Table of Contents
When did they stop making Toyota Altezza?
Production ran all the way up to 2005. Within this run, it was also sold as a Lexus under the “IS” name.
Why is the Altezza so popular?
The Altezza is popular for a good reason. It’s fun to drive, it’s a beautiful sports car. The exterior styling brought a movement back then which up to now is still going strong. Its signature tail-lights became an in-thing yesteryear leading to the “altezza lights” boom in the after market parts industry.
Is the Toyota Altezza a luxury car?
The Toyota Altezza, commonly known as the Lexus IS, is an entry-level luxury car. It is a sporty car designed for luxury, style, and class for those that are looking for a nice car to break them into the world of sports vehicles.
Is the Toyota Altezza fast?
The silver Altezza that graces these pages is not your standard four-door sedan, unless of course you know of any other four-door sedans with a top speed of 270 km/h (168.75 mph). The Altezza sports an internally stock four-cylinder 3S-GE engine boosted by a Blitz turbo kit.
Is Altezza Toyota or Lexus?
The Lexus IS actually launched as the Toyota Altezza in Japan in 1998, a few years before it debuted in America as the IS 300. You see, Lexus wasn’t sold in the home market until 2005.
Is Toyota Altezza the same as Lexus?
In Japan the first-generation Lexus IS was sold as Toyota Altezza and had a codename XE10. The sales began in October 1998. In Europe the car had a codename GXE10 and debuted as Lexus IS200 in 1999. The wagon was sold in Japan as Altezza Gita and in Europe and the US and Lexus IS SportCross.
Is Altezza reliable?
Reliability. While the Altezza shares the solid build quality and good reputation for reliability as other Toyotas, those that remain on the road at this age are likely to have been driven fairly hard. They are sports sedans and are used as such. The engine uses a cambelt which will require regular replacement.
What engine is in a Toyota Altezza?
Powertrain and models
| Engine | Toyota | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Power/torque | Model |
| 2.0 L straight-four (3S-GE) | 154 kW (207 hp); 216 N⋅m (159 lb⋅ft) at 6,400 rpm | Altezza RS200 (sedan) |
| 3.0 L straight-six (2JZ-GE) | 162 kW (217 hp); 295 N⋅m (218 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm | No equivalent |
| Altezza Gita AS300 (wagon) |
Is Altezza a Lexus?
The first-generation Altezza (codename XE10) was launched in Japan in October 1998, while the Lexus IS 200 (GXE10) made its debut in Europe in 1999 and in North America as the IS 300 (JCE10) in 2000….
| Lexus IS | |
|---|---|
| 2019 Lexus IS 300h (AVE30) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Lexus (Toyota) |
| Also called | Toyota Altezza (Japan, 1998–2005) |
Is the Toyota Altezza a Lexus?
What engine IS in a Toyota Altezza?
What are Altezza tail lights?
Altezza lights (also known as Lexus lights, Euro lights, crystal lights, or clear lights) are vehicle tail lamp clusters consisting of one or more internal lamp units, covered with a clear (or tinted) acrylic cover. Some Altezza lights also use LED lighting.
When did the first Lexus Altezza come out?
The first-generation Altezza (codename XE10) was launched in Japan in October 1998, while the Lexus IS 200 (GXE10) made its debut in Europe in 1999 and in North America as the IS 300 (JCE10) in 2000. The first-generation, inline-6-powered IS featured sedan and wagon variants.
How many generations of the Toyota Altezza are there?
The Toyota Altezza was only made for one generation. However, it did continue under the Lexus name. For the sake of this article, we will be only focusing on this generation. During this time, Toyota offered a range of three engines to pick from.
What are the issues with the Toyota Altezza?
As this car is getting up there in age, they have been well documented, and owners have stated what the most common issues are with these cars. Lower ball joins seem to be the achilleas tendon of the Altezza. There are numerous posts about how these fail prematurely, especially in countries where the roads aren’t the greatest.
Where did the name Altezza taillights come from?
Have you ever wondered where the name “altezza taillights” came from? Believe it or not, it came from the name of the model that originally had them, the Toyota Altezza.