2002 Lexus IS 300 L-Tuned Limited Edition

These are heady times for automotive enthusiasts. With increasing regularity, manufacturers are discovering the marketing benefits of performance-oriented personalization programs backed by a factory imprimatur. The most recent player to establish a fledgling presence in this burgeoning field is Lexus, with its L-Tuned operation.


Barely two years old, the organization initially concentrated on providing appropriately racy parts for the GS Series. The arrival of the IS 300, and particularly the latest variant that offers a 5-speed manual transmission, gave them a chance to start plying their trade in an even more fertile arena. Working in conjunction with TRD, the in-house go-fast group at its parent company Toyota, the L-Tuned have developed a variety of pieces for this enthusiast-grade offering that fit like stock components and pass sufficient muster with the quality-control folks to merit similar levels of warranty coverage.

Its front-engine/rear-drive configuration, well-sorted suspension and youth-skewed styling inside and out put this little street-stormer in good competitive stead.

Duly impressive in its own right, the IS 300 rolls out of the box an eminently capable performer. Its front-engine/rear-drive configuration, well-sorted suspension and youth-skewed styling inside and out put this little street-stormer in good stead compared to European entry-luxo sport sedans—notably the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class—that Lexus targets as its prime rivals.


Underhood is a smooth, free-revving 3.0-liter DOHC I-6 that it shares with the GS 300. Fortified with VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with intelligence) that adds flexibility across the rev range, it makes 215 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 218 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,800 revs in the standard IS 300. Chassis particulars include double wishbones with coil springs and gas-pressure shocks at each corner and an anti-roll bar at either end. Traction control, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS/EBD/Brake Assist, and a well-weighted speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering round out the IS 300's basic design brief.


From this starting point, the L-Tuned upgrading process provides for two distinct possibilities, each catering to different tastes—and different budgets. Series I ($3,999) concentrates on visual enhancements complemented by a slight bump in power. It brings a six-element body kit with more aggressive front and rear fascias, side skirts, an expanded mesh grille insert with carbon-fiber look surround, fog lamps and four "L tuned" badges as well as a freer-flowing muffler and larger-diameter tailpipe that add a more commanding rumble to the exhaust note while elevating the underhood pony count to 223.