New 200t engine for Lexus IS

Lexus is adding the 200t engine to the IS saloon range. It will be sold as a sportier version of the IS and is likely to come in F Sport trim only. Expect a price of around £32,000 when it arrives in September.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine made its debut in the NX 200t and will also be used in the forthcoming RX as an alternative to the 450h model.

In the IS, the 200t engine develops 245PS with torque peaking at 350Nm. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes around 7.0 seconds with Lexus claiming average fuel economy of 40.4mpg

An eight-speed automatic gearbox comes as standard and features Sport Direct Shift which was originally developed for the RC F. It automatically downshifts under hard braking when approaching a corner and will hold a lower gear through the bend.

The IS 200t will be available to order from September.