Detroit show: Lexus hints at IS wagon comeback

LEXUS has dropped a hint that it may bring back the IS SportCross wagon as it counts down to the official unveiling of its all-important new IS luxury sedan at next week’s Detroit motor show.

The Japanese luxury brand used its Facebook page to ask fans if they remembered the original IS300 SportCross – a quasi-wagon hatchback based on the first-generation IS and sold in Japan, North America and Europe between 2001 and 2005.

“Do you remember the ‘02 IS 300 Sport Cross with its style, utility and performance? Will we bring it back? Watch the 2014 IS premiere on Facebook in 6 days to find out,” it said.

In lieu of a compact SUV in its line-up, Lexus may even reinterpret the SportCross as a jacked-up crossover in similar vein to the Audi A4 Allroad, perhaps using a hybrid drivetrain to achieve all-wheel-drive.

The wagon hint comes shortly after Lexus revealed official images of the new IS in edgy F Sport guise, which was previewed by the LF-CC coupe concept at Paris last September.

From top: 2013 Lexus IS F Sport Lexus LF-CC concept 2012 Lexus IS 250C.

Lexus is almost certain to put the two-door LF-CC into production, providing it with a competitor to the BMW 4 Series (that will also debut at Detroit) as well as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and Audi A5.

The company is also highly likely to follow through with a successor to the IS C drop-top, meaning the potential wagon variant could result in a doubling of IS body variants to four.

Whatever happens, the tantalising Facebook posting suggests a SportCross successor will be revealed – perhaps in concept form – alongside the IS and IS F Sport sedans at Detroit.

The new IS sedan range will hit Australian showrooms in the second half of this year and is confirmed to include hybrid drivetrain options for the first time.