It is expected to be on local showroom floors in the third quarter of 2006.
The new Lexus IS is offered with a choice of two engines: a 2.5 litre direct injection V6 petrol engine and a 2.2 litre state-of-the-art diesel unit. However, it is doubtful if Toyota South Africa will introduce the diesel model here.
The double overhead camshaft, 2 499 cc V6 petrol engine combines a stoichiometric direct injection system with Dual VVT-i. It develops 150 kW at 6 400 r/min and 250 Nm of torque at 3 800 r/min.
This V6 is mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or an entirely new, 6-speed automatic transmission featuring sequential paddle-shift control