Future Classic: 1999-2005 Lexus IS 300

Japanese automakers often reserve their best stuff for the home market. The number of incredibly cool, quick and exciting cars that were never sold in the United States is enormous. Fortunately, we occasionally get a peek into that world when a special Japanese car lands on our shores. In the late 1990s, we a version of the athletic Toyota Altezza. Known as the Lexus IS 300 here, the car came to America with the legendary 2JZ-GE inline-six (the non-turbo cousin of the fourth-generation Supra engine), rear-wheel drive and an available manual transmission – the perfect formula for an enthusiast’s sedan.

Why is the Lexus IS a future classic?

Simply put: There are no other modern Japanese sedans that offer the same formula as the early IS.

The Lexus IS is still around today, but other than a brief flirtation with V8s in the mid-2000s IS F and the most recent IS 500, the car’s performance potential has gone untapped. After the first two generations, the IS got clunkier and heavier and struggled to compete against the heavy artillery from Germany and elsewhere.

First-generation IS models are highly desirable for this reason. The 2JZ engine is famously easy to massage into an absolute powerhouse, and the nimble rear-wheel drive setup makes the car a joy to drive. Lexus didn’t start adding tech like a backup camera and Bluetooth until later in the second generation, so all first-gen cars are as simple as it comes with the IS.

Interestingly, that 2JZ engine was specific to the U.S.-market IS. In Japan, the Altezza was also available with a four-cylinder. It was a version of the 3S-GE that made 207 horsepower at a seriously high 7,600 rpm, just shy of the 215 horsepower of the American-market 2JZ. For more intrepid engine swappers, this is another popular choice.

Additionally, the car is clean, but muscular with its styling. It was instrumental in popularizing clear tail lights, too, which you may have heard referred to as "Altezza" lights, like its Japanese twin. The interior was particularly sporty-looking in a new-millennium way with its gauge faces styled like high-end chronograph watches and the gleaming spherical chrome shift knob.

There are safer, quicker and certainly more advanced cars, but the tech and safety equipment can get in the way of the driver-car connection. Add to that the 2JZ engine’s tuner appeal and the car’s timeless good looks, and you’ve got a winning recipe. The cars are also nearly bulletproof from a reliability standpoint, furthering their appeal. On the flip side of that coin, many people bought early IS cars and drove them into the ground, so it’s exceedingly difficult to find one with fewer than 200,000 miles and without notable wear and tear.