LS-swapped Lexus IS Takes on Procharged 6th Gen Camaro

First-gen Lexus IS is a cheap, yet formidable platform. So will we see an influx of LS-swaps moving forward?

If you’re into that side of the automotive spectrum, you’re likely aware that the first-gen Lexus IS was (and still is) a pretty awesome car. Lexus’ answer to the BMW 3-Series wasn’t quite its equal, but it is a very nice compact luxury sports sedan that has the potential for much more. Especially when you swap an LS into it, as the owner of this particular IS has done.

It also gives that super sleeper sedan the beans to run with a ProCharged 6th gen Camaro, apparently. As we see in this video from YouTuber Randy Kase, it definitely provides an upgrade over the stock 3.0-liter, which produced as little as 217 hp in stock form. But is it enough to overtake the modern Camaro and its powerful combo? Well, in a word, no.

The Lexus gave it all it had, for sure. Both cars look a little sluggish off the line, but that’s likely because neither drive wanted to break the tires loose. After that, the race looks fairly even until the top end, where the ProCharger obviously makes its money. Once the boost kicks in, the Camaro leaves the Lexus in the dust.

The Chevy clocks a decent 11.93-second pass at 125 mph versus the Lexus and its sluggish 13.40 at 108 mph. Obviously, we don’t have any real details on what the Lexus is packing. Perhaps it’s a stock LS, with some mods planned for the future. Maybe he’s just shaking down a new combo and trying not to break anything just yet. But we hope that his future holds a pair of turbos, because this thing would make one heck of a sweet sleeper.

For now, we’ll just have to appreciate what might prove to be a very popular swap candidate in the future. These cars are relatively lightweight, cheap, and easy to find. Instilling them with some good old fashioned GM power is a great way to utilize a great platform. And we have a feeling that cars like this one are just the start of what might become a big trend in the near future.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.