Lexus has launched it's long-awaited high-performance IS 350 sedan and took the opportunity to give the boot to it's ultra-conservative image. Leading the charge on-road is the IS 350 F Sport - while the Lexus Australia boardroom is preparing to take on the big three of the sport luxury segment: BMW, Mercedes and Audi.
The new IS 350 F Sport has one primary target, BMW's highly-regarded 335i M Sport. The Lexus big gun in the battle is pricing: The IS 350 F Sport hits the showroom floors at $71,800, almost $40,000 under the asking price of the BMW. Even more impressive is the $64,800 price tag on the entry-level IS 350.
Adding spice to the Lexus argument is performance. The Lexus will outsprint the BMW in the 0-100 km/h stakes by .2 of a second at an impressive 5.6 seconds. "The IS 350 F Sport is a car that has a competitive (edge) against it's rivals in a segment dominated by over-priced cars," said Lexus Australia chief executive, Tony Cramb.
His comments reflect a new Lexus which is going to be a more aggressive player, matched by assertive marketing and advertising with vehicles to match, aimed at a attracting more youthful audience. Supporting the claims on road will be the LFA Supercar and the CT200h F Sport hybrid that was unveiled at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney two weeks ago. Former Toyota marketing executive Peter Evans has also joined Lexus and underlined the new direction for the 20-year-old company. "This is no longer and understated brand or a conservative company, " he said. "This was a management style that served us well for 20 years."
"We are re-focussing on product and will be heading in two complementary directions - performance and economical hybrids, as well as the traditional luxury Lexus models. "We are making a clear statement that Lexus is in the market place."
"If you add or change a product, like we have done here, it's clear that you also have to change your image. But make no mistake, we are the challenger and it's up to us to take the fight to those who lead the segment (BMW, Mercedes and Audi) and we are number four. We are the baby at just 20 years old and we are up against some competitors that have been around for 100 years."
If the new IS 350 is anything to judge by the luxury sports segment is in for some interesting times in the years ahead. Put simply the IS 350 is a cracker of a car. Lexus launched the sports sedan in the heartland of road performance: major stages of the Targa Tasmania between Hobart, Coles Bay and Launceston.
The launch of the IS 350 also co-incided with a mid-to-late life facelift of the IS range. At the heart of all the IS 350 variants is one of the world's top engines, the Lexus 3.5 litre V6 that develops 233 kW of power and 378 Nm of torque. The engine is naturally aspirated and revs out to 7000 rpm. This engine has appeared for four years in succession on Ward's Best 10 Engines list - the top 10 engines available in the USA. The IS350 has been available in the US for several years, with Lexus Australia lobbying for right-hand-drive variants since before the IS 250 was launched. That has only just happened with Australia, Japan, the UK and Hong Kong now taking the right hand drive IS 350 variant.
The engine is linked to a six speed auto transmission with sequential shifter. The car also has steering wheel paddle shifters that engage by touch without moving the gear lever across into sport mode.
The IS line now has 10 models - it is the top-selling Lexus product - with IS 250, Is 250 C (hard top coupe-convertible and ID F. The IS 250, IS 250C and IS 350 have a choice of three equipment levels with two quad cam V6 engines. IS 250 and IS 350 come in Prestige, F Sport and Sports Luxury models with F Sport a new grade level in the IS sedan range. IS 250 is offered in Prestige, Sports and Sports Luxury. The top of the range V8 IS F is powered by a 5.0 litre quad cam V8 and eight-speed sequential transmission.
Standard in the IS 350 range are satellite navigation, heated seats, reversing camera, HID leadlamps with daytime running lamps and metallic paint. Mr Cramb said rival marques offered these type of features as `expensive' options. In a further dig at rivals Mr Cramb said Lexus has a long-held philosophy that just because you can charge a premium for luxury vehicles, it doesn't mean you have to do so. The IS 350 range includes a high level of safety including vehicle dynamics management on all models with stability control, traction control and hill start assist on auto models with active cruise control and the Lexus pre-collision safety system on the sports luxury grade.
The F Sport features a dedicated suspension calibration, lower-profile tyres, auto dimming exterior mirrors and rain-sensing wipers, plus active cruise control and pre-collision safety.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
The IS 350 is the real deal, not just the F Sport variant. With identical drivelines the IS 350 range is a genuine wolf in sheeps clothing. The car points beatifully into corners at speed and despite our best efforts we could not induce understeer or for that matter oversteer, such is the car's grip on the road. You would need to be defying the laws of physics to lose this car. The suspension is firm but not uncomfortable and large ventilated disc brakes ensure the car pulls up as well as it sprints. Australia may have waited a few years to get the IS 350, but there's no doubt the lads at Lexus have already well-and-truly sorted this car in the US, where it has been on the menu for four years.
IS 350 MODELS AND PRICING*
IS 350 Prestige $64,800
IS 350 F Sport $71,800
IS 350 Sports Luxury $81,300
(* Does not include dealers charges or government taxes)
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