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The Lexus IS 300 and GS 300 used the naturally aspirated 2JZ-GE inline-six—not the twin-turbo 2JZ-GTE associated with the fourth-generation Supra. Lexus’s records place these cars in the 2JZ era, but the available U.S. sources do not establish an exact final model year for both nameplates. The GS 300 badge later returned on a very different, four-cylinder turbo model.
Which Lexus models had the 2JZ?
The relevant U.S. Lexus models were the first-generation IS 300 and the 2JZ-powered GS 300. Both used the 2JZ-GE, a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six. Lexus’s technical-manual material says the IS 300 and IS 300 SportCross used this engine and that its basic construction and operation matched the GS 300’s 2JZ-GE.
Lexus’s corporate timeline dates the GS 300’s U.S. introduction to 1993 and the IS 300’s development to 2000. It also records that a third-generation GS 300 and the IS 250 and IS 350 went on sale in 2005. Those milestones describe the broader transition, but do not independently identify the exact final U.S. model year for both 2JZ-powered cars.
What engine did the IS 300 and GS 300 use?
They used the 2JZ-GE, not the 2JZ-GTE. The GE is naturally aspirated; the GTE is the twin-turbo variant commonly associated with the MKIV Supra. Lexus’s retrospective describes the IS engine as the naturally aspirated version associated with the Supra, but the IS specification sheet identifies the actual installed engine code as 2JZ-GE. That code is the clearest way to distinguish the Lexus powertrain from the Supra’s turbocharged engine.
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2002 Lexus IS 300 specifications
| Specification | 2002 IS 300 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2JZ-GE inline-six |
| Displacement | 2,997 cc |
| Valve train | DOHC, 24 valves, VVT-i |
| Horsepower | 215 hp at 5,800 rpm |
| Torque | 218 lb-ft at 3,800 rpm |
| Compression ratio | 10.5:1 |
These are Lexus’s specifications for the 2002 U.S. IS 300, not figures to assume for every model year or market. Check the relevant year’s specification sheet when comparing another version.
How did the IS 300 and GS 300 differ?
The IS 300 was Lexus’s smaller sport sedan; the SportCross added a wagon body style. The GS 300 was the larger sedan. Their 2JZ-GE engines shared the same basic construction and operation according to Lexus technical-manual material, although that statement alone does not establish identical tuning or every component across all years and markets.
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The available sources support this engine and timeline comparison, not conclusions about which car is quicker, more durable, or less expensive to own. Those questions depend on the specific year, condition, configuration, and maintenance history.
When did Lexus stop using the 2JZ in the GS 300?
Lexus’s U.S. timeline places the third-generation GS 300 on sale in 2005, while a Lexus UK archive describes the preceding GS 300/430 generation as on sale in the UK from November 2000 to April 2005. The UK dates are regional and should not be treated as U.S. sales dates. The sources cited here do not state a definitive final U.S. model year for both the historic GS 300 and IS 300, so a precise shared endpoint cannot be established from them.
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Why the 2018 GS 300 is not the same 2JZ car
Lexus reused the GS 300 name in the United States for 2018, but that car had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Lexus said it had previously been called the GS 200t. It is a later badge reuse, not a continuation of the 3.0-liter 2JZ-GE-powered GS 300.
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Sources
- Lexus USA corporate history for the broad U.S. model timeline.
- Lexus 2002 IS 300 specifications for the year-specific engine figures.
- Lexus IS technical-manual material for the IS 300 engine and its basic relationship to the GS 300 engine.
- Lexus IS retrospective for historical context on the IS and the Supra connection.
- Lexus 2018 GS 300 release for the later four-cylinder model.
- Lexus UK GS archive for UK-specific dates.
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