After the NX 200t compact SUV and RX 200t SUVs, the IS is the third Lexus to get the Japanese marque’s new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine.
The announcement was made for the European market with the new IS 200t to go on sale in September.
Lexus won’t say yet if North America will get this new force-fed four in the IS, but given that the NX 200t is available here in the USA, it’s probably more of a matter of “when” than “if” we’ll get it as a replacement to the IS 250 that has a 204hp 2.5L naturally aspirated V6.
The 2.0-liter petrol engine that combines a twin-scroll turbocharger with Toyota’s D-4ST direct fuel injection system delivers 245PS or 241hp and 350Nm (258 lb-ft) of peak torque in the IS 200t allowing it to reach 100km/h (62mph) in 7.0 seconds and top out at 230km/h (143mph).
Lexus says it returns an average fuel consumption of 7.0l/100 km (equal to 33.6mpg US and 40.3mpg UK) in the combined European driving cycle.
The IS 200t pairs the 2.0L turbo unit to a new 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift transmission with paddle shifts that was originally developed for the RC F high-performance coupe and which changes gear shifting in accordance to G-forces
The rear wheel drive IS 200t is actually the first Lexus sedan to get this ‘smart’ gearbox. According to the Japanese firm, “the transmission automatically downshifts during hard braking before a corner then holds a lower gear through the corner for best control and then selects the most suitable gear on corner exit to give the driver greater throttle response.”
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