Lexus hints at broader IS range

Following the unveiling of its third-generation IS sedan at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Lexus has suggested that it will seek to expand its small prestige model portfolio.

The Japanese prestige car maker said it will look to include coupe, convertible, wagon and high-performance variants of its new IS model – while at the same time cautioning a metered roll-out was required in consideration of its restrictive financial resources.

Lexus’ executive vice president, Kazuo Ohara, told motoring.com.au that strong support for the manufacturer’s SportCross social media campaign and an enthusiastic response to the Japanese prestige marque’s LF-CC concept has inspired the luxury marque to broaden the IS range.

“We would like to extend the IS range a little bit more than we have now,” said Ohara-san.
“We are targeting younger generations with the IS, and we would like to make sure that it’s appealing to younger generations, that they want to buy [it], and that the emotional elements [are addressed].”

A coupe variant of the IS was likely to lead the charge for the revamped IS range. Ohara-san sat beneath a large framed rendering of the 2012 Paris Motor Show concept, a sketch he gestured was slated for production.

“We are working on the possible commercialisation of this kind of car,” Ohara-san explained, pointing to the glossy illustration. “It’s not [going to look] exactly like this kind of car, but this [concept] should give you the idea.”

The authoritative Lexus spokesperson hinted that a coupe variant of the IS would give Lexus the competition required to go up against BMW’s new 4 Series Coupe – also unveiled in Detroit – as well as the likes of Audi A5, Infiniti G37 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

If the coupe variant was to go ahead, a convertible IS was also feasible. It would succeed the popular IS 250 C, taking the number of IS body styles to four.

Finally, owing to vastly improved dynamics, Ohara-san also hinted that the IS range’s flagship performance model, IS-F, was poised to make a comeback.

“The vehicle dynamics are improved [with the new IS]. This one is so much better. The body rigidity is improved substantially,” smiled Ohara-san. “IS-F contributes a lot to our brand image, and this is something we would like to think about with this next generation.”

The now defunct Lexus IS-F drew acclaim in motoring circles for its outstanding blend of performance and price, undercutting the likes of BMW’s E90 M3 sedan by almost $20,000.

Australia will receive a three-strong IS sedan range by Spring this year (2013).

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