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Chief Editor: Sammy Chan 陳浩川    Managing Editor: Edwin Lau 劉基財
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Not content with already owning one of the world’s best luxury sedan (LS400) and one of the world’s best luxury SUV (LX470), Lexus is also keen to make a loud statement in the entry-level luxury sports sedan category. BMW’s 3-Series has long been regarded and is still the benchmark for others to compare in this sector, but that may soon change with the arrival of an all new Lexus IS300 in July.

Although sports sedan is not an entirely uncharted territory for Lexus particularly since the introduction of its 2^nd generation of GS300/GS400 in 1997, Lexus is still more equated with luxury and refinement than with performance. In developing the IS300, we decided that one of our key tasks would be to incorporate the latest technologies in active and passive safety, yet to provide outstanding dynamics for the enthusiastic driver, says Nobuaki Katayama, Chief Engineer of Vehicle Development of Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. With this in mind, we arrived at five key development objectives, says Nobuaki, "First, a strong identity. The car needed a distinctive exterior and interior design with strong emotional appeal. But the identity had to be much stronger than just in appearance. It had to be supported by first class handling and feel, as well as unique equipment."

To show how serious they are in delivering this first objective, Lexus has endowed the IS300 with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration and a drivetrain that features a 215-horsepower, 3.0 litre inline 6-cylinder engine as standard, all this in a compact dimension that measures 4485 mm in length, 1720 mm in width and 1415 mm in height. In short, very much the same prescription as BMW had dictated for its 328i.

Exterior styling of the IS300 is distinctive and purposeful, with the front hood and fenders flared at the right places to purport a sporty and aggressive attitude. Body lines are taught and sleek, and with the optional 17-inch wheels, the IS300 has a cd of 0.29, quite respectable for a car that’s more concerned with performance than with fuel consumption. Both front and rear styling could be easily identified as a Lexus, especially the rear with its wraparound clear tail lamps and circular brake lights that bear strong resemblance to the GS400. High Intensity Discharge headlamps are used at the front, HID headlamps require 30% less power than halogen headlights, yet provide much brighter lighting. Side mirrors, which look extraordinary plain compared with the rest of the car, are heated and also contain layers of titanium-silica over its surface to help clear moisture.

The IS300 shares the same 3.0 litre inline 6-cylinder engine with its GS300 sibling, but before I dwell into its details further, I would like to point out that there exists an IS200 that had been on sale for about a year in some markets in Asia and Europe. This first IS is powered by a high-revving 2.0 litre inline six, also, in Japan where Lexuses are not marketed any differently than Toyota, the IS is known as the Toyota Altezza, a car now considered to be at par not only with BMW’s 3 series but also Nissan’s Skyline GT-X (4-dr version of GT-R).

As is in the GS, this engine features VVT-i (variable valve timing with intelligence), ACIS (acoustic control induction system) and ETCS-i (electronic throttle control system). By altering the relationship between intake and exhaust valve opening and closing, VVT-i improves performance and at the same time reduces emissions as well. ACIS helps to increase torque output in all ranges by using a bulkhead to divide intake air chamber into 2 stages. ETCS-i provides a more accurate throttle management resulting in better control and improved traction. It delivers 215 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 218 lb-ft of torque at a fairly low 3800 rpm, a close match to BMW 330i’s figure of 225 hp and 214 lb-ft and much stronger than 328i’s 193hp and 206 lb-ft output stats.    To top of page

Mated to a 5-speed automatic, this engine can propel the IS300 from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, 0.1 second faster than a 328i. For now, automatic transmission is the only choice, but Lexus is working on a 5-speed manual to be ready sometime in the near future. No doubt the IS300 would be more enticing to drive when equipped with a manual transmission, but the automatic would still be the more popular choice as it’s blessed with the same E-Shift found on Lexus GS400 and Toyota Celica. As long as the shift lever is engaged in the M position, this E-Shift allows the driver to manually shift gears by "thumbing" the "down" buttons on the front of the steering wheel or "fingering" the "up" button at the back. To my liking and unlike Porsche’s Tiptronic, there’s no preservation mode to let the transmission upshift itself at the redline, and because the engine is rather quiet at doing its job even at the rev limit, one has to be careful of not forgetting to upshift once the rev limit is reached. With gear ratios closely spaced, revs can be used up very quickly. Maximum speed at 2^nd and 3rd gears as observed during my test blast are around 90 km/h and 135 km/h respectively, and at 180 km/h, it has just exhausted 4^th gear, so the top speed of 230 km/h posted by Lexus has to be considered as realistic.

Power delivery is smooth and linear, and with the engine as sweet sounding as it is, there’s just simply no other more enjoyable way than gunning every gear to its redline. Stability at high speed is excellent and despite its compact dimensions, the IS300 is not all that susceptible to crosswinds. I didn’t find much difference between the standard 16-inch Yokohamas and those optional 17-inch Potenza RE040 when it comes to handling bends and sweeps around the backhills of Santa Barbara, California, but the optional torque sensing LSD (Limited Slip Differential) is surely helpful in making a clean launch from rest. Compared to a BMW which is becoming more and more benign these days, the IS300 is actually more entertaining to drive, not that it will understeer more than a BMW, but its steering is sharper and suspension sportier. Just as in the GS, suspension at front and rear are of double-wishbone type, with geometry optimized to provide stability not only during cornering but in braking as well. By using 296 mm vented front discs and whoppingly large 307 mm solid discs at the rear, the IS300 can also quickly shed off speed, its braking so powerful that it really can be considered as a sports car just on that merit alone. ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) by which rear brake force is automatically proportioned and Traction Control are standard.

For all those money you have put aside for a Tag Heuer, Lexus has provided you with a better idea, one that’s built-in, but more for flair than for anything to do with time. This unique chronographic centre gauge is the speedometer, but also houses the water temperature, voltmeter and instantaneous fuel consumption gauges. Flanked by a rather smallish tachometer on the left and another cluster of readouts on the right, this whole masterpiece will certainly make it into the What’s What of automotive design.  As if it’s not loud enough to please a younger crowd, Lexus has decorated the interior with more aluminum touches- on the pedals and on the shift knob, all the appropriate places to excite your tactile senses. The design of the center console is more in keeping with Lexus tradition, featuring large dials and switches for the various functions. An in-dash, single feed 6 CD changer is standard, along with door speakers, titanium tweeters in the A-pillars, 6x9 inch woofer and 2.5-inch mid-range coaxial units in the rear shelf.    Return to top of page

The suede leather seats are not only pleasing in form, but are also very supportive as well.  On the safety front, side airbags on both front seats are standard and there are three-point seatbelts on all three seating positions at the rear. In addition, there’s an emergency release handle mounted on the inside surface of the luggage door to prevent anyone from becoming trapped in the trunk. The handle is made of luminous plastic, so it’s visible even if the trunk is closed.

Base price of a generously equipped IS300 is $40,830, comparing it favorably against the new BMW 330i, priced at $45,900 ($47,100 for an automatic) as well as the $40,600 Audi A4 2.8. Amongst this group, the Lexus is surprisingly the sportiest and although it doesn’t unseat the BMW from the sports sedan crown, it is the most challenging car BMW has ever faced.    Return to top of page

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