XeroK00L

Looks like plastic but still gives quite a sportier look than the wood trim.
The good news is the pedals do look like real aluminum.
Thanks to iatacs19 @ my.is for first finding this.

Gojirra99

Can't say for sure, but if its painted plastic replacing the wood, it actually matches those on the center control panel more, but if it is, that's too much of painted plastic & will make the car look cheap, not what a Lexus is supposed to be. Even the 05 G35 have switched to real aluminium.

I would say if it's painted plastic, I would prefer to have wood, sporty or not. Besides, there won't be too many wood panels in this car anyway.

spwolf

you guys are over-doing the painted plastic "problem". Avensis in Europe has real aluminium trim, and you cant really tell if it is not well done painted plastic or aluminium. As long as it looks good, its good.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

wow, this is very nice! i think this is definitely teh combo to get, enev if they are plastic. personally i have no problem with that, as long as it's solid and the fit and finish is good. if anything i think the hood would look very weird on this car

STIG

i would go with wood trim but it looks really cool tho

ny888

I think it's beautiful. I love the aluminum trim on the door handles.

XeroK00L

Actually the aluminum trim on the door handles is in the wood-trimmed interior too.

Leatherseats.com

The real aluminum interior pieces feel a little better, but they are always wrapped in this plastic sheath to protect the aluminum from hand grease or something I guess. The plastic sheath comes off after time and its pretty crappy looking. I think the painted plastics with automotive clear coat are a lot more quality in that respect. Anyways the M5, the owner has, came with Aluminum trim but it has the plastic sheathing coming off in several places also and it looks pretty bad. After we get the tranny fixed (crushed a few gears) I think the interior is going to come completely out and get redone.

Jeremy

encore888

The previous pic of the wood by the shifter was amazing, I am open to the metal but I would like to see a closeup first. Good pic so far.

Xanadu350

I think this will look hot with black leather interior.

I don't think Lexus would use painted plastic. Would they?

Gojirra99

Looks like the controls panel in the center already is, similar to that on the RX

encore888

Maybe painted plastic like the current ES console?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah lexus already have plenty of painted plastic on the rx and the es. since they are both entry level cars, i wouldnt' be surprised if they are used in the IS too. you can't expect that much out of the car...... the car is entry level after all and it has to be "cheap"

encore888

^^^

That said though, the RX and ES have wood trim which 'supercedes' the plastic...after all plastic is used in the consoles of all mainstream luxury brands....just usually 'black' plastic that is not painted.

I hope there is real metal such as that used in the RX 400h.

spwolf

problem is not the pricing - but the fact that metal does not "breathe" as plastic does, which in turn might lead to quite few squeaks in few years.

Having thin sheet of brushed aluminium in the car is certainly not expensive, but I would think it would be almost impossible to maintain those close gaps on Lexus interiors if one part is metal that does not expand and contract during hot/cold days, like other parts of interior do.