As well as introducing the revised 2009 IS line-up and the all-new IS 250C Convertible, Lexus also previewed a sports-inspired IS 250 at the 2008 Australian International Motor Show that could enter production shortly. Based on the 2008 IS 250, the Sports Concept features a number of mechanical and visual enhancements including brakes, shock absorbers, sway bars, chassis braces, air intake, clutch, short shift kit, exhaust, 19-inch wheels, engine cover and spoilers. -Continued
More specifically, Lexus improved the IS 250's stopping power with a braking package that features six-piston callipers at the front and four-piston at rear as well as larger cross-drilled, two-piece brake rotors at front and rear. Suspension upgrades include the addition of Bilstein shock absorbers and springs while Body roll and chassis flex is further reduced with the adoption of sway bars and a chassis brace.
Under the bonnet, the IS 250 Sport Concept receives a performance air intake, which according to Lexus, results in a three per cent power increase while a stainless steel "cat-back" exhaust system deliver a further increase of 1.5 per cent meaning that the 2.5-liter V6 engine should produce about 213HP.
The manual gearbox receives a short shift kit, resulting in a 35 per cent reduction in fore and aft gearshift movement while a performance clutch delivers a 16 per cent increase in clamping force. Finally, the Sport Concept features a carbon-fibre engine cover, front and rear lip spoilers and lightweight graphite grey, 10-spoke, 19-inch forged aluminium wheels.
Lexus chief executive John Roca said the performance accessories fitted to IS 250 Sports Concept were currently under consideration for Australia. "The introduction of the IS 250 Sports Concept is still in preliminary stages but it's something we definitely want to investigate," Mr Roca said.
"The addition of the performance enhancements to the IS range would assist in attracting younger buyers to the Lexus brand - and give Lexus a vehicle that aspiring IS F customers could step into. In the meantime, Lexus will concentrate on introducing the IS F performance sedan to the local market. Once we get the hero car into the marketplace, the rest will fall into place," he added.
6 Comments:
I want it this mobile.
And yet, amazingly enough, 90% of this is not new. Most of these upgrades have already been introduced to the US Lexus market for quite some time. What's still saddening is that Lexus STILL hasn't caught on and introduced this great manual gearbox technology to its 3.5 liter version of the IS, which is going to be ESSENTIAL if Lexus is to compete with the likes of the Germans.
220 hp???????????????????????
you're kidding me. If Lexus guys put so weak, no turbo V6 under a bonnet of a heavy 4door "sport-performance" car, they must be crazy.
Nowdays a Golf GTI has more power, not to mention a billion of other cheaper and lighter cars on the market. Germans have it all, while Lexus is always messing up the configurations. you can never get a proper combination of power, 2/4wheel drive and a proper gearbox on this so promising model. Those bussiness idots have it all, but don't let the customers have it!!!
sorry but I don't like truck V8 in a IS-F, and every other model is too weak to be as sporty as this car should be.
That's a halfway concept,in my opinion.
Making 213bhp from 2499cc is no marvelous work,frankly speaking. Instead of doing such half-hearted way,adopting IS350 with 3456cc/306bhp to Australian market is much cleverer!
Currently,the Lexus IS250 is no more than a guise a little faster than the Peugeot 407 and the Citroen C5,so she can hardly be called a "sports sedan". So I suggest the IS350 Sports to be marketed in Australia or other markets.
In fact,I have a Lexus IS350 2009,she accelerates 0-100km/h(62mph) in only 4.9sec!,as fast as the likes of Maserati Quattroporte and Audi S8 with 5.2-litres V10,and her delimitered theoretical speed is up to 280+/-5km/h(170-178mph). As for fuel consumption,she records about 10km/l average without any fuss.
Without using such good materials,why do they make a true performance-sedan? No one wants such a "sheep in wolf skin",racy looking sedan no faster than a Jaguar XF 3.0V6(the most tepid sedan among this brand)!
Recently,the long-awaited Lexus IS350 has been introduced in Australian market!
Her unit is virtually same as North American version,yielding 310bhp(228kW) and propels her in 5.6sec for 0-62mph(0-100km/h) according to the manufacturer.
So Australia has become the fourth market selling the IS350,as Japan,USA,and Canada. On the other hand,it is curious that there're no IS350s officially imported in Europe still now.
Some sources say a considerable number of IS350s has been imported to EU countries for years,through parallel-importing routes(mainly laid in Canada). If official EU version of IS350 is released,she would become a serious competitor for from the BMW 335i and the Mercedes C350CGI to the VW Passat R36 and the new Volvo S40 T6,in my view.
By the way,some enthusiasts in United Kingdom will import IS350s from Australia,due to same right hander,in near future,I can estimate!
PS:correction
third line from the bottom (wrong)Volvo S40 T6 (right)Volvo S60 T6
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