Heading the development of the platform was Toyota engineer Nobuaki Katayama, who also played a part in the development and design of the AE86 Corolla in the 1980s. The Altezza was a new entry-level luxury sedan with genuine sporting intentions, and it was badged as a Toyota in Japan since Lexus wouldn't actually launch in its home country until 2006, the year this platform was discontinued. The first-gen Lexus IS was essentially an Americanized Toyota Altezza, which launched in Japan in 1998. It is a stunningly rare and intriguing car, but it drives every bit as well as the IS sedan and, critically, is every bit as reliable. To put that into context, Lamborghini produced and sold about 14,000 Gallardos over that car's entire run, meaning there are nearly four times as many Lamborghini Gallardos in existence as there are Lexus IS SportCrosses. Lexus learned this the hard way, with the “SportCross” long-roofed version of the IS 300, of which less than 4,000 units were ever sold. North America is Lexus’ biggest market, and unfortunately, wagons have had a hard time breaking ground here in the last few decades, so much so that there are barely any left for sale as new vehicles in 2021. Like the Germans, it was rear-wheel drive, powered by six-cylinder engines and came in more than one body style, but unfortunately, only one spec was ever a sales success. It was a 3-series and C-Class competitor and in many ways, it matched if not even surpassed those vehicles in the crucial areas of driving. It was Toyota’s first serious attempt at offering an alternative to the established German tradition for entry-level sports sedans. The first-generation Lexus IS (2001-2005) is a far better car than it is often credited.
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