In addition to being all-new, the 2006 Lexus IS also offers three trims from which to choose. There’s the base IS 250, the cold climes IS 250 AWD and the top dog IS 350, which is powered by a 3.5-liter, V6 engine – a variation of the 3.0-liter engine that resides in the uptown GS 300. That 3.5-liter V6 manages a nice 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, and though the IS 250’s 2.5-liter V6 is also a fine engine – at 204 horsepower at 6,400 rpm – you may well want the extra oomph on the straight-aways. Getting friendly with those engines are two transmission choices: a manual six, available on the Lexus IS 250, and a six-speed automatic with steering wheel paddles, optional on the IS 250 and standard on the IS 250 all-wheel-drive and IS 350.