Time Well Spent with the New 2014 Lexus IS

The 2014 Lexus IS isn’t scheduled to hit showrooms until June, but we were recently presented with the opportunity to test drive the bold new sport sedan at SXSW. With a distinctive redesign, the third generation of Lexus‘s IS series features aggressive aesthetic updates — an oversized spindle grille, L-shaped LED daytime running lights and separate headlight housings to go with tail lights that stretch out to the car’s rear quarter panels. Under the hood, drivers will find either a 2.5-liter V-6 engine for the IS250, or a 3.5-liter V-6 for the IS350, with each producing 204 and 306 horsepower respectively. Other improvements of note include increased body rigidity, improved ride comfort, and a wheelbase increase of nearly three inches, all of which should make the 2014 IS franchise a hit with sport sedan enthusiasts. Behind the wheel, an ergonomic, double-tiered dash, silver metallic trim analog clock and luxurious, soft-touch finishes are among the features in a surprisingly spacious cockpit inspired by the Lexus LFA supercar. Click through the images above for a closer look at the IS350 F-Sport — along with glimpses of Lexus’s ‘drive meister’ Yoshiako Ito in action under the Texan sun — and stay tuned for the third-generation Lexus IS to become available later this year.