TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand has selected the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 050 as an original equipement fitment on the 2021 Lexus IS four-door, five-passenger sports sedan, which went on sale in November in North America.
The 2021 IS will be available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive options with three powertrain options available, depending upon the grade.
The tire fitment for the North American market is 235/40R19 96Y XL, according to Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., producer of the Dunlop brand in Japan.
According to Lexus, this is the first time the IS has been fitted with 19-inch wheels standard, a change made to improve cornering force and provide a greater contact patch with the road. The change required Lexus engineers to revise the suspension layout and front pickup points to help accommodate the larger tire-and-wheel package.
Lexus is mating the 19-inch tire fitments with distinctive BBS wheels on the FSport models.
The rear-wheel-drive IS 300 features a 2-liter 241-hp turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, mated with a eight-speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) automatic transmission.
The IS 300 all-wheel-drive is powered by a 3.5-liter 260-hp engine mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. The electronically controlled all-wheel drive system is designed to help enhance traction and grip by automatically varying front-to-rear torque distribution.
The IS 350 is offered in either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and powered by a 3.5-liter, 311-hp engine mated with the eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission.
