Lexus IS

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. Admirers point out that the IS 350 offers more performance than some year 2000 models such BMW M3 and C-class AMG, but critics continue to complain that lexus does not offer distinctly badged performance variants to compete head on with the germans.
. The IS 250 AWD and the IS 350 are only available with the 6-speed automatic.
. The IS 250 RWD comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, and a 6-speed automatic transmission is available as an option.
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For the United States, three IS models are sold by Lexus:. It has also recently opened stores in Tokyo, Japan. The slow-selling SportCross station wagon version was dropped from the lineup worldwide. Today the company operates nearly 400 Banana Republic stores in the United States (including Puerto Rico), and approximately 25 stores in Canada. A pre-production example was shown in the 2005 Geneva Autoshow. To set itself apart from Gap as a more upmarket brand, Banana Republic occasionally buys and refurbishes historic buildings for its retail locations. The IS was redesigned for the 2006 model year and was introduced in the fall of 2005. For a time, Banana Republic ate into Gap's consumer base.

With the introduction of the Lexus name in Japan, the Toyota Altezza moniker is no longer used. The unique tourist-oriented items, which arguably gave the brand its differentiation, were phased out. The IS200 fared better in Europe and Asia, but still fall well short of the sales volume achieved by the likes of the BMW 3 Series. acquired Banana Republic in 1983, eventually rebranding it as a mainstream luxury clothing retailer. In the US market, after hitting a high of 22,486 units in 2001, IS sales dropped below the 10,000-unit mark in 2004. Gap Inc. and European sales of the Lexus IS 300 were disappointing. As Banana Republic expanded its retail operation, it became known for the themed decoration in its stores, often featuring authentic elements, such as real Jeeps and foliage, as well as atmospheric elements, such as fog and steam.

U.S. Peterman catalog later satirized on Seinfeld. A Lexus IS 200, based on a heavily modified RS200, has also raced in the British Touring Car Championship with limited success. The company competed directly with the J. The RS200 is also used by many racing teams, including TRD (Toyota Racing Development), to race in various touring car championship series across Asia. The majority of sales came from its eccentric catalog, which presented high-end and unique items with chatty, usually fictional, backstories from exotic locations, as well as more pedestrian high-volume products deliberately spiced up with a similar treatment. Naturally, a number of Japanese tuning firms, including Toyota's own TRD, offered parts and sometimes complete car conversions. The original Banana Republic, which began in 1978, was a two-store safari and travel-themed clothing company.

TTE also produced an aftermarket supercharger kit for the IS 200, raising the power output to 204 PS ECE (150 kW). Founded in 1969, The Gap is a mid-scale specialty retailer, while Old Navy was launched in 1994 as a value chain. In Europe, Toyota Team Europe (TTE) shoehorned a supercharged 4.3 L V8 into a IS 300 bodyshell, the result is a 405 PS ECE (298 kW) saloon capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Banana Republic is a chain of "casual luxury" clothing stores owned by Gap Inc., which also operates The Gap, Old Navy, and Forth & Towne stores. Lexus dubs the IS 430 a one-off with no plans for production.
. The IS 430 prototype is an IS 300 fitted with a 4.3 L V8 from the Lexus GS 430.

The MillenWorks-built Lexus IS 430 was unveiled at the 2003 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. TTE converted an IS 200 first, and within a few years RMM in the US converted an IS 300. As a result, a number of tuning companies modified the IS/Altezza over the years. The altezza engine block is of aluminum construction whereas the Celica 3S-GE is of an iron block construction.

There are a wide availability of tuning parts, as the engine is similar to the last of the SW20 MR2 and ST202 Celica. In Japan, the RS200 version is more popular due to its better handling (because of the lightweight yet powerful engine in the front). Modified versions of the 2JZ-GTE have been seen with over 1000hp. The Altezza is mostly popular amongst tuners because of it's possible engine swap, for a last generation Toyota Supra 2JZ-GTE motorisation.

because of this. The 2JZ-GE powered IS series are popular amongst tuners in the U.S. and Europe) were only available with either the 1G-FE engine version or the 2JZ-GE 6-cylinder inline engine version, which was also found in the naturally-aspirated fourth-generation Toyota Supra and Lexus GS/Toyota Aristo amongst others. European and North American-market Lexus IS vehicles, as well as the Japanese hatchback version called the Gita (called Lexus IS Sportcross in U.S.

The Altezza came in 3 variants:. The Lexus IS 200 made its debut in Europe in 1999 and the IS 300 in North America in 2001. This first-generation Altezza (codename XE10) was launched in Japan in October 1998. Its main rivals are BMW 3 Series and Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G.

The Lexus IS (originally known as the Toyota Altezza in Japan) is a compact luxury sports car from Lexus. IS 350 - 3.5 L 2GR-FSE V6, 306 hp (228 kW), Rear wheel drive. IS 250 AWD - 2.5 L 4GR-FSE V6 with all wheel drive, 204 hp (152 kW). IS 250 - 2.5 L V6, 204 hp (152 kW), Rear wheel drive.

The AS300 (Chassis code JCE10, sedan or JCE15, wagon) powered by the 2JZ-GE inline-6 engine generating 220 PS JIS (162 kW) or 215 hp SAE (160 kW) and mated to a 6-speed transmission (5-speed automatic optional). The RS200 (Chassis code SXE10, sedan or SXE15, wagon) powered by the 3S-GE inline-4 engine generating 210 PS JIS (154 kW) and mated to a 6-speed transmission (5-speed automatic optional). The AS200 (Chassis code GXE10, sedan or GXE15, wagon), powered by the 1G-FE inline-6 engine generating 160 PS JIS (118 kW) or 155 PS DIN (114 kW) and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission (4-speed automatic optional).