At some point, the European luxury sedan makers will care. Really. And that time may well be coming soon. Up to now, Lexus had been playing poodle to some mighty big and toothy dogs, especially in the “entry-lux” yard. Consider the BMW 3 Series, for example: the sedan that always seems to get just a little bit better than the competition with every update and redesign. Next to the 3 Series the rest of the pack have generally been categorized as cute little cars that offered no real threat to BMW sedan dominance.

Not so – anymore. With the introduction of a much improved new IS from Lexus, officials deep inside the North American offices of one very prim luxury automaker are surely hitting the whiskey and thinking deep, mean thoughts. Here, where the Eagle Flies, a new Lexus IS sport sedan means more competition from the Relentless One. Whiskey is a good drink when that happens, especially given the sobering fact that we buyers in America will likely respond in droves to the IS, with its invigorating new design, fresh powertrains and the kind of technology that would make a Radio Shack clerk squeal.