Mystery Lexus IS prototype identified: Yes, it's a race car!

May12

april2008/gaz.jpg

Despite erroneous reports on some fan websites, the mystery Lexus IS spied recently is not a facelifted model, but rather a race car for Gazoo Racing. The car is expected to do battle in the ADAC Rundstrecken Trophy Endurance race in Germany. A race car was our strongest suspicion all along, due mostly to the light-to-dark gradient of the paint scheme, and the roll cage inside the prototype.

As many Leftlane readers speculated, the camouflage on the car's body was hiding decals for Gazoo and other sponsors. The car is lowered and a stripped down interior with racing seats. The base car is a Lexus IS 250, which meets the 2.0- to 2.5-liter requirement of the SP5 category.

Some unreliable sources were calling the prototype a facelift to the IS series, but nothing about the car indicated that was likely. There have been rumors about an IS hybrid, a turbocharged model, and a more potent version of the IS-F, but this car unfortunately has nothing to do with any of those potential future models.







Spy Photos




 


7 Comments

  1. It looks good. Same lines on a small car definitely better looking then on LS or even GS. I dare to say but I like looks of it better then Bangle creations, Audi and M-B. Usually German cars are better looking then any Toyota.

    Comment by xyunya, posted on May12 at 12:52 pm
  2. so…………… no LF-A ? another IS, yay! /sarcasm

    Comment by jumpoffit, posted on May12 at 1:09 pm
  3. Ditto xyunya: very clean and purposeful lines. Hands down the best looking Lexus in their lineup.

    Comment by johnnycanuck, posted on May12 at 1:39 pm
  4. What was with all those lumps in the hood of the disguised car?

    Comment by Z06ified, posted on May12 at 1:45 pm
  5. I take back the comments I made in the previous post about this car being a hybrid..

    Comment by brocky, posted on May12 at 3:19 pm
  6. I agree, it is the best looking car in their line up. [3.53 am not pm]

    Comment by VictorRaikkonen, posted on May12 at 3:53 pm
  7. ^^Yes it is.
    I don't see the point of the camouflaged car, I mean why not just don't paint it or… well, dunno but it's disappointing, this is the worst option or at least the less-cool idea that we had thought , an hybrid, a turbo charged or a new IS would be more revolutionary than a NORMAL race car.

    Comment by Rafa LL, posted on May12 at 9:05 pm

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