Nuts & Bolts The base rear-wheel-drive 2006 Lexus IS 250 is the only model that comes with a manual transmission, even though the real performance car of the group is the IS 350. Ah, to have a manual six-speed in that 306-horsepower luxury rocket, that would truly be a delightful adventure…

Powering the 2006 Lexus IS 250 is a 2.5-liter V6 that generates 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, and is mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters. Lexus car guys say that the engine has a new direct-to-cylinder fuel injection system that helps to keep the cylinders cool, creating greater compression and better efficiency. It’s all part of a powertrain that, when combined with the new suspension setup underneath, provides seamless power and plenty of torque. In fact, the powertrain – and dual exhaust – is so efficient at doing its job that engine noise is but a whisper inside the cabin. Same is true for the larger engine in the IS 350 – a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm.

You can barely hear it.
Ordinarily, that would be a good thing, but one would think that a nice angry-bee engine note would be part of the experience. Worse than that, though, is this: the base rear-wheel-drive 2006 Lexus IS 250 is the only model that comes with a manual transmission, even though the real performance car of the group is the IS 350. Ah, to have a manual six-speed in that 304-horsepower luxury rocket, that would truly be a delightful adventure, so much so that it may even cause a sweat bead or two to break out on a Bimmer’s pretty little brow. Buyers of the IS 350 will have to be satisfied with a six-speed automatic transmission, with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

There’s not much else to be disappointed about when it comes to the nuts and bolts of this car. Mostly the result of exciting new equipment and technology, the Lexus IS is a driver’s car with luxury appointments, a grown-up car that will not make you feel old on a curvy road. Like its stablemate, the Lexus GS, the IS is a rear-wheel-driver with an all-wheel-drive trim that biases engine power between 70/30 and 50/50 front to rear. In fact, you could call the IS a GS mini-me, as the two cars share engines (IS 350), suspension and brakes. That suspension is an independent setup that includes double wishbones up front and a multi-link arrangement in back. Steering is a speed-sensitive, rack-and-pinion system that provides excellent road feel. There’s really no numb-fingered feeling at all, which is a bit surprising given the electronic disco going on under the hood. Brakes are a four-channel, four-sensor ABS with large, vented discs on all four wheels. Front discs measure 11.6 inches, while the rear tapes out at 11.45. The IS 350 gets slightly larger rotors – 13-inches up front and 12-inches in back. The system is enhanced by Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Brake Assist (BA); Traction Control (TRC); and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC).