*The Toyota Altezza was sold as the Lexus IS 200 in the U.S.
The best sports sedans in the world came from Europe, this was an established fact for decades, until the Altezza (Lexus IS) came along in October 1998. The new FR (Front engine/Rear drive) sedan was instantly embraced by the masses in Japan and in the U.S. since it represented the first FR sports sedan to come from that country for several years.
The Altezza came equipped with two engine types in Japan. One was a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-4 (dubbed the 3S-GE) with VVT-i, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It produced 207 BHP and 159.1 lb-ft of torque. The other came in the form of a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-6 that produced 158 BHP and 147.5 lb-ft. The U.S. version, called the Lexus IS, had the 3.0-liter DOHC inline-6, the 2JZ-GE engine, that produced 217 BHP and 216.9 lb-ft of torque through a 5-speed automatic gearbox.
In July 2001, Toyota added a sports wagon to the line. In Japan it was called the Gita, while the name Sport Cross was used in other parts of the world. The appearance of the station wagon was unique and aggressive, not at all possessing the boxy shape commonly associated with the genre.
The handling and power of the Altezza created many fans all over the world, and with this attractive car, the Japanese FR sports sedan was back.
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_%2798.jpg "Lexus IS 200 (J) '98.jpg (343 KB)")
