Bichon

I agree. What ever it is that blinks when you lock the doors (turn signal perhaps?), certainly doesn't have that rapid on-rapid off that I associate with LED taillamps.

Lem144

On Lexus's website they GS specifically has LED Taillamps as a Safety Feature, but not the IS. They are not on the IS.

Yeah, they arent a big deal and Scions and Civics have them now, so WHY NOT LEXUS? I think it's ridiculous to pay 35k+ for a car and not get the latest and greatest - or even the regular!

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Is it confirmed the IS doesn't have LEDs, or just that Lexus doesn't mention it has them? Just wondering because the RX330 has LED tail lights in both the regular 330 and 400H but the website doesn't say anything about it for the 330 and only for the 400H. It is posible that the IS still has LED tail lights even if it is not mentioned by Lexus.

shaolin

iTrader: (2)

The design of new IS tail light was one of the reason that i bought my IS

Scotty99

I wonder how much the added spoiler affects the aerodynamics? It would seem like since the spoiler deflects wind upward that it would negate the tail light design advantages. Would be interesting to pose the question to one of the Lexus engineers.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

nearly all factory spoilers are for aesthetic/cosmetic purposes

Foxberry

I love the design...if I wasn't crazy about a signifigant aspect of the exterior styling, I probably wouldn't buy the car. I have to love the exterior and interior styling in order to drop major $$$ on it

LexFather

I drove by one and behind it yesterday for the first time, Matador Red. I was shocked at how good this car looks on the move, I was not totally won over the design.

Funny but the part that did attract me the most was the tails, its different to anything today, and the way Lexus has it contour to the side with an accent line is genius.

It looks VERy aggresive from the rear, wonderul detailing!

tzu911

I'm waiting lexus to redesign the 2IS with shockingly creative boldness like the industry-revolutionary altezzzzzza for 2007 model. Lexus WILL surprise all of us, just wait patiently folks.

ecr527

Rear spoilers really won't be of any use until you get way up there in speed. You usually won't be able to go fast enough (legally) in everyday driving for a spoiler like that to have any effect on downforce.

As far as the tail lights go. I like them. They're definitely different. It makes the cars stand out, just like the lights on the first gen car did. I don't think they're LED's though.

pumper

Yeah, maybe I need to see it on another car other than my own. However, I have yet to see another one on the road. (I live about 45 miles from the nearest dealer, so that may be why.) Seeing it "on-the-road" might make it easier to get acclimated to it's uniqueness. I do notice other people checking out my car, and it seems like the back end is a particular point of interest, as is the front end as well.

I know that a lot of automotive designers are using the headlights and tailights as "graphics" in their designs. It just seems that the IS's tails are a little more graphic than most. It's not that I dislike the design, I just need to get used to it. I generally like the "form follows function" concept and this one certainly fits that bill.

I guess my biggest issue, (if you can call it that), is that the rest of the design is so non-ground-breaking, that the taillights are almost shocking in perspective. The rest of the car is tastefully contemporary; aggressive and fresh without being over the edge. There are no "Bangle-butts," no "flame-surfacing," no "Dame-Edna Eyebrow" headlights, etc. There are no Audi-esque "shark-mouth" grills, no Cadillac-awkward design cues, no "early-American obesity" Chysler/Dodge designs. The IS is the evolution of "good-design" without the revolution of "yet to be proven" design -- except for the taillights. The taillights are the one, single design cue that is totally different than anything that has come before. (I can't remember any other taillight design that has contours and points anything like it).

Maybe, in the future, this kind of aerodynamic aid/design cue will become commonplace, and Lexus will be seen as a design leader. I'll reserve judgement until then. For now, I'm glad I got my IS in Matador Red as the red paint seems to de-emphasize the red contours of the taillights.

pumper

diablo1

When I first saw the tail lights at Taste of Lexus I thought, those are too crazy, there's no way I can buy this car. But they really grew on me. I like how Lexus came up with this one on their own. Some of their other recent designs (cough cough new LS cough cough) are pretty blatant rip-offs. But the lights are all Lexus and now I think they look really nice.

shox

I'm with most people, didn't like it at first but it's grown on me. I love it actually, looks like the rear end is giving people behind dirty looks.

Lenscap

The taillights are definitely LED. They're not the individual bulbs like you see on an Infiniti G35, but they are LED. They light up real quick, which makes it obvious they're LED. If you need more proof, check out this portion of the press release from last year's Geneva launch:

"Astern, splayed rear wheel arches taper into a short, pugnacious rear overhang topped with powerful LED lamp clusters. The unique and unexpected sporting design graphic of the rear lamp cluster reflects an intriguing elegance central to the L-Finesse philosophy, and once more sets a precedent for the styling of future Lexus models."

Langdell

I love the design of the taillights. Have since the moment I saw them. And I don't understand whey anyone would consider the mere fact that they are distinctive as a negative. I for one like to drive a car that stands out a bit. (That is, I like it to stand out in a good way. I personally would not put the 1st gen. IS clear taillights in the "stand out in a good way" category.) I am looking forward to parking my IS350 in the middle of the 4 Bimmers that flank my parking space at home and being able to tell which car is mine when I head out in the morning.