We're happy to report that the premium Japanese automaker hasn't killed off the Lexus IS compact executive sedan series as we feared after seeing the many farewell special editions - and instead it's reborn for the 2026 model year, though not necessarily as an all-new generation.
Back in June, we chuckled then sighed at the sight of the Lexus IS 500 'Climax Edition' that was introduced at home in Japan to honor one of the few remaining compact V8 sedans on the market. Despite its cheeky name, it's almost the same as the North American Ultimate Edition. After a few laughs, we were saddened by the fact that it foretold the model's demise.
As it turns out, that's not the case – albeit with a footnote. Indeed, while all eyes are on the 2025 IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Germany, Toyota's division Lexus chose to present online the world premiere of the new IS compact FR sports sedan, showing us that it meant when it said it's not abandoning the passenger car sector. However, there is still some desolate news.
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