Auto Shows

2006 Lexus IS Auto Show Photo

Toyota is getting serious about Lexus. The previous IS was a rebadged Japanese-market Toyota. This all-new version has been designed from the wheels up as a Lexus, and it is planned as a deadly rival to BMW's new 3 Series. The big news for Europe is an all-new 2.2-liter I-4 diesel under the hood; diesels now account for more than 50 percent of all auto sales there. But U.S. spec IS models will all be powered by Toyota's new direct-injection gasoline V-6s. The 2.5-liter version delivers 204 horsepower (DIN), while the 3.5-liter will have about 280 horsepower. A new six-speed automatic transmission featuring sequential shift control will be standard. The IS will also be available with the VDIM integrated vehicle dynamics management system featured on the new GS, adaptive cruise control, and Toyota's radar controlled Pre-Crash Safety system. No fewer than 10 airbags are standard. And this time, the IS moniker will be spread across a full range of vehicles, including a convertible, to truly compete with the 3 Series.

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