It sounds like the recipe for another product from that German manufacturer. Compact, sexy body, powerful six cylinder in-line 24 valve engine, lots of electronic wizardry to keep the whole damned shenanigan glued to the road, big wheels shod with low-profile rubber, leather upholstery and electric everything. But the car I spent half a day thrashing around the Knysna area emanated from Japan, not Europe.
The Lexus IS300 handles like a race car and stops on a tickey. And it doesn’t half go, either – on one straight we got the speedometer to register 230 km/hr, which is what the factory claims the car will do. They also say it’ll pass100 km/hr just over eight seconds after launch, and that feels about right. With 157 kW and 288 Nm available at 5 800 and 3 800 rpm respectively the Lexus is outgunned by some of its more hairy-chested rivals, but you’re unlikely to notice that except when deep in the throes of mortal combat.
The Lexus IS200 that’s been around for a few years now earned much praise for its build quality, roadholding and general classy feel. The same couldn’t be said for its straight-line performance, however – 114 kW and 195 Nm just didn’t cut the mustard in a sports saloon that cost around 350 grand, and speed-crazy South Africans were understandably rather reluctant to hand over their hard-earned loot .
The newly-launched IS300 which replaces the IS200 is the same basic car, but with a much more willing three-litre engine and a number of interior and exterior changes. Whereas the Lexus IS 200 was available with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic gearbox the new model boasts an electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with Toyota’s “E-Shift” system, allowing manual shifting via two steering wheel mounted shift buttons when you feel like exercising more control. We’d like to see a six-speed manual version as an option, because we felt that the gearbox was one of the most appealing features of the IS200.
The IS 300 offers VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) incorporated in the ABS braking system. This senses when the tyres are about to let go and then stabilise the vehicle by backing off the throttle and applying the brakes to individual wheels. There are, as one would expect in a car of this quality, all the usual braking and traction aids such as ABS, EBD and brake-assist., in addition to a limited-slip differential. The Lexus has more airbags than you can shake a stick at, and all the usual luxury items are standard – six CD front-loading CD player with a radio and tape, climate control, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, and electrically heated and adjustable leather seats. There is, however, no on-board computer – lamentable in a car as refined as this.
We don’t think that the Lexus sales team has to fear the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Subaru, Volvo and the rest as much as they have to worry about their parent company, Toyota. Lexus is the Japanese company’s premier brand, and products bearing the Lexus name have proved to be amongst the very best available, bar none. South African motorists still see Lexus and think Toyota, however, and balk at paying German prices for what they perceive to be some sort of jazzed-up Corolla or Camry.
At R363 285 the Lexus IS300 costs just over R6 000 more than its two litre predecessor, and the customer gets a helluva lot more car for the money, but is it really going to steal hundreds of sales from the BMW 330i Steptronic (R341 000) and Audi 3,0 quattro Tiptronic (R359 000)? We think not. But for those who appreciate fast quality cars that you don’t see parked on every street corner the Lexus could be just what the doctor ordered.
The Lexus IS 300 is covered by a 5 year/90 000km service plan that is included in the purchase price. A three year/100 000 kilometre warranty package applies as does a 24 hour roadside assistance programme during the warranty period.