Sport wagon and a hardtop convertible is rumored.

 

what about AWD?

 

Highly likely as an option, but not sure which engine(s) it'll be available with.

 

If it's going to compete with BMW, both engines.

 

Well it's official - the new IS will debut along side the new E90 3 series in Geneva - it should be fun.

The only thing I worry is that the IS model will be some show mule which can't be touched while I know there'll be plenty of production 3 series to sit in - heck they'll probably be sitting at dealer lots about the same time as the show - well at least in Europe..

 

Thanks for the news! WAR IS COMING!!!

 

is this really official? I'm sitting here in Switzerland and I somehow didn't know that...?

 

Yes. It was just announced a couple of hours ago by Lexus USA Group Vice President & General Manager Dennis E. Clements at a Press Conference for the Detroit Auto Show (North American International Auto Show). For more information, read the top article on the Home Page of http://www.is300.net

 

Well, the question now comes up if she knows more than she lets on Obviously I don't know it for a fact, but I wouldn't bet the monthly rent that she is as clueless as she sounds.

Yeah. Flip has done a good job trying to keep us up-to-date on the new IS but I blame Lexus for simply being TOO hush-hush for TOO long about this car. There is really no excuse for it other than the idea that they don't want it to compete with the new GS intro. (and we wouldn't have even known THAT if Flip hadn't filled us in on that) Thanks again, Flip.
Honda / Acura is the same way. I got into a big fight with a Honda rep several years ago over the unacceptability of the way Honda reps operate in this area and their refusal to release info on the future new U.S. Civic hatchbacks. I was working with and consulting a potential Civic Hatchback buyer who was quite cash-strapped and could not afford to make a mistake, trying to decide whether to get the present model or wait for its replacement....and that Honda idiot wouldn't even tell us if the present model was going to be dropped. That works with some people but it doesn't work with me. I hold people accountable. True, I was not his boss or do his performance rating, but these people, IMO, should show some courtesy to potential customers. Sometimes just saying "That information is not available" is NOT acceptable.....as in this case. I took my complaint way up the company food chain to his superiors.......last I heard he no longer worked for Honda. Guess he was either fired or managed to B.S. his way into another job.
I would post his name, but Dave has asked us not to do this on CL with specific names, dealerships, or company reps.
While I have seen this to a lesser extent from some other auto companies (notably Porsche, and Chevy with new Corvettes), without question Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura are the worst about getting advance info. I don't have anywhere near the problems with other companies that I have with Toyota and Honda reps. To their credit, though, the Toyota corporate structure in general seems to be less arrogant than the Honda one.

 

Sometimes the secrecy things works (maybe Lexus wants to hols off IS info to unload a bunch of current models) but most of the time I'd venture to guess it's not a good idea.
As it is the production IS will be out a mere 6 mo. after its debut - pretty short period these days. The one good thing about this is that what you'll see in Geneva and New York will probably be just about the final product - not some prototype or concept.

 

Thanks! I just asked the Head of Lexus Switzerland if he could confirm this information and holy boly he confirmed it by saying: " yes, the next gen IS will have its world premiere at Geneva."

I am sooo excited!! I sure will be there, armed with Digicam and a lots of questions. Pics will be posted here as soon as possible.

 

you've been held accountable

 

It's ironic, isn't it? Lexus itself was originally a North American-only nameplate.....now they introduce the latest new Lexus product in Switzerland.
Gotta confess, though.......I'm GLAD to see the Detroit Show get snubbed and denied an introduction for a change.
That show, each year, gets FAR more hype and press coverage than it deserves. For one thing, both our D.C area and the L.A. areas are MUCH larger new-car markets than the Detroit area. We are the two largest new-car markets in the country (as I've mentioned before).The D.C-Baltimore area where I live sells about six times the number of new vehicles that the Detroit area does, and the SoCal - L.A. area sells ten to twelve times as much....yet neither one of these two shows has anywhere near the intros that Detroit does. Go Figure.
Well...next year the D.C show is going to be upgraded significantly to a world-class show. We'll see how it does then.

 

According to a scoop on www.carview.co.jp, the next IS will have 315PS, or about 310hp.
http://www.carview.co.jp/community/b...104.asp?ct2=31
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache...+2gr-fse&hl=en

BTW, the Crown Athlete is gonna be updated accordingly when the new IS is out.
http://translate.google.com/translat...language_tools

 

I HOPE and I mean I HOPE, Lexus offers a manual WITH A CLUTCH with both models. And not the industry standard manual with the weak engine, auto with the strong engine crap.

Many of us are eagerly anticipating this car. And I HOPE and I mean I HOPE Lexus releases all the models at the same time.