2001 Lexus IS 300

Lexus earned its stripes with a decade of invade-and-conquer initiatives scattered throughout the luxury car and truck market. Now this brand's mighty product cannons have shifted aim toward another daunting target. After warming up in Japan and Europe, the new Lexus IS 300 has arrived in U.S. dealerships on a clearly defined mission: to rattle the cage of one the most universally adored automobiles on the planet, BMW's 3 Series.


If you buy the proposition that imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, the new IS 300 is Bimmer adulation in its finest form. Inline 6-cylinder engine up front, drive wheels in back: Check. Traditional 3 Series box profile with front wheels snuggled tight against the front bumper: Check. Key length, wheelbase, width, height dimensions within a smidgen of BMW's blueprint: Check. Upon initial inspection, the only missing element seems to be the Bavarian brand's spinning-propeller escutcheon.

Although it shares a number of common visual cues with other Lexus sedans, the IS 300 displays a considerably more aggressive overall flavor.

Dig deeper and it's clear that chief engineer Nobuaki Katayama and his staff have wrought an entity that significantly deviates from the sport-sedan battle plan that BMW has all but perfected through five 3 Series generations. Contrary to the best wishes of U.S. Lexus strategists, no manual transmission will be offered until the 2002 model year. The same goes for an electronic stability system and a sporty wagon variant. Finally, at a 54/46 percent split, weight distribution is less than ideal. But don't damn this effort prematurely. Three factors assure that the new IS 300 will have no difficulty wedging a foot firmly inside the doorway of the small sports-sedan segment. The first is a base price of $30,995—shrewdly half way between BMW's 2001 325 and 330 base 4-door sedans. Second is an introductory target volume of only 25,000 units, less than a third of BMW's annual 3 Series sales. And the final factor in the IS 300's favor is this brand's impeccable reputation for long-lasting quality and complete customer satisfaction. Gaining an initial foothold should not be a problem. The grander challenge is generating the same passionate admiration that surrounds the BMW 3 Series family like a golden halo.


The IS's endearment process begins with purposeful exterior design. The Lexus family resemblance is apparent, but the car's clipped front overhang, chariot wheels hung wide under stretched fenders, and a near total lack of brightwork supplant stodge with the nervous energy of a runner anticipating the starting gun. A center-mounted roof antenna, exhaust pipe the size of a howitzer, and wrap-around clear-lens lamp covers provide surface entertainment that will seize the eyes of customers much younger than the gracefully aging boomers (median age: 50) currently shopping Lexus stores.

Interior treatment on the IS 300 eschews traditional Lexus cues for a more contemporary look, highlighted by its signature "chronograph" instrument cluster.

Some might describe the IS's interior theme as accessory-parts-catalog chic. Over a substrate of stitched hide (seats, steering wheel), doodads and design accents run amok. Polished metal plates spotted with traction dots cover the front and rear doorsills, dead pedal, and brake and throttle pedals. The shifter ball sparkles in black chrome. HVAC knobs are fluted, upholstery inserts are perforated, and assortments of surfaces are debossed with ribbing. The cherry on top is what Lexus calls its "chronograph" instrument cluster. Looking like an oversized Swiss wristwatch, the centrally located 160-mph speedometer is inset with small mpg, voltage, and temperature gauges. Though it's shunted off to the side, the 8,000-rpm tach is still clearly legible. As might be expected, the IS 300 is also loaded with more conventional standard comfort and convenience touches including power driver and passenger seats, tilt steering column, automatic climate control, premium sound system with a 6-disc in-dash CD changer, cruise control and a full range of power-assisted amenities. Key options include a full leather interior, power moonroof and limited-slip differential. The latter two items were found on our tester, and moved its out-the-door price to $32,740.