2006 Lexus IS 350 Preview

Zero-to-60 acceleration in less than six seconds should make many an import luxury sedan buyer smile out loud. For those keeping score, that's a bit faster than the BMW 330i, and a lot faster than the preceding IS. According to Lexus, that's what you get with the 3.5-liter V6 that's tucked between the wheel wells of the IS 350. Horsepower ratings for the IS 350 are 300 at 6400 rpm, with the IS 250's 2.5-liter V6 producing 201 horsepower. Torque, according to Lexus, comes in at 184 lb. ft. at 3800 rpm for the IS 250, and 0-60 times are expected to be plus-seven seconds. That sounds like the making of a spunky little beast, to be sure - one helped by either a manual or automatic six-speed transmission choice. The automatic gets paddle shifters on the steering wheel, and comes standard on IS models equipped with all-wheel-drive.