Manual Lexus IS300 SportCross Is One Sporty Wagon

Unicorn IS

Lately, we've noticed quite a few early Lexus IS (and SportCross) examples popping up for sale. There's really no explanation for this, except maybe a growing collector interest in these cool cars. But if you're looking for the early IS unicorn of sorts, we may have just found it in this manual wagon that recently popped up at Bring a Trailer. 

Photos: Bring a Trailer

Enthusiast's Dream

Automotive enthusiasts tend to have a bit of an obsession with wagons, which offer up unique styling and loads of space. When you throw in the five-speed manual this particular SportCross is equipped with, it certainly doesn't get much better. And with 88k miles on the clock, it's obviously got plenty of life left in it, too.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Well Kept

The Lexus wagon lived its entire life in sunny and dry California, which partially explains the excellent condition it remains in today. But the car also sports a host of modifications, along with the installation of the aforementioned manual and limited-slip differential. 

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

SportDesign Upgrades

A donor car provided this Lexus with a bevy of SportDesign upgrades, including the front bumper cover, grille, headlights, taillights, fog lights, and badges. It also sports 17″ SportDesign wheels wrapped in Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 tires that measure in at 215/45 up front and 225/45 out in the back.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Carving Corners

BC Racing coilovers have also been installed at all four corners, along with Eibach sway bars, which undoubtedly help this wagon carve corners a little more proficiently. The SportDesign theme also continues to the inside, with silver trim and floor mat lifted from the donor car that complements the otherwise stock interior. 

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Expensive Upgrades

Under the hood, you'll find a stock 3.0-liter 2JZ-GE inline-six that originally pumped out 215 hp and 218 lb-ft of torque. The manual transmission and limited-slip swap obviously make it more fun to drive, but the seller reports that those upgrades cost a whopping $10k in total, along with an upgrade to the SportDesign exhaust and various maintenance. 

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Can't Resist

But in the end, those upgrades will undoubtedly make one enthusiast very happy. After all, wagons have an almost cult-like following in the car world. Throw in a couple of sporty and fun mechanical upgrades, and you've got a machine that few of them could possibly resist.

Photos: Bring a Trailer

>>Join the conversation about this IS300 SportCross right here in the ClubLexus forum.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.