We are totally stoked to have a Lexus IS 300 in our stable of project vehicles. Long-time readers of Turbo know we have been ardent supporters of the Toyota Altezza, the home-market (Japan) version of the IS 300. A Trust-tuned Altezza graced the May '99 cover of Turbo, and we have published a couple of stories on other Japan-spec Altezzas. We've followed the development of the IS 300 in our "Turbo Updates" section ever since.
For those unfamiliar with the Altezza and the IS 300, the Altezza is a four-door sedan with sculpted body lines, short overhangs and narrow track. The Altezza is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder 3S-GTE engine and Japanese tuners have jumped all over the car. It was a big hit at the 1999 Tokyo Auto Salon. The car was conceptualized as a BMW 3-Series fighter and is offered in Europe with a 2.0-liter six in the engine bay.
Our TRD coil-overs flex four-position...
Our TRD coil-overs flex four-position adjustability for rebound only. The user can adjust the valving of the shock and tune the ride and handling of the units. They are delivered set at No. 2, which provides 463 lbs-ft of dampening in front and 178 lbs-ft in the back. Setting No. 1 is about 20-percent softer, while No. 3 is 20-percent stiffer.
The engine bay is where all the development for the U.S. model was centered. The rumor mill was spooled like a turbo at full song. Everyone wanted the Supra twin-turbo six. For a while, a Camry motor was the leading candidate (these were the scary dark days). Then the 245 hp VVT-i naturally aspirated six took the lead roll. The engine that made it was a 3.0-liter inline six with VVT-i that generated 215 hp at the flywheel.
The second most popular item in the rumor mill was the gearbox. Japanese version had a six speed and that's what we were pulling for. An automatic with the e-shift feature from the GS300/GS400 was the winner. A late bid by Toyota of America for a five-speed manual was approved, but there was not enough time to make the change for the 2001 model year. The car's sophomore run will have a manual transmission as standard fare. If you plan on battling BMW, you have to have a stick.
 The TRD sway bars keep the...  The TRD sway bars keep the yellow theme going under the IS. The fronts are 30mm units, which according to TRD, provide a 49-percent improvement over stock. The rear bar is a 19mm proposition, which delivers a whopping 99-percent improvement in rigidity. Both TRD bars feature hollow construction. |  The spring rates that accompany...  The spring rates that accompany the TRD units check in at 672 lbs-ft in the front and 560 lbs-ft in the rear. We have made the most out of this setting and have noted very little change in ride quality. We plan to test the other settings in the future, so stay tuned. |  The new stance makes the Lexus...  The new stance makes the Lexus look even more aggressive. The threaded collar allows the user to dial in the tuck at will. Check out the chart for the specifics of the drop. We plan to play with this aspect of the suspension as well. |