Back in 2001,
Automotive News tantalized us with rumo(u)rs of a factory supercharged version of the Lexus IS300. It never materialized, of course. That, however, didn't deter a small but determined number of members of the my.IS community, who, in the face of Lexus' indifference, simply built their own. And, among this small elite group of believers in blowers,
John Gabrielson's car definitely stands out, and the
TunerZine website has noticed and is featuring his sweet ride. Better known to most of you by his
ITALIAN LEX screen name, the heart of his 2002 Millennium Silver Metallic IS300 is the Toyomoto stage 1 supercharger kit that includes a Rotrex SP32 supercharger, custom bracket, front mounted intercooler, headers, y-pipe and a Carson Tuned exhaust.
The modifications, however, go way beyond the engine. The lowered suspension sports Hotchkis Anti-sway bars front and rear, an Eibach Pro Kit, Bilstein Shocks, and a front Pro Lex performance Strut Bar. The stock wheels and tires were replaced by staggered Gunmetal I-Forged Astra wheels (19x8 front, 19x10 rear) riding on 225/35/19 front and 265/30/19 rear Falken FK-452 tires. The factory brakes were replaced by Rotora 6 piston Front and 4 piston Rear Big Brakes.
The body, too, has seen its fair share of personalized touches, including your author's favorite, the Type II carbon fiber hood with its black raised center section containing two silver triple-slotted hood vents. Also included is a full Carisma Top Gun body kit, a custom Z-Edition Altezza grill with stock “L” emblem and numerous custom lighting touches from my.IS's very own Headlight Tycoon, Justin Hartenstein (also known to the my.IS community by his screen name LCA575), and his company, Advanced Automotive Concepts.
To view more of this hot silver beauty, nicely photographed by Russell Aban, visit
the TunerZine website and
the TeamSolo website.
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