1 of the Rarest Used Lexus Sedans Comes With a Manual Transmission
Lexus has always been known for making some of the most ubiquitous and affordable luxury cars on the market. Hop on any freeway in the U.S., and you’re bound to see an older Lexus ES or RX model sharing the road with you. However, there’s one Lexus sedan that we would consider a rarity, especially since it comes with a manual transmission.
Which Lexus sedan came with a manual transmission?
If you have always wanted to row your own gears in a Lexus, the second-generation IS250 is what you seek. This model was produced from 2006 to 2012, and in addition to the automatic transmission, which most buyers opted for, it also had the option of a six-speed manual. This transmission option was only available in the base rear-drive model, which came equipped with the smaller V6 engine.
Under its hood was a 2.5-liter V6 that only produced 205 hp. However, the shift-it-yourself gearbox made it a little more fun to drive. Of course, who can argue with a rear-drive sport sedan with a manual transmission? We wouldn’t.
The only issue is that Lexus only produced 3,421 second-generation IS250 units, which means that finding them on the used market can be tough. Even rarer, though, is the IS250C, which is the convertible version of this model.
The second-generation IS250C came with the same powertrain and the option for a manual transmission, but Lexus only made 90 of those units during its production period. So finding one of those is harder than finding a needle in a haystack.
How much does an IS250 with a manual transmission cost?
If you’re thinking about buying a Lexus IS250 with a manual transmission, you could end up paying anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000, depending on the car’s location and condition. Although it’s worth noting that if you’re dead set on buying one, you may be waiting a while before a clean example pops up in your area.
A recent nationwide search on CarGurus revealed only a few examples for sale, and they looked a little rough around the edges. As always, we suggest having a pre-purchase inspection done if you plan to buy a Lexus that’s over 10 years old, despite the fact that the brand is known for its reliability.
Do any other Lexus models come with a manual transmission?
No. From what we can find, the Lexus IS is the only model that was ever offered with a manual transmission. Considering those versions only made up for around two percent of the total sales for that generation, we can see why Lexus never offered a stick shift in any other cars.
Car and Driver reported on the Lexus UX 300e last month, which features a “fake” manual transmission. They called it fake because it uses a “simulated shifter and clutch to provide a taste of old-school engagement,” the publication reported. The driver can shift the gears when the digital tachometer reaches its peak; however, Car and Driver says that the technology may not be useful since EVs don’t really need more than one or two forward gears to gain momentum.
It’s still cool, nonetheless. But not as cool as a second-generation IS250 with a stick shift – that is, if you can find one.
