Almost every luxury automaker builds an entry-level sports sedan. BMW makes the acclaimed 3 Series, ...

Almost every luxury automaker builds an entry-level sports sedan. BMW makes the acclaimed 3 Series, Audi the elegant A4 and Cadillac the dashing CTS. Lexus has fielded a car in this segment since 2001 when they introduced their IS.

Today, the IS stacks up favorably with its competitors, particularly the Teutons. But unlike the Germans, Lexus has never offered a high-performance version, or a high-performance anything for that matter, until now. Lexus stuck a bull’s-eye on the back of vehicles like the M3