IS (no, it's not Infinite Stratos) means Intelligent Sports and these two little words are best described on Toyota's Lexus IS sport sedan. Yes, I admit it that I love the IS because of its striking design, modest performance, and something you can sip tea at.
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The Battle of IS begins with the Toyota Altezza,
known worldwide as the Lexus IS. |
In late 1998, Toyota launched an FR sports sedan known as the Altezza. Everyone loves the Altezza, which later exported to Europe and North America as the Lexus IS. The Altezza is truly the predecessor of the Lexus IS of today but I think this is the first generation IS as far as other car enthusiasts know it. In Japan, it was separated in two trims; the entry level AS200 and the high-performance RS200. The enthusiasts' pick was the Altezza RS200 because of the sporty 3S-GE engine made possible by Yamaha. Little known fact that the Altezza RS200 is the weapon of choice from Saitama Alliance's Nobu from Initial D 4th Stage.
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| It isn't a sedan, it isn't a wagon. We called it Gita. |
Is it a sedan? Is it a wagon? No, it isn't a sedan and it isn't a wagon. Toyota called it Gita. The Altezza Gita is the fastback version of the blockbuster Altezza sedan and it was exported to the North America and Europe as the Lexus IS 300 Sport Cross. The Altezza Gita was debuted in Japan since July 2001, two months after the Altezza sedan's Phase II. Honestly for me, the design of the Gita looks ugly and ruins the Altezza quality. I still prefer the sedan variant anyway. Good thing they don't make these anymore. In Gran Turismo 5, chances of finding the Altezza Gita (or the Lexus IS 300 Sport Cross) at the used car dealer can be somewhat a 1-in-10 chance. Still, nobody wants to show it online unless someone does an Altezza-only online race at GT5.
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| K-POP racer on IS |
Now here's the Lexus IS200 I am not entirely familiar of, unless some car addict here in South Korea knows what it is. What they heard, this is the Lexus IS200 used in some racing championship known as BAT GT, the South Korean take on Japan's JGTC/Super GT, and this IS200 was used on the BAT GT's GT1 class. This BAT GT-spec Lexus IS200 first appeared on GTPSP and finding it on GT5's Used Car dealership is a tough find!
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| If I were a valet, I would take a joyride with the IS |
In the summer of 2005, when Toyota Motor Corporation launched the Lexus brand to Japan, the Toyota Altezza name was renewed worldwide as the Lexus IS250/350. Two years later, with the introduction of the Lexus F marque, the high-performance version of the Lexus IS250/350 sedan, the Lexus IS-F, was born. It was debuted in Japan since October 2007 and later on sale at December 25, 2007. The Lexus IS-F is powered with 2UR-GSE engine that delivers 423 PS of power output and 51.5 kg-m of torque output. In Gran Turismo 5, it was listed as one of the Premium Tier cars and it costs 76,600 credits. The biggest downfall for the IS-F was its cornering. Drifting with the IS-F is highly difficult because of its 8-speed semi-auto transmission. Remember what Jeremy Clarkson said in one episode of Top Gear regarding the Lexus IS-F's transmission...
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| STRAIGHT JET with SUPER STREAM |
As a Premium Tier car, not only you can change the appearance of the IS-F, you can also make a Racing Modification of the Lexus IS-F as well! Faster, lighter, and more agile than the pre-RM Lexus IS-F, the Racing Modification is more like a Touring Car, even cheaper.
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| Dreaming of Laura Bodewig... |
At the 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota Motor Corporation revealed the hotter side of the Lexus IS-F that others think it might have a potential of being a touring car at the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). This is the Lexus IS-F Racing Concept. In real life, the Lexus IS-F never achieved a dream to race at the DTM but faithfully, the IS-F was used on the 24HR Nurburgring race along with the LFA. My IS-F Racing Concept is painted with a "Super White II" color I got from a Toyota car I bought earlier or acquired as a daily login bonus.
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| WedsSport IS350 ready for take-off! |
At the 2008 Super GT, a Lexus IS350 steps in to the GT300 class. Dubbed as the WedsSport IS350, this Lexus is one heck of a mongrel at the Super GT GT300 class. One quirky fact that this racing machine was an Midship Engine Rear Wheel Drive, meaning the RV8J engine, used from the Formula Nippon Series, was mounted at the back. How the heck did they turn an FR car into an MR racer? Anyway, this was driven by Manabu Orido and Tsubasa Abe.
In Gran Turismo 5, "The Battle of IS" rages on because of the many choices of the Lexus IS players can choose, trick out, and race. In reality, don't let me catch you having someone cosplaying as IS's Houki Shinonono at the passenger seat of the Lexus IS350. One hold and it's like the "Valet commercial" from the Lexus IS!
