The new turbo engine musters up 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque in the NX 200t, and this output will likely be retained for the IS. What’s not clear is whether the turbo engine will replace the 2.5-liter V-6 currently offered as the base option in the IS or complement it.
As Motor Trend points out, Cadillac’s rival ATS sedan offers both a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine and a turbo before upgrading to a V-6, so it’s possible Lexus may continue to offer both engine options in its IS. However, given the feeble 204 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque of the IS's V-6, we have to wonder how many sales it would make considering the performance and expected efficiency gains of the new turbo engine.
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