2021 Lexus IS teased

Lexus has teased its replacement for the long-serving current-generation IS, set to take on the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4.

The next Lexus IS will debut at 7pm on June 9, New York time.

In an image released overnight, Lexus showed off the new sedan’s tail-light graphics, which now run across the car’s entire rear end.

At the bottom there’s a prominent diffuser-style section, although may only be present on F-Sport variants.

The reflector units remain at the lower corners of the rear bumper, but they appear to have shrunk in size.

Reports indicate the upcoming IS may not be an all-new model, meaning the 2021 Lexus IS could use an updated iteration of today’s architecture.

Indeed, the 2021 IS may be a heavy facelift of the current car. It’s certain the sedan will sport new front- and rear-end designs, but it’s unclear if the centre section will be revised.

What’s also unclear is how different the interior will be. If we were to place bets, there should be an updated infotainment system with support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

If the new IS does make the jump to Toyota’s latest component sets, it could share the TNGA-L setup used by the LC and LS twins, or the TNGA-N rear-wheel drive platform underpinning the latest Toyota Crown and next-generation hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai.

The third-generation IS has been on sale globally since 2013, and is one of the oldest vehicles in its class.