{"id":75363,"date":"2022-11-22T12:51:02","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T12:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dubizzle.com\/blog\/cars\/?p=75363"},"modified":"2022-11-22T12:51:03","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T12:51:03","slug":"lexus-is-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dubizzle.com\/blog\/cars\/lexus-is-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Car History: Lexus IS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to cars with comfortable and luxurious designs, Lexus is among the leading auto manufacturers. Lexus being a luxury division of Toyota offers excellent build quality, efficient performance, advanced technology, and reliability. While Lexus LS and ES are among the top sedans by this brand, the IS model was introduced in the auto brand\u2019s sedan lineup in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018IS\u2019 stands for \u2018Intelligent Sports<\/em>\u2019. That said, Lexus stays true to its naming convention as this compact executive sedan features a sporty exterior and delivers performance with great responsiveness. Lexus IS history spans over three generations featuring innovative technology and high performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s revisit the journey of Lexus IS and how it has evolved over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evolution of Lexus IS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introduced specifically for the European market, the Lexus lS 200 model is a compact sports sedan. Featuring Lexus innovation and state-of-the-art engineering, the IS model featured new and advanced technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s go through the history of Lexus IS Series and rewind its journey to becoming one of the most popular sports sedans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIRST-GENERATION LEXUS IS (1998-2005)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"First
The first generation of Lexus IS Series was first launched as Toyota Altezza in 1998<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is an interesting fact about Lexus<\/a> that it is Toyota’s luxury division. Speaking of that, before the introduction of the first generation Lexus IS, it was known as Toyota Altezza in Japan. Later, the IS 200 model debuted in 1999. It was powered by a 2.0-litre engine generating 153 horsepower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovation included the LED tail lights and the sports chronograph instrument panel. The front fascia featured a trapezoidal grille with four slats and the logo in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2001, Lexus launched the IS Sports Cross model that featured a station wagon car body type. This car model in the Lexus IS history was specifically launched in the USA with 3.0-litre engine generating 215 hp. It came with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive<\/a> options paired with 5-speed and 4-speed automatic transmissions, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the front fascia of Sports Cross was similar to the IS 200 model, there were slight design changes on the rear and sides. There was a roof spoiler mounted on the rear windscreen and the roof extended behind the C-pillars. Besides, there was an additional side window on the rear side of this 5-door Sports Cross model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SECOND-GENERATION LEXUS IS (2005-2013)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Lexus
Lexus IS-C was a convertible sports sedan launched in the second generation of this car model<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As a luxury division in the Toyota group brands, the second generation of Lexus IS was built on Toyota N-platform. As a sports sedan, this Lexus IS generation featured the following engine lineup:<\/p>\n\n\n\n