Drew Dowdell

By Drew Dowdell With the North American International Auto Show just around the corner, expect the pre-show leaks to start pouring out. The first big leak of the season is the 2014 Lexus IS, shown here in F-Sport trim. The Lexus IS will be powered by the familiar 2.5 liter and 3.5 liter V6es with a hybrid 4-cylinder available later. The Hi-Po IS-F could be powered by a 470 horsepower 5.0 liter V8 that gets the car to 60mph in 4.5 seconds. Stay tuned to CheersandGears.com for full coverage of the 2013 North American International Auto show in Detroit. Click the Album below for a full spread. Update: Lexus has released the full press release and official photos. Press release is on page 2. Official Photos have been added to the album below. Album: 2014 Lexus IS Lexus Releases First Official Photos of the Next Generation IS TORRANCE, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2013) - The all-new Lexus IS compact sport sedan will make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 15, 2013. A press conference will be held in the Cobo Center at 9:30 a.m. EST, and live webcast streaming of the event will be available at www.lexus.com and on the Lexus Facebook page. The all-new IS model range will include IS 250, IS 350, and the first IS to feature Lexus Hybrid Drive, the IS 300h, which will be available in Europe, Japan and other international markets. F SPORT models will be available across the full range. Today, Lexus released photos of the all-new IS 250/350 F SPORT in advance of next week’s World Premiere. Exterior Design The all-new IS features the new Lexus spindle grille frontal design, awarding the compact sedan a combination of aggressive elegance, a more powerful road presence and a stronger brand identity. The tight, sporting proportions of the body are formed by powerful character lines generated by the shape of the spindle grille, which passes through the base of the A-pillars then tightens up as it flows toward the rear. They clearly delineate the body from the cabin, emphasizing the wide flare of the wheel arches to give the new IS a broad, powerful stance. In profile, the strong horizontal beltline shows off the large rear tires and its low center of gravity. The mass of the cabin itself is concentrated rearwards, visually applying weight to the rear tires to enhance the perception of traction. A rising crease line flowing from the lower body, through the rear wheel arch and into the rear lamp clusters adds the sweeping elegance to the sedan’s sporty profile. The exterior design incorporates a new, powerfully articulated headlamp cluster design with Lexus trademark, L-shaped Daytime Running Lights (DRL) located independently below. F SPORT models are instantly recognized by an exclusive grille and front bumper design. The ‘waistline’ of the grille is higher than on standard models, increasing the area of the lower grille to make it capable of drawing in a larger volume of cooling air appropriate to sporty performance. Interior Design The new IS interior design creates a focused, ergonomically ideal environment from within, which the driver can fully exploit the new Lexus compact sedan’s superb driving dynamics. The new IS’ increased width and longer wheelbase provide significantly improved rear seat comfort. The combination of the extended wheelbase and a thinner front seat design generates best-in-class knee room and improved accessibility. And new, 60:40 split/folding rear seats, provide expansive luggage capacity. Cabin material, trim and finish refinement is complimented by the latest advances in HMI technology and a high quality analog clock with surface-emitting illumination. The center console incorporates Lexus-first, electrostatic switches to control the air conditioning temperature with the touch of a finger. Both the seat hip point and the angle of the new, LFA-inspired steering wheel have been lowered and steering reach adjustment increased, creating a more sporting driving position. F SPORT models feature the LFA’s innovative driver’s meter with a moving center ring. F SPORT trim detailing includes a perforated leather finish to the steering wheel and shift knob, metal film 3-D-effect ornamentation, black seat stitching, and aluminium pedals and scuff plates. A choice of three F SPORT interior color schemes includes a new Rioja Red finish, which is exclusive to the marque. View full article

something around 1 in 4 Passats sold is a diesel. Jetta is approaching a similar take rate. The limitation primarily being VW's production capacity for the diesel engines.

The lack of a strong design theme is what bothers me most... by leaving the silhouette basically similar to Fords they end up with the perception that they are just Fords with a fancy grille. Buick may use all the same platforms as Chevy, but there is substantially better visual differentiation between the brands.

not sure I'd call it a reboot... just the next update.

Dart - finally shipping some automatics

My guess is SRT doesn't have an engine ready for it yet. Probably a turbo in the 1.8 to 2.0 liter range.

well there is a substantial difference in size.

Can you really have a global tag line? Words mean different things in different cultures. "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet" just doesn't play well in Saudi Arabia. Chrysler's "Imported from Detroit" along with the Eminem song are so distinctly American I wonder if they would have a repulsive effect in say, France. The only one I can think of who got away with a truly global tag line (twice) was Volkswagen with "Fahrvergnügen" and "Das Auto"

that's a keeper. what wheels came on it?

This may be just what RJion is looking for...

*boom* Wish granted! Audi Q5 getting 3.0 TDI

While a nice idea, I doubt an Impala diesel would out gun a Passat. The Impala has a lot more heft to move around, that will hurt it in fuel economy and/or performance. Reuss already said no.