The Lexus IS line will be completely revamped for 2016.
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Lexus will change the IS sports sedan line in 2016. Instead of just models with rear and all-wheel drive, the company will offer three models. First, the rear-wheel drive only IS 200t will have a 241 hp four-cylinder turbo based on the engine used now the successful NX200t crossover. Second, a de-tuned 3.5-liter V6 will be the all-weather (all-wheel drive) option with 255 hp and is now called the IS300 AWD. Finally, the IS 350 will be either rear-wheel drive or AWD and use the existing 3.5-liter engine with 306 hp.
Based on the news today it unclear why anyone would want the de-tuned 3.5-liter V6. We suspect it will have a different torque curve than the existing 3.5L and will be optimized for snow and rain, rather than using the AWD for performance. However, an F-Sport version of the IS300 clouds that theory.
We will have more details on the IS 200t as they emerge. We could not be more pleased that the prediction Torque News made has come true. The news that the dog-slow 8.3-second 0-60 mph IS250 AWD is now dead as a model is also a welcome move. That car was an embarrassment as a sports sedan. By all appearances, the IS 200t may be almost as quick as the IS 350 in a sprint. Our guess is a 0-60 time of about 6 seconds. A current IS 350 runs in the mid to high 5-second range. It is also refreshing to see Lexus offering an IS 200t without the extra weight and cost of the AWD system.
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Top of page image is the 2016 Lexus IS 200t.
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