Lexus Expands IS Engine Lineup to Include Smaller, Turbo Four

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Lexus will offer for the first time in the United States a four-cylinder IS, the automaker announced Friday.

The compact luxury car will sport a variety of engines starting with a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder borrowed from the NX200t, and two variations of its 3.5-liter V-6 that it currently offers.

The smaller mill in the IS200t will produce 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, according to the automaker, and will only be offered with rear-wheel drive.

Lexus said it would offer a version of its existing 3.5-liter V-6 in an all-wheel drive IS300, detuned from its current 306 horsepower. The revised engine will produce 255 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.

The IS350 will be rear- or all-wheel drive and continue to sport the 3.5-liter V-6.

Aaron Cole
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  • 22_RE_Speedwagon 22_RE_Speedwagon on Jul 24, 2015

    New engines for the IS! We took our nine year old engine and detuned it!

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    • Fvfvsix Fvfvsix on Jul 25, 2015

      @carguy The existing AWD system uses the old 6spd transmission, so you're probably right.

  • Quentin Quentin on Jul 25, 2015

    I wonder if this is actually a detuned 2GR-FSE (IS350 engine) or the 2GR-FKS (similar to the Tacoma). If the FSE, that would likely mean that it is designed to run on regular rather than premium of the FSE (lower compression, less aggressive valve timing?) If it is the FKS, that would be the wide angle VVTi that we're seeing on the Tacoma that will allow it to run a modified Atkinson cycle and give a decent boost to fuel economy. If it is the former, I'm not sure what their logic is unless they were able to squeeze some considerable fuel economy gains out of it. The latter would be a great middle ground engine that has the latest and greatest fuel savings tech but still be a smooth V6 and have a nice solid output.

  • Lightspeed Lightspeed on Jul 26, 2015

    Knew this was coming. Was hoping Lexus would retain naturally-aspirated engines as a brand distinction and engineering reference point. They could have essentially said, "See what we learned about engines from the LFA? We don't need turbos because we understand how engines work better than the other guys."

  • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Jul 27, 2015

    "Lexus said it would offer a version of its existing 3.5-liter V-6 in an all-wheel drive IS300, detuned from its current 306 horsepower. The revised engine will produce 255 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque." Huh, what? Why? That's not an acceptable power figure for a luxury car with a 3.5. EDIT: This IS is a perfect example of a car which does not work in white. The Panamera is another example. As well as the MKS.

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