@@DrewLSsix I gues 2 years ago you must have been hiding in a basement. 2JZGTE's have been a popular swap into the IS 300 BECAUSE of the fact that it's basically a drop in. For the same reason people turn SC300/400's GS300/430s into drag cars. Mainly they're not at the drag strip as often because they're the newest of the Lexus cars in America that were sold with the 2JZGE. So naturally they're more expensive. As they go down in price more and more I see more and more when I'm at the track.
Yung Padawan plus the 2JZ is overengineered and understressed, so it has lots of room for power mods.but the car belongs on a track more than a drag strip. Good handling right out of town he box!
I love these old retro videos. I have an 02 Lexus is300 sedan and went with a 2jzgte aristo swap and r154 transmission all stock with working AC lol. Runs like a champ!
I have a Sportcross and love it ,Altezzas and all. Doing a 5sp swap would be nice but I'm in no hurry. Also, this may be common knowledge by now, but the IS was sold as the Altezza in Japan, hence the name of the lights.
My neighbor has a Sportcross IS 300 and I have a Sedan with a manual. Though I had to look for my car for 2 years before I could find one for a good price. Every other one I found which were 3 others in those 2 years, were very expensive. The owners knew they were desirable and rare so they jacked up the price and waited and waited. I wasn't going to over pay though. Since I eventually planned on swapping it to a 2JZ GTE anyway. I have the Turbo engine but I ended up buying a 1JZGTE and I now am looking for another IS 300 auto. I couldn't bare to tear out the Stock engine and manual trans knowing how rare they actually are. So that will continue to be my daily and the Auto will get swapped with the 1JZ.
The Toyota Altezza was a nice little premium sport sedan back then, but not quite up to Lexus standards. I don't think I have ever seen a Lexus IS 300 Sportcross on the roads. They must be somewhat of a collectors car now due to the rarity. It would be nice to see an all new Lexus IS Sportcross and an IS F again. Until then the Lexus CT 200h will be the next best option to the Lexus IS 300 Sportcross.
I almost brought a Sportcross but found a better deal on a 2006 350. I love the first gen IS300. Its a great looking car inside and out and the last sedan thats manual RWD with LSD that Lexus made. That IS300 sedan looks great in that red paint I would buy one if i found one at a good price.
The last interesting Lexus. Can’t have 90’s cars be the current cars forever, but I wish this style of vehicle hung around for at least another 10 years or more.
Why wasnt manual available on sportscross tho? Its with this stupid choice limitations. I bet more of these would have sold and price would be lower too compared to automatic.
There were a few of these in SoCal back then. They were trying so hard to be European ha. Still see Wagons of A4 and 3 series, but these all went to salvage it seems.
No. They just made less of these, I own mine and have no issues. I've seen 4 other ones where I live. It just depends on what you look out for. You won't find a salvage IS300 Sportcross, you're more likely to find an A4 or 3 Series wagon salvaged.
Thank you so much for posting this. Only one thing, change the year to 2002 please. Since on your website does say the following "2002 Lexus IS 300 & IS 300 SportCross Program #2107"
2001 IS300: 215/hp 0-60=6.7 2006 IS250 204HP 0-60=7.9 2015 IS250/204hp 0-60=7.7 2017 IS200/241hp 0-60=6.9 2001 Lexus with slap the sh** out of today's Lexus for this bullsh**
I read somewhere that the iron block this comes with can be pumped up to as much as 1,200 horsepower! Also, it's bullet proof and very reliable in stock form.
2:36 they said 3 liter engine in the video but the text says 2.4l i6 I own a 2002 Is300 sedan, right now it keeps blowing the EFI fuse. Its the only time it ever broke down on me. Ive heard its the O2 sensor that blows the efi fuse? The car shut off while driving, the check engine light came on, and the rear tail light indicator came on in the gauge cluster. I didnt know the seats folded down in the sportcross! My sedans back seats dont fold down at all. :(
I remember watching this when the episode aired. I missed that you verbally referred to the 3.0 liter I-6 powering the SportCross, but on screen displayed 2.5 liter. Lol!
I wish lexus had kept this design for more years I mean they should still kept making them today keeping them same. I wish I could get hands on these lexus is 200 or is300 I'm looking more at the sedan models because I like those also I didn't know these were made untill now.
These cars have crap interiors. The seats are nice but everything else was cheap hard plastic. Shame too because I loved the look of these as a kid, but an owner spends all of their time inside the car so I had to buy a maxima over one of these.
