2021 Lexus IS reveal date postponed

UPDATE: In solidarity with the recent global Black Lives Matter movement, Lexus has withdrawn its scheduled reveal of the upcoming 2021 Lexus IS sedan. Lexus plans to reveal the car soon, though hasn't supplied a launch date as yet.

Lexus is cranking up its hype machine ahead of the full reveal of its 2021 IS, with a single tantalising shot of the sedan's rear... after dark.

Not much can be seen from the heavily blacked out image and deliberately low lighting, but the prudish pic confirms the new IS follows at least one of the UX's design cues, with a full-width 'unibeam' taillight.

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Current generation Lexus IS200

No extra detail or secrets can be gleaned from the image by boosting light and contrast levels, with Lexus carefully filter-proofing the photo and giving away only what it chooses to for now.

All quiet on the eastern front

The company has remained remarkably quiet on the development of the new IS, with few, if any, spy photos being snapped of the prototype under testing. Something which can be attributed to Toyota's very private and closely guarded, proving ground near Nagoya, Japan.

When it does make its curtain call, the Lexus IS will go into battle with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Jaguar XE and Genesis G70.

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The IS will retain rear-wheel-drive, but what isn’t known are the powerplant options on offer. Rumours suggest it may double-down on the BMW/Toyota partnership that spawned the Z4/Supra twins and use a BMW engine, or that we might finally see a 5.0-litre V8 lifted from the LC500.

The safer money would be on a carry-over of the 3.5-litre V6, 2.0-litre hybrid four-cylinder and the 2.0-litre turbo four cylinder petrol engines.

You won't have to speculate for long and we'll bring you all the details when Lexus turns on the lights on June 10.