Lexus IS: 2nd Generation (2005-Present)

Wald International has been busy this week, releasing a new LS 460 body kit and now this, some behind-the scenes photos of the new IS 250/350 Sports Line body kit development:

Interesting to see the process behind the making of one of these kits, I especially like all the tape protecting the IS paintjob.

To get a better idea of the final product, a digital rendition is featured on their site:

I especially like the rear spoiler, thought it seems derivative of BMW 3-Series. The front bumper is different, but not necessarily better than the original, and I certainly don’t care for the modified fenders or side-skirting, which seem overly complicated and out of place, even on a body kit like this.

[Source: Club Lexus]

Click Read More to see more IS 250/350 production shots.
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Edmunds has published a head-to-head battle of the 2007 IS350 vs. the BMW 335i, and while the results are fairly predictable (Shock! The 3-series wins again), a point must be made that the test itself was skewed in favor of Bavaria.

With performance being the main point of the comparison, the 335i was equipped with an optional $1,700 sports package, while the only options given to the IS350 were luxury appointments like the $3,990 navigation package and safety features like the $2,900 pre-collision system/dynamic radar cruise control. Considering this, is it any shock that the 335i outperformed the IS350 or that the Lexus was more expensive?

How can you draw proper conclusions when the test subjects are uneven?

[Via: BMW Blog]

Another week, another Fifth Gear Lexus review posted on YouTube.

This time up, it’s the Lexus IS220d, from an episode aired in 2005:

There’s a few things that stand out in this review, when Tom Ford compares it to the BMW 320d:

“Do you want to be able to say, ‘My car’s faster than your car?’, or do you want to say ‘My Car’s torque-r and more refined than your car?’”

“If I’ve got to cover 30,000 miles a year, I don’t want a car that only satisfies me 10% of the time, I’d prefer something that really did isolate me and make me feel comfortable 90% of the time.”

The 220d is only available in Europe, and will seemingly remain that way indefinitely.

[Source: egmCarTech]

From Japan’s car magazine Car Top comes a digital rendition of a Lexus IS Coupe & Convertible:

Keep in mind this is only a photochop and has no real basis in reality, though this car has been hinted at since 2005.

Really, it’s more a question of when we’ll be seeing these cars, because the addition of two IS variants would significantly level the playing field as Lexus tries to cut in on BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-Class sales. At the very least, there’s an IS convertible sized hole in the model lineup.

[Source: Nihon Car]

It all started with the LS400.

I remember the first time I noticed one, admittedly mistaking it for a Mercedes, only to see that silver L and think I’d seen something rare, like a Ferrari or a Lamborgini.

Of course, that wasn’t the case, but the truth impressed me even more, a Japanese Luxury brand, created by Toyota. I was and remain enamored with Japanese culture, and to me it seemed like the perfect vehicle. I knew what my first car purchase was going to be.

Fast forward nine years, finally in the position to buy a car, and there was only one choice — My girlfriend and I bought a 1994 LS400 and my obsession was solidified:

Of course, buying the car was just the beginning. I started spending more and more time on the Lexus forums researching and reading up on every conceivable topic, following every single shred of news. It wasn’t too long before my car and Lexus became an obsession.

This website is a result of that obsession. Welcome to The Passionate Pursuit, dedicated to bringing you all the most up-to-date and interesting news on all things Lexus.

My name is Kevin RE Watts and I can be contacted here.

Let’s begin.