Things You Need to Know about the 2013 IS
For a car that hasn’t even been publicly revealed, the 2013 IS sure does get around. Several magazines have already put out previews from behind the wheel. Heck, Jay Leno’s already gotten to drive it. So what’s going on under the swirly exterior?
The biggest (read:most fun) change to the IS character will come by way of it’s chassis. It’s built on a shortened version of the GS’s platform. The new GS has recieved critical praise for being a genuinely fun to drive sedan, right up there with the best cars in it’s class. We should expect the same thing from the IS. If car mags are to be believed, it’s about as good as a 3 Series. Not bad right?
Engine-wise, it’s the same old story. There’s the 2.5 liter V6 IS250 and the sportier 3.5 liter IS350. There’s even a hybrid version. Sadly (I guess?), it’s not coming to the states. Hybrid lovers will have to settle for the cozy CT200h and the ES300h.
The announcement of hybrid power is basically the opposite of exciting news. To counter that, there’s a strong likely hood that the V8 model will be returning sometime in 2014. Car and Driver notes that the delicious coupe version is still on the drawing board.
We’re still waiting on the Detroit auto show to see what Lexus has done with the design for the IS. In the mean time, I’ll try and live vicariously through Leno as he puts the prototype through it’s paces.
