Lexus introduces high performance F-Sport grade

Lexus has extended its IS range and added a new F-Sport grade which takes its styling from the ultra high performance IS F model. The grade, and its extra sporty features, is available for both IS 250 and 220d models, and sits in the IS line-up between the established SE-I and SE-L models.

The F-Sport exterior features include lowered suspension (IS 250 only), exclusive 18-inch wheels and an IS F-style front grille and rear bootlid spoiler. Inside there are aluminium sports pedals, IS F-style sports seats, steering wheel and (on the IS 250 automatic) gear lever. The seats are finished in a combination of Alcantara upholstery with leather side bolsters.

A black-on-black interior colour scheme goes with a black headlining and grey stitching detail on the front seats and steering wheel.

F-Sport models share a number of premium equipment features with SE-L grade, including rain-sensing wipers, HID headlights with AFS, 13-speaker audio system and memory settings for the front seats and door mirrors.

Using a 40GB hard disc drive (HDD), Lexus's navigation system provides Europe-wide coverage and is able to gather live local traffic intelligence in each country to help plot the most efficient route, wherever you may be.

A further benefit of the HDD system is its “sound library” function. Up to 10GB of disc space is available for owners to store audio tracks from CD – room enough for about 2,000 songs.

The touch-screen, full-map system is available as an option on SE and SE-I models as part of package that also includes a rear park assist monitor.

For F-Sport and SE-L versions of IS, it is included in the optional Multimedia Package, together with a 14-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound System and the rear park assist monitor.

All Lexus IS audio systems can be upgraded to receive DAB digital broadcasts and are equipped as standard with USB and audio jack plug connection for fully controlled use of portable music players, and Bluetooth with an audio streaming function.

The Mark Levinson audio package now features a “sound library” function, using the navigation system’s HDD to transfer and store music files from CD up to 10GB capacity.

Lexus says the IS 250 SE and 220d SE models have been given more street appeal for 2010 with 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels fitted as standard, in place of the previous 16-inch rims.

The revisions made to the IS 250 for the 2010 model year have yielded improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With manual transmission, combined cycle economy is now 29.1mpg, compared to 28.8mpg for the 2009 model; the new figure for the automatic is 31.7mpg  (from 31.0mpg). CO2 emissions have fallen from 231 to 227g/km for the manual and 214 to 209g/km for the automatic.

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