car enthusiast levels up the first-gen Lexus IS200 with a turbo kit and visual mods.
In Search of the IS200 Sport
Not every 21-year-old can go shopping for a new Lexus completely on their own dime. But UK's Matt Beddis earned his way there at a young age, working and expanding his business as a swimming pool builder. Though his first trip to the dealer wasn't quite successful. He test drove an automatic one at first but wasn't too excited. It was the Sport model that caught his eye.
Photos: Fast Car
Patience Pays Off
He was told by the salesperson that he had no chance of getting his hands on one of those, as they were incredibly rare. But Matt was patient. And luckily for him, patience paid off when the dealer finally brought one in. Matt took possession of his new ride on his 21st birthday. He dove in with both feet and immediately started planning his build.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo IS 200 right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Not An Easy Build
And as is evident in this feature, the plan was always to keep the upgrades very classy and subtle. The biggest obstacle all through the project was a lack of available parts for the Lexus. “The car was always hard to find bits for,” Matt explains, “because there was just no one who really knew what they were about.”
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo IS 200 right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Turbo Kit
But he was persistent. He had found out about a company that builds turbo kits for the IS200. “I tried their car out and was impressed, so booked mine in for the same kit. When I got it back it was good for 250bhp at 0.5-bar boost on a standard engine – god it felt bloody quick.” It wasn't long though until he wanted even more power.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo IS 200 right here in the Club Lexus forum.
330 Horses
The second round of power upgrades came in the form of improved fuel injectors and increased boost. At this point, the 330-horsepower mark had been achieved. It was time to turn the attention to the visual mods. Starting with the carbon fiber hood, which helps take advantage of the newfound performance by reducing the curb weight.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo IS 200 right here in the Club Lexus forum.
Sporty Luxury
The front-mount intercooler, the Supra brakes, and the sporty rolling stock all provide visual cues into the car's rowdy nature. That's not to say that this Lexus has lost any of its luxuries. A mix of signature Lexus creature comforts and the Defi gauges perfectly sum up the sporty-luxury theme of the build. It has been nearly a decade since Matt's Lexus IS200 was featured on Fast Car. It will almost certainly have evolved in the years since, undoubtedly with more power.
>>Join the conversation about this Turbo IS 200 right here in the Club Lexus forum.
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