The other IS F -- F for facelift

Lexus Australia will offer a facelifted IS range as an hors d'oeuvre to its stove hot IS F sports sedan.

Set to debut Down Under in October, with production commencing at the Lexus Tahara plant in Japan in September, the updated MY09 IS range will incorporate exterior and interior changes as well as electro-mechanical upgrades such as a new vehicle dynamics program to replace the current stability control system.

The full details of the update will be released later this month. It's believed the new range gets minor bodywork revisions including a new grille and reprofiled bumpers. New taillights feature a simpler motif and the side indicator repeaters have been moved from the front guard to the wing mirrors, a la the LS. Three new alloy wheel designs have been struck, while inside there are minor revisions including a new centre console stack.

The new IS 250 range will also feature Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) for the first time. The system should provide more seamless operation than the existing stability control system. Unlike the system on the new M3-chasing IS F, however, the cooking model IS's set-up will not feature a sports/track setting.

According to Lexus Australia chief, John Roca (pictured), the updated range will see Prestige and Sports Luxury versions of the IS 250 arriving in October. The Sports variant will be delayed to early 2009, pending a proposed interior upgrade (from alcantara upholstery to leather).

Save for LCT effects, prices will be unchanged, Roca said.

According to Roca, both 220 turbodiesel and 350 3.5-litre direct-injected V6 variants of the IS are still non-starters for Oz. The turbodiesel model would "complicate" Lexus' environmental message, the local boss said, referring to the maker's petrol and petrol-hybrid stance Down Under.

Ironically, the Australian market's alignment with Europe (which could make an IS 220 a relatively easy addition to the range) is stopping Lexus Australia from adding the 223kW IS 350 to its line-up. At this stage, European Lexus execs are lukewarm on the larger engined V6. The car remains a strong performer in the US, however.

"The door hasn't been shut on the car yet," Roca told the Carsales Network at the launch of the V8-engined IS F (see separate story here) in Japan this week.

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