Lexus IS 300 from Japan matches a honed German sports sedan
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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LOS OLIVOS, Calif. -- Here's a fresh idea for the luxury line by Lexus of Japan: A compact sports sedan in taut form fitted with high-tech appointments and high-pitched mechanical hardware tipped to the sporty side of automotive performance.
It looks like a high-strung rally car, oversized wheels pegged at the corners and a contoured body marked by flat side panels and stubby prow and tail that leave scant space for unnecessary overhang extensions.
It acts like a road-hugging German touring sedan, the sport suspension elements set to let those big tires dance as a straight-six engine ripples from its best-in-class power rating.
Dubbed the IS 300, this sporty new car marks the seventh model in the Lexus fleet, the first compact sports sedan for Lexus and the first Lexus product aimed at younger buyers captivated by the German performance machines.
And it appears with paint shades heretofore never seen on Lexus sheetmetal, such as a vivid lemon yellow.
What's going on at Lexus?
Following its first decade in production, the elite spin-up brand derived from Toyota of Japan has redefined the meaning of a luxury car with class-leading features and a sophisticated quality of quietness and production craftsmanship that sets all curves for the industry.
Yet the typical buyer of a Lexus, while certainly affluent, is not among the young and the techno-savvy who appreciate tight performance characteristics of finely tuned cars out of Germany. Apparently, the brand will now reach out to this prospective audience and plans to use the new IS 300 as the lure.
In effect, the IS 300 emulates the German cars in handling characteristics and pavement behavior yet packs some novel tricks with its sophisticated components and the new power standard for heady road action.
It's capable of breath-taking acceleration and charging through tight-fisted turn sets, as we discovered while steering a pre-production prototype of the IS 300 over California's Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountains north of Santa Barbara.
A definitive run up the narrow and winding Alisal-Santa Rosa Road from Solvang to Refugio Pass encapsulated all performance aspects of the IS 300 as it hunkered low on the rumpled and potholed blacktop and clawed through each hard curve.
The large wheels, floating independently at each corner, whirled up the road on speed-rated rubber which adhered firmly through all turns, while the six-pack engine whined with its high-revving tune as played through five speeds on the automatic transmission.
Toggles on a fat little steering wheel enable an aggressive driver to shift up and down sans clutch with only a flick of the thumb and without removing hands from wheel. Using the device makes you feel like a Formula One racer tearing through the esses on some Grand Prix circuit.
A lively suspension system employs an independent double wishbone design with front upper control arms mounted high to block any nose dive when braking hard but also check against lateral roll when steering around a corner at speed.
Steering, through a rack and pinion mechanism with power assistance, samples engine speed to adjust the power boost, so the wheel turns more readily at a lower rpm for parking lot maneuvers but feels stiff and firm at higher speeds on the road.
Power also applies to brakes, with big ventilated discs up front and solid ones in back. To prevent lockup, the brake line pressure is constantly monitored through an electronic brake distribution (EBS) system, while skids and spins are protected via the four-channel anti-lock brake (ABS) system and a traction control monitor (TRAC).
The IS 300 gets the Lexus in-line 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that also appears in the GS 300 mid-size sedan and SC 300 coupe. In this application, the plant produces 215 hp at 5800 rpm and torque tuned to 218 lb-ft at 3800 rpm, with the intelligent Lexus continuously variable valve timing system operating to optimize valve overlap through the entire range of engine speeds.
It's capable of propelling the car from zero to sixty miles an hour in only seven seconds.
Platform for the IS 300 is unique to Lexus and brings a classic arrangement with front-mounted engine and rear-wheel driveline. Heavy mechanical components stick between front and rear wheels to effect ideal chassis balance, with 54 percent of the total weight distributed on the front wheels and 46 percent sitting on the rear.
Designers created a muscular statement with athletic styling for the exterior package of the IS 300, working within parameters of a long wheelbase and brief overhangs to shape sharp-edged shoulders and flat sides, notched hoodlines and a raked prow defined by jewel-like headlamp clusters but the familial Lexus trapezoidal grille.
At the rear, a stubby tail treatment reflects unusual clear-lens taillights remindful of those on the GS 300.
The overall wedge-like profile with low nose and modified fastback roofline is so clean and sleek it slices through still air with world-class aerodynamics of a mere 0.29 Cd (coefficient of drag), which helps to temper wind noise but also enhance fuel efficiency.
Safety systems illustrate the Lexus commitment to engineer sturdy vehicles with structural integrity and multiple devices on hand working as active and passive safety measures. Among these in the IS 300 are the safety cage structure with integrated crush zones, side door reinforcements, three-point safety restraints with locking retractors for all five seat positions, frontal and side-impact air bags for the two front seats, a collapsible steering column and daytime running lamps.
Bold contemporary styling for the cockpit adopts a theme of high-tech metallic finishes, with drilled aluminum pedals, a polished metal ball shift lever and stainless steel scuff plates studded with rubber on doorsills.
The seat plan sets two height-adjustable sport buckets up front between a multifunctional console and followed by a firm rear bench for three with twin indentations.
Instruments dazzle in a unique display of analog gauges arranged in the form of a pricy sports chronograph watch but with a digital display for gear selection and trip mileage.
Standard equipment is an inclusive list of deluxe features like an automatic climate system, power for windows and door locks, eight-way power movement for front seats, remote entry and security system plus a Lexus audio system with six-disc in-dash CD player and eight speakers. The few options concern leather, a moonroof, heated seats and a limited-slip differential or smaller 16-inch wheels and tires.
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| 2001 LEXUS IS300 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact sports sedan
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| Model Options: |
Compact sports sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
105.1 inches
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| Overall Length: |
176.6 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 3.0-L I6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/5/E-Shift
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| Drive: |
Rear
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/EBD/ABS/TRAC
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
18/23 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 30,500 to $ 35,000 |
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