Lexus is one of the biggest teases in the motoring industry. The company constantly baits us with breathtaking concept cars and yet refuses to actually build them. The company has redeemed itself ever so slightly though, by using the rough design of the gorgeous Lexus LF-CC concept car as the basis for its new Lexus IS model — just as it promised.
Like the LF-CC, the next Lexus IS features a front grille large enough to swallow a small horse. It is, frankly, disproportionate to the rest of the car, but we think it’s awesome all the same – a bit like how how enormous boob jobs or Gerard Depardieu’s nose somehow seem to suit the things they’re attached to.
It isn’t quite as imposing in profile. The overall shape is a little too generic for our tastes, and the rear, while perfectly acceptable, needs an extra touch of menace, perhaps from a large diffuser or preposterously-large exhausts, to bring balance to the hefty grille that’s at the front.
Inside is lovely with a sporty appearance, a large, widescreen infotainment display, touch-sensitive electrostatic buttons and a huge, circular digital instrument binnacle sat behind the steering wheel. The wheel itself is inspired by the one in the LFA and has a lower seat hip point and angle than the previous IS, with greater reach adjustment for a sportier feel.
Passengers should be happy to sit in this thing, particularly in the rear. The new Lexus IS is wider and has a longer wheelbase, with Lexus claiming best in class legroom.
We’re curious to see what sorts of engines will be fitted to the IS and whether it’s as good to drive as the BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, its primary rivals. More on this beauty as we get it.
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