And now, a compact Lexus

By Alastair Sloane

Lexus will move further into expansion mode next week when it unveils its compact four-door sports sedan, the IS200, in Auckland.

The new front-engine/rear-drive model adds a fourth car to the luxury Lexus fleet, which includes the LS400 saloon and GS300 sports sedan and the four-wheel-drive LX470, all three recently reduced in price to better compete in the top-end market.

The 2-litre IS200 is also expected to be competitively priced, somewhere around $65,000. A guideline here is the Australian price of $51,900, announced in Sydney at the weekend.

The four-cylinder engine in the IS200 produces 114kW of power and 195Nm of torque. The New Zealand model is expected to come with the choice of a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The IS200 has been aimed all along at the BMW 3-Series. Lexus is expected to take the planned rivalry a step further by announcing a 166kW coupe variant of the IS200, powered by the excellent 3-litre, six-cylinder engine from the GS300.

The coupe will be the fifth member of the Lexus fleet.

An all-new LS400, the top-range Lexus, is expected next year. It will have a new 4.3-litre V8 engine, up from the present 4-litre, and a longer wheelbase which will allow more interior room.