Car Throttle Buys "Altezza" Lexus IS 200, Wants to Make It Faster Than GT 86

But this isn't any old Lexus IS; it's the first generation of the car, which is about as Japanese as it gets. In place of the whisper-quiet hybrid system most people associate the brand with, this particular IS comes with a 2.0-liter engine of the inline-6 variety.

The official specs state that even though it's got the power of a VW Golf TDI, this 2.0-liter engine is about as thirsty as a BMW M3. Still, we're surprised that over fifteen years after it was built, it's still a fully functioning car.

Most people would have bought a BMW 3 Series of that era, but Carthrottle's presenter already had an E36 M3 that cost him over £10,000 to buy and fix. While the Lexus has undeniable hipster appeal in the way it allows you to say "but nobody else has this," we would have still liked to have seen a Clio RS track car build, like they promised to do after the M3 was sold.

Likewise, we would have taken the project in another direction. After all, the Toyota GT 86 with which they are playing top trumps doesn't define the track car segment in any major way. The XE10 generation of the IS was known in Japan as the Altezza, and in fact, the name is still used by enthusiasts to refer to chromed taillights. So either a drift car with massive lock or a bosozoku show car might have been more appropriate. Or they could have gone full-hipster and bought the IS300 wagon with a 2JZ-GE 3.0-liter engine.

That being said, the entertainment value is high with this one. The best lap time set in the GT 86 is just under 40 seconds, while the super-old Lexus IS 200 secures a 42.46-second lap. With just a change of tires and brakes, the old, underpowered Lexus sedan could match a dedicated sports coupe.