Running With the Giants
The picture next to this writing should tell you everything you need to know about the new Lexus IS. In case you couldn't tell, that's roughly
28 yards worth of shredded tires laid through smoky burnouts and donuts on Downsview airstrip during the car's press introduction last week.
I apologize in advance for any letdowns that may occur as a result of said photo, but the car that did this is out of the scope of this article. Such behavior, might I add, is not advocated by Lexus, rather, it was a once in a lifetime demonstration of the potency of the 306-horsepower IS 350, with all of its governing electronics secretly disengaged by its chief engineer, Mr. Suguya Fukusato. Instead, we're here to look at the "base" IS 250, and in this regard the potential for sporting behavior is also clear and present.
Ironically, the word that's most accurate in describing Lexus' movement into 2006 isn't potential; it's kinetic, considering the brand is carrying all the
forward momentum of a barreling freight train as it moves into its next stage in life. At a rate that rivals rapid-fire artillery, Lexus has churned out new cars, new technology, and concepts in the hopes of making the brand more appealing in Europe and launching successfully it in its home market of Japan, plus bringing attention to it globally while making it even more successful in North America, where it all began.
For any premium car manufacturer, the most expensive and least expensive vehicles matter most. It's easy to understand why a high five-figure halo vehicle would sit atop other priorities, but an entry-level compact sedan? For competitors, BMW and Audi, the C-Segment makes up the vast majority of sales, and to achieve top ranking status a vehicle must incorporate the perfect blend between luxury, performance and price. Get it right, and you walk away with the sales figures, street cred and a name that forms a solid foundation for future vehicles. Get it wrong, and you're the dog's dinner. Pressure? What pressure?
The picture next to this writing should tell you everything you need to know about the new Lexus IS. In case you couldn't tell, that's roughly
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| This picture should tell you everything you need to know about the new IS, although such irresponsible behavior is not advocated by Lexus. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press) |
I apologize in advance for any letdowns that may occur as a result of said photo, but the car that did this is out of the scope of this article. Such behavior, might I add, is not advocated by Lexus, rather, it was a once in a lifetime demonstration of the potency of the 306-horsepower IS 350, with all of its governing electronics secretly disengaged by its chief engineer, Mr. Suguya Fukusato. Instead, we're here to look at the "base" IS 250, and in this regard the potential for sporting behavior is also clear and present.
Ironically, the word that's most accurate in describing Lexus' movement into 2006 isn't potential; it's kinetic, considering the brand is carrying all the
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| Witnessing an IS 350 burn out was a once in a lifetime demonstration of the potency of its 306-horsepower V6, with all of its governing electronics secretly disengaged by its chief engineer. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press) |
For any premium car manufacturer, the most expensive and least expensive vehicles matter most. It's easy to understand why a high five-figure halo vehicle would sit atop other priorities, but an entry-level compact sedan? For competitors, BMW and Audi, the C-Segment makes up the vast majority of sales, and to achieve top ranking status a vehicle must incorporate the perfect blend between luxury, performance and price. Get it right, and you walk away with the sales figures, street cred and a name that forms a solid foundation for future vehicles. Get it wrong, and you're the dog's dinner. Pressure? What pressure?