New LEXUS IS Sports sedan SA line-up

Compiled by John Floyd

The South African line-up for the re-imagined new 2021 Lexus IS sports sedan has been unveiled, delivering a new level of luxury as standard in addition to a core focus on evocative design, imaginative technology and leading driving dynamics.

Starting from R841 300,00 with the IS 300h EX grade and available to pre-order as early as week one of April from Lexus dealerships, the new IS will surely garner the attention of enthusiasts.

What’s new for South Africa is that for the very first time, Lexus has decided to launch IS as a hybrid-only model. The hybrid market has shown immense growth on a global scale in the past five years and the shift from diesel to alternative-propulsion vehicles is expected to keep growing at rapid rate.

It is with this information in mind that Lexus South Africa plans to leverage its existing dominance in the hybrid-electric market to enlarge their share even more. At the same time, Lexus will position hybrids as performance and technology-rich vehicles. Lexus launches three model grades in hybrid: IS 300h EX, IS 300h SE and IS 300 F Sport.

LEXUS FIRSTS Features that become standard on the Lexus IS for the first time include 18-inch alloy wheels for the EX and SE (19-inch for the F Sport), an electric park brake (replacing foot-operated), new 10.3-inch touch-display with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, a pre-collision system for the SE grade and F Sport featuring daytime/night-time pedestrian detection plus daytime cyclist detection, all-speed active cruise control (SE and F Sport), lane tracing assist (SE and F Sport), blind-spot monitor (SE and F Sport), rear cross-traffic alert+brake, as well as a panoramic view monitor for the SE and F Sport when reversing.

The significant expansion of leading luxury- and driver-assist technology is further leveraged by enhanced body rigidity, lighter suspension components and a wider front and rear track - all coming together as the first Lexus tuned at the company's new purpose-built 'mini Nurburgring' test facility in Shimoyama, Japan.

Click on the newspaper below to read more (see page 28).