Lexus IS 200t Coming to Canada, New IS 300 AWD Also Announced

krew

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krew
15-06-26-lexus-is-300-awd-400x200.jpg


Lexus Canada has announced that the current IS 250 will be replaced with two engine options — the IS 200t RWD announced earlier today, and a new IS 300 AWD.
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I'm with you BD, a separate engine with almost the same performance doesn't seem to make much sense. It's so detuned that they call it the IS 300 meaning it's only as strong as a 3.0 liter engine. Very weird.
 

Bulldog 1

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Confirms my decision to trade my 2014 IS250 for a 2015 IS250 F Sport. I'm personally not interested in a 4 cylinder anything. I know it's more HP but as a V8 pushrod muscle car owner, I do believe in displacement and normally aspirated engines. Only additional feature I see being added is rain sensing wipers.
And hey, this is all Canada spec. I shouldn't care anyway.
 

corradoMR2

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That's very weird that they would make a 3.5L V6 that weak, and really compete with the turbo engine. What's the point of it then?
BD

To have an entry level AWD offering. R&D costs tweaking an existing powertrain are significantly cheaper vs mating the turbo engine to a new tranny and AWD... my guess.

Confirms my decision to trade my 2014 IS250 for a 2015 IS250 F Sport. I'm personally not interested in a 4 cylinder anything. I know it's more HP but as a V8 pushrod muscle car owner, I do believe in displacement and normally aspirated engines. Only additional feature I see being added is rain sensing wipers.
And hey, this is all Canada spec. I shouldn't care anyway.

I prefer the responsiveness of the 250's V6 over the NX's 4 cyl Turbo hesitant response.

True, detailed specs is specific to Canada, but powertrain is likely global such as IS 200t is RWD only.
 

corradoMR2

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Is the IS300's detuned V6 from the ES or IS350?

Good question. There's even speculation it may actually be derived from the new 3.5L D-4S but the higher torque of this engine doesn't seem to line up with the much lower torque figure of the 3.5 in the IS 300.
 

Trexus

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Lexus will sell tons of IS 200t's. I wish Lexus would bring the IS 300h to the U.S. as well to expand further the IS line...

IS 200t
IS 300 awd
IS 350
IS 300h
IS F (please bring back)

I would assume the RC 200t and awd RC 300 will also soon follow...Lexus will sell tons of RC 200t's as well...
 
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It's a transmission thing. The 200t 8AR-FTS is already mated to the 8-Speed from the RC F in RWD ONLY. The IS 300 in AWD will likely not be mated to the 8-Speed because none of the Lexus AWDs (to my recent memory) are not mated to 8-Speed; they are mated to the 6-Speed.
 
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It's a transmission thing. The 200t 8AR-FTS is already mated to the 8-Speed from the RC F in RWD ONLY. The IS 300 in AWD will likely not be mated to the 8-Speed because none of the Lexus AWDs (to my recent memory) are not mated to 8-Speed; they are mated to the 6-Speed.
I used a double negative in there. :(
 

spwolf

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To have an entry level AWD offering. R&D costs tweaking an existing powertrain are significantly cheaper vs mating the turbo engine to a new tranny and AWD... my guess.

it has to be something about not being able to fit all of this together into their RWD platform... for whatever reason. I am sure that all new RWD platform coming in next few years will also have AWD version of 2.0t... so engineering will have to be done at one point, cost is not a problem here beacuse it would be more beneficial for them to do it now than to do the same thing in 3 years from now.
 

Rob Grieveson

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A good move to offer he turbo 2l motor - what chance of utilizing this motor in the ES as well? - or is it already on offer in the USA?
Would help differentiate this car further from the Camry/Avalon version and greatly improve its drivability - the ES somehow is no longer a comfortable fit with the new driver orientated Lexus range offering a more focused and performance drive.
 

CIF

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I have to agree with others here; this is a very weird move. Why only in Canada? Also why designate a 3.5L V6 engine with a "300" designation? Is this a sign of things to come for other models in the future? For the first time in Lexus history, a non-hybrid, gas-only model has an engine that does not match the numerical designation.
 

spwolf

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I have to agree with others here; this is a very weird move. Why only in Canada? Also why designate a 3.5L V6 engine with a "300" designation? Is this a sign of things to come for other models in the future? For the first time in Lexus history, a non-hybrid, gas-only model has an engine that does not match the numerical designation.

Canada came out with release PR first but I doubt it is only in Canada... as to why 300, they already have 350, they cant call them both 350 :).
 

spwolf

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A good move to offer he turbo 2l motor - what chance of utilizing this motor in the ES as well? - or is it already on offer in the USA?
Would help differentiate this car further from the Camry/Avalon version and greatly improve its drivability - the ES somehow is no longer a comfortable fit with the new driver orientated Lexus range offering a more focused and performance drive.

I wouldnt be surprised if Camry got 2.0t in the future and ES gets V6. A lot of articles said ES 2.0t was announced worldwide, but I have not see that anywhere... there is ES 2.0l in China thats NA and not turbo.
 

CIF

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Canada came out with release PR first but I doubt it is only in Canada... as to why 300, they already have 350, they cant call them both 350 :).

My point is, it makes absolutely no sense to be offering two different versions of the 3.5L V6 on the same model, yet using different tunes and different numerical designations.