Remember the Lexus IS F? Of course you do. The 416-horsepower (310-kilowatt) sports sedan hit the market in 2006 and was capable of sprinting to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in just 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 169 miles per hour (271 kilometers per hour). While Lexus hasn’t even hinted at the hardcore F models' return, new rumors suggest a more-powerful IS 400 could be available in just a few years.

A 400-hp (298-kW) Lexus IS is coming, according to the website Driving Enthusiast. It would use the same 416-hp biturbocharged 3.5-liter V6 found on the new Lexus LS, and either the same 10-speed automatic or a new eight-speed automatic. It would also include a few warmed-over features from Lexus’ F Sport division, including bigger wheels, larger brakes, and a stiffer suspension.

The proposed IS 400 wouldn’t be a hardcore M or AMG rival, though. Instead of going up against sports sedans like the M3 or C63, it would compete more directly with sporty sedans like the Q50 Red Sport and the Jaguar XE S. Both of those cars come powered by a biturbocharged 3.0-liter V6, and produce 400 and 375 hp (279 kW), respectively.

But that 400-hp IS won’t happen at all if Lexus decides to kill off the nameplate entirely. Lexus is reportedly reconsidering the future of both the IS and the GS, taking a "strategic look" at their position within the lineup. The two cars could be discontinued in place of the new ES exclusively, and a more expansive range of SUVs and crossovers, starting with the small UX.

If Lexus does green light an all-new IS, we should see it sometime in 2020. Reports suggest that the proposed 400-hp model has been in the works since 2015, but will finally be built alongside the new generation.

Source:  Driving Enthusiast

More from Lexus:

Gallery: 2017 Lexus IS 200t: Review

Photo by: John Neff

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