Lexus IS 300 SportCross blends a sport-tuned sedan and wagon
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Flying down the grandstand straightaway of a banked oval track at Pike's Peak International Raceway, we're running flat out in a new compact-class machine geared for high-speed action.
The speedometer, nestled in a round chronographic instrument cluster, registers to triple-digit numbers on this lap, so several blocks ahead of a left-hook curve rapidly approaching at the end of the straight we crank the five-speed automatic transmission down a notch by punching shifter toggles mounted on a plump little steering wheel.
Then we add a little brake pressure to drop our speed below 100 mph before diving into the wiggly chute of a ten-corner infield course.
Sure-footed and rock-solid, this new vehicle proceeds to dance through the tightly constricted circuit.
It behaves like a road-hugging German touring sedan, the firm suspension elements set up to allow four big tires to strut as a forceful 3.0-liter straight-six engine delivers up to 215 hp at 5800 rpm and torque muscle of 218 lb-ft at 3800 rpm.
That's good enough to propel this car from zero to 60 mph in about 7.4 seconds and to the quarter-mile line in 15.6 seconds. Flat out, like on the high-speed banked track at Pike's Peak, it soars beyond the high mark of 140 mph.
Catch is, this sporty vehicle is not some exotic two-seat roadster or a too-quick touring sedan.
Rather, it carries four passenger doors like a sedan but also has a rear hatch-type lid and the big back bay of a wagon.
Lexus, the elite spin-up brand from Toyota of Japan, labels it as the IS 300 SportCross.
Derived from the IS 300 sedan, the new model shows an extended roofline sheltering an abbreviated wagon-style cargo compartment that takes the place of the sedan's trunk.
Designers from Lexus promise all of the aggressive attributes of the IS 300 sedan (that's the "sport" in the new car's title) but also a configuration that crosses the line between sedan and wagon -- thus, the "cross" added to the nameplate.
However, it looks like neither sedan nor wagon.
Instead, SportCross conforms to its own unique shape with eye-catching lines.
The designers make a muscular statement with athletic styling for the exterior package, working within parameters of a long wheelbase and brief overhangs to shape sharp-edged shoulders and flat sides, notched hood lines and a raked prow defined by jewel-like headlamp clusters and the familial Lexus trapezoidal grille.
Its extended roofline accentuates the elongated wheelbase yet abruptly ends in a spoiler lip, falling away along the path of forward-canted tail pillars.
A back gate, hinged at the roof, flips up for access to the cargo bay, which contains 21.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seatbacks up, or about double the volume of a trunk in the IS 300 sedan.
Rear seatbacks split in 60/40 proportions and each section folds flat to expand the cargo capacity dramatically, with the increased space suited for a load of sports gear -- including a mountain bike.
And the back of the front passenger bucket also folds forward to form a flat horizontal surface on the same plane as the folded backs of the split rear bench.
Long cargo items like snowboards and skis may be stacked on top of these folded seats to stretch from dash to tail door.
Platform for the IS 300 SportCross as well as the sedan variation utilizes the classic arrangement with a front-mounted engine and rear-wheel driveline.
Heavy mechanical components mount between front and rear wheels to achieve ideal chassis balance, with 53 percent of the total weight distributed on the front wheels and 47 percent resting on the rear ones.
A lively suspension system employs an independent double wishbone design with front upper control arms hiked high to block any nose dive when braking hard but also check against lateral roll when steering around a corner at speed.
The rear also has a double wishbone layout with L-shaped upper arms.
Steering, through a rack and pinion mechanism with power assistance, samples engine speed to adjust the power boost, so the steering 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 are protected via the four-channel anti-lock brake (ABS) system and traction control monitor (TRAC).
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 SportCross are a safety cage structure with integrated crush zones, side door reinforcements, three-point safety restraints with locking retractors for five seat positions, frontal and side-impact air bags for the two front seats, a collapsible steering column and daytime running lamps.
Front-seat side curtain-style air bags are a new standard safety asset for the SportCross as well as the IS 300 sedan, while the Lexus Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) system appears on the list of optional gear.
Bold contemporary styling for the cockpit adopts a theme of high-tech metallic finishes, with drilled aluminum pedals 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.
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.
Optional equipment concerns leather, a power sunroof, heated front seats, DVD-based navigation system and a limited-slip differential (it also comes with the optional VSC system).
Lexus sets the MSRP for IS 300 SportCross at $32,305, with a $545 delivery fee applicable.
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| 2002 LEXUS IS300 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact sports wagon
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| Model Options: |
Compact sports wagon
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| Wheelbase: |
105.1 inches
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| Overall Length: |
177.0 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/ABS/EBD/BA/TRAC
opt. VSC
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
+ 2 (side curtain)
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| Gas Mileage: |
18/25 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 32,850 to $ 38,825 |
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