The Toyota Altezza is a compact executive car manufactured and marketed by Toyota, a Japanese carmaker, from 1998 to 2005. The IS was originally sold under the Toyota Altezza nameplate in Japan in 1998 (the word Altezza is Italian for 'height' or 'highness'). The IS was introduced as an entry-level sport model positioned below the ES in the Lexus lineup.
History of the Toyota Altezza
Toyota Altezza (1998–2005)
Produced as a direct competitor to the luxury sports sedans of the leading European luxury marques, the XE10 series Toyota Altezza and Lexus IS was designed with a greater performance emphasis than typically seen on prior Japanese luxury vehicles. The engineering work was led by Nobuaki Katayama from 1994 to 1998 under the 038T program code, who was responsible for the AE86 project. Design work by Tomoyasu Nishi was frozen in 1996 and filed under patent number 1030135 on 5 December 1996, at the Japan Patent Office. At its introduction to Japan, it was exclusive to Japanese dealerships called Toyota Netz Store, until Lexus was introduced to Japan in 2006. The Japan-sold AS200 Altezza sedan and AS300 Altezza Gita correspond to the Lexus IS 200 and IS 300 models respectively, as sold in markets outside of Japan. The Lexus IS' primary markets were North America, Australia, and Europe. The Altezza Gita was a hatchback station wagon version sold in Japan and was known in the US and Europe as the Lexus IS SportCross. The AS300 Altezza Gita was the only Altezza with the 2JZ-GE engine; in export markets, this engine was available in the sedan models as well as the Lexus IS300 Sedan.
Price
The price range for a used Toyota Altezza varies based on the trim level you choose. Starting at $1,100 and going to $4,120 for the latest year the model was manufactured.
Specs and Performance of the Toyota Altezza
- 2.0 L 3S-GE I4 (SXE10; RS200)
- 2.0 L 1G-FE I6 (GXE10/15; IS 200/AS200)
- 3.0 L 2JZ-GE I6 (JCE10/15; IS 300/AS300)
The Toyota Altezza's 2.0L engine delivers 153 hp (114 kW) at 6,200 rpm and 144 lb-ft (195 Nm) of torque at 4,600 rpm. Toyota marketed the Altezza as a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle, and it was available with a 6-speed manual transmission. Toyota Altezza accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (0–97 kph) in 8.7 seconds with a top speed of 139 mph (224 kph). Dimension-wise, the Toyota Altezza measures 4,400 mm (173.2 in) long, 1,720 mm (67.7 in) wide, and 1,410–1,440 mm (55.5–56.7 in) high. Its wheelbase measures 2,670 mm (105.1 in) and has a curb weight of 2,998 lbs (1,360 kg).
Release Date
In 1998, Toyota revolutionized the Japanese auto market with its iconic Altezza model. It quickly gained a following both at home and abroad - so much in fact that they later released it on an international scale under their luxury division Lexus as the IS series.