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We don't know when exactly Lexus was planning to share official photos of its hotly anticipated IS, but today, we discovered a full set of images of the executive compact sedan, less than a week before the car's public debut at the Detroit auto show.

These images [now in higher-resolution] afford us our first unobstructed view of the Japanese carmaker's third attempt to rival the BMW 3-Series, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4.

The model seen here is an F Sport variant (not to be confused with the high-performance IS F), which means it features an aerodynamic kit, taller alloy wheels, a bespoke finish for the grille, a lowered suspension and tuned chassis along with a sportier trimmed interior, while keeping the same powerplant(s) as the regular IS.

Besides the styling that resembles the LF-CC coupe concept, we know that the new IS rides on a longer wheelbase offering improved interior space and that in North America, it will launch with a choice of two V6 units, a 2.5-liter and a stronger 3.5-liter, with a four-cylinder hybrid powerplant to be added in the near future.

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2013/01...-new-2014.html