Lexus IS350 F Sport receives forged BBS wheels and LSD for PH

Do you dig the new matte-black BBS wheels, or do you prefer the older F Sport-design wheels? PHOTO BY SAM SURLA

For those still clinging on to the last few remaining sports sedans in the market, you’d be interested to know that Lexus Philippines has given its IS model some much-needed update, mostly focused on the V6-powered IS350 F Sport.

These are small but welcome changes to add to the experience. PHOTO BY SAM SURLA

Updating models with new wheels seems to be the trend nowadays, as the sportier version now rides on matte-black, seven-spoke 19-inch forged BBS wheels. The car now also comes with a Torsen limited-slip differential to help sharpen up handling.

Finally, the Lexus Safety Sense suite gets updated in the IS to now have a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, things that weren’t present in the initial model.

The only changes made to the IS300 are the removal of the “Hybrid” badges on the side skirts, and the Lexus badge no longer having the blue glow, which was a way for you to identify if the vehicle was a hybrid model.

The luxury sports sedan segment is a dying breed, but we're still happy to see a few choices on our market. PHOTO BY SAM SURLA

Unfortunately, it comes at a cost, and the IS350 F Sport is now priced at P4.178 million, a P370,000 increase from its previous price tag. As for the regular IS300h, the Executive now goes for P3.038 million, and the better-equipped Premier will charge you P3.398 million.

Whether you think the new additions are worth the premium is up to you. These push the car closer to its European rivals in price, but it’s nice to see the model receiving some updates and not being left as it was when it was launched.