Lexus is getting ready to launch arguably its most important car to date in Ireland and Europe.
With the average age of its model range now only nine months, there's a freshness to the brand, but IS is the greatest leap forward, signalling that the new look in the larger GS wasn't just a one-off.
Lexus has long held sway in the reliability stakes, but in design terms each model had its own look and in most cases the look was rather dull.
That changed with the arrival of the GS, revealing the long-awaited family styling, known as L-Finesse, to the brand. This has now made it into what's likely to become the largest selling model.
The lines are much sleeker, though you would be forgiven for thinking there's a certain Germanic influence to it all. The car is also significantly larger than the previous version, a proper family car that can accommodate four adults without complaint.
Perhaps the most significant move, however, is to introduce diesel to the brand for the first time. It's incredible to think there are still supposedly mainstream brands not featuring diesel versions, but it demonstrates the long-held central focus at Lexus: American markets, where diesel is not a runner.
The new IS220d model will arrive here in January, offering 177 bhp and claiming to be quieter in the cabin than several of its petrol competitors. We have to wait some time to test it, but given the brand's reputation for refinement you'd have to be somewhat confident it will meet the claims.
For those who can't wait, a 2.5-litre petrol version, the IS250, will go on sale from November 17th. Offering 208 bhp, it will come in six-speed manual and six-speed automatic. Lexus claims the automatic actually beats the manual in terms of fuel consumption: 31mpg (9.1 l/100km) for auto as against 28.8mpg (9.8 l/100km) for manual.
No word yet on the arrival of a 2-litre version, though one will no doubt come in time, nor of hybrid, though again this is likely in the not too distant future.
Prices start at €43,790 for the entry level IS220d, rising to €48,630 for the executive version and €51,420 for the Sports. For the IS250, prices start at €44,950, €50,930 for executive and €52,810. There's a premium of €2,295 for the automatic.
We will have a first drive report on the IS250 next week.