This shapely exterior form is plunked down on a new compact platform derived from the latest midsize GS. Engineers masterfully took
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| This shapely exterior form is plunked down on a new compact platform derived from the latest midsize GS. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
the key elements of this architecture, cleaving and reforming to craft a stiff chassis capable of underpinning a much smaller vehicle. Compared to the GS, the IS has shrunk in all dimensions, with the least taken off the vehicle's width to maintain a wide track for a better grip on the road and improved interior accommodations. But despite the fact that the IS is a whole size smaller than the GS, and uses a slew of lighter weight materials in its construction, it still has gained a lot of weight during its growth from 2005 to 2006. The near featherweight original has bloomed to within 75 kg (165 lbs) of the new, much larger GS.
Still,
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| Where the GS puts luxury before performance, the IS has its priorities reversed. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
where the GS puts luxury before performance, the IS has its priorities reversed. Though suspension components branch from the same family tree, the smaller car features heavier duty anti-roll bars and double-tube shock absorbers connected to its multi-link rear suspension to give the car a sportier ride and reduce body roll and lean, while the electronic power steering unit has been tweaked to provide a heavier weight and greater feel - a trait highly demanded amongst sport sedan buyers. Unsurprisingly, it's nigh impossible to tell that both cars share similar parts.
