New Lexus IS arriving early

Christmas will come early for those eager to be among the first to take delivery of the 2021 Lexus IS, which is now scheduled to arrive in local dealerships from early November.

Showing off a striking new look, an updated cabin and offering more advanced safety features, first shipments of the new Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series-rivalling Lexus IS mid-size luxury sedan have been brought forward and Lexus Australia is close to confirming price and specification for the fourth-generation series.

“We’re very pleased to get access to that car on sale so early,” said Lexus Australia spokesperson Daniel DeGasperi.

Revealed overseas mid-year, the local Lexus IS publicity campaign will kick off in early November at the Melbourne Cup, one of the few sporting events to run during Victoria’s strict lockdown.

While detailed pricing and specifications will be announced in the coming weeks, the new Lexus IS range is expected to mirror the current line-up, which kicks off at $60,500 and tops out at about $82,000 (plus on-road costs).

Bringing a muscular new look to bear, the lower and wider 2021 Lexus IS sedan features all-new sheet-metal compared to its predecessor, but the engines and underpinnings of the fourth-generation luxury car carry over from the previous series.

That means three petrol engines will be offered initially: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo (180kW/350Nm), 3.5-litre V6 (232kW/380Nm) and 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid (133kW/221Nm).

The crucial next-generation IS could also see a return of the flagship high-performance Lexus IS F to take on the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C 63. The IS F was not seen in the third generation.

Given the new IS series is lighter, has a more advanced suspension package, boasts improved torisional rigidity and is significantly wider at the front (+45mm) and rear (+50mm), the car should be able to handle more power.

Lexus has two clear powertrain options that could work for the high-performance IS F, namely the brand’s 310kW twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre petrol V6 or its upcoming 450kW-plus turbo V8 engine.

Although Lexus’ controversial remote touch controller will return, navigation of the infotainment system and its menus can also be executed via a larger 10.3 touch-screen.

The cabin hasn’t been changed dramatically apart from new air vents and different trim and upholstery colour options, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity will now be offered.

A range of driver assistance systems have been added including advanced lane tracing assist and emergency steering assist. Driver emergency stop assist, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist and road sign detection will also be on offer.

DeGasperi said the new model will be “available to order early November, with some stock in dealerships”.

“The new Lexus IS is tracking very well. We’ve brought it forward to early November. We’re close to confirming spec and price,” he said.

Thus far in 2020, the IS stands as Lexus’ top-selling passenger car but fourth-best-seller overall behind its mainstream SUV trio of UX, NX and RX models.

Compared to its rivals, the Lexus sedan is struggling and the Japanese brand will be hoping the new series will deliver a significant sales boost from its current 409 sales (year to date).

The BMW 3 Series – and carsales 2019 Car of the Year – is leading the segment, selling almost six times more vehicles than the Lexus IS at 2371 units YTD.

The Lexus IS will be backed by a four-year/100,000km warranty, which is better than the three-year cover provided by brands such as Audi, BMW and Jaguar, but not as strong as Mercedes-Benz and Volvo which offer a five-year factory warranty.

As well as spruiking its new IS models at the 2020 Melbourne Cup, Lexus has also flown in its futuristic LF-30 concept for the event, of which it is the major sponsor.

The forward-looking concept SUV is powered by four in-wheel electric motors that produce a combined 400kW/700Nm, providing the fantasy EV with extreme acceleration.