THERE'S a first time for everything and in the case of Lexus and diesel engines it has been a long time coming.
After almost 20 years of building a reputation as one of the leading luxury car brands, the executive arm of Toyota has its sights set on the booming British trend of demanding more miles for your money.
Diesel car sales are soaring and edging towards the point where they will account for almost 50 per cent of the market.
Lexus is late into the game but its diesel engine in an all-new IS saloon is very good indeed.
Pitched directly at the likes of the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4 and Jaguar X-Type diesels, the new Lexus IS is out to woo the most discerning buyers in the executive market.
This is aspiring middle management territory where badge comes first and image follows.
Lexus's key qualities of high specification and reliability have consistently put the marque at the top of the all-important JD Power customer satisfaction surveys.
That is an achievement helped by the original IS saloon and estate models which made the Lexus experience available for less than £30,000.
The new IS hits the streets this week in petrol form with the diesel coming on stream next spring.
Prices range from £22,400 to £28,000 for the 2.5-litre V6 petrol models and the basic diesel IS will actually be cheaper costing from £22,200.
For what you get for what you pay, those prices are highly competitive.
Add to that lower insurance and repair costs than most of its rivals, 44.8mpg consumption and CO2 emissions of 168g/km and Lexus's first diesel is an attractive option.
Lexus is also claiming the IS 220d to be the world's cleanest diesel luxury saloon in terms of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions.
Even with a diesel engine, the Lexus knack of almost silent running has been maintained on the new car. Only when it is stationary would you know it's something different.
In fact Lexus's pursuit of excellence has reached new bounds in the IS and even the sun visors have been brought into play with special sound absorbent filling to further reduce noise levels.
The 2.2-litre diesel develops 175bhp giving it a top speed of 134mph and 0 to 60 acceleration time of 8.9 seconds. That is up with the best and there is plenty of mid-range power in all of the six gears.
However, the diesel is available with a manual gearbox only and the handbrake is very close to the gear lever which can interfere when moving off. Only the automatic versions of the V6 have Lexus's standard foot operated parking brake.
Forward vision is also impeded with wide, sloping windscreen pillars and from the driving seat the environment is very busy.
Even though the IS benefits from Lexus's new L-Finesse styling regime which gives it a smart dashboard, there are switches angled at the driver in all sorts of places - to the side and below the steering wheel and in the armrest on the door.
The cockpit is much more high-tech than the original IS - gone are the rather tacky cog-wheel edged dials and knobs - but there is a lot "in your face".
Handling and ride quality are top class but it is the V6 versions which feel sharper and more composed. Top speed from this 204bhp engine is 141mph and 0 to 60 in 8.4 seconds for the automatic.
The auto also has better fuel consumption figures than the manual - such is the electronic wizardry of the gearbox - of 31mpg on average as opposed to 28.8 with emissions of 214g/km and 231 respectively.
All versions of the IS feature class leading safety systems including driver and front passenger airbag knee protection and a range of advanced stability and traction controls.
The top range IS250 SE-L is also equipped with adaptive cruise control, which uses radar to regulate the distance to the car in front, and Lexus's pre-crash safety device which senses an imminent impact and increases tension on the front seatbelts.
Other top range features include leather upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats while options include a £2,700 multimedia pack with a 14-speaker Mark Levinson hi-fi surround sound system, DVD player, a Bluetooth communications link, satellite navigation and a camera mounted in the boot to help parking.
It is all sophisticated stuff and styled to cut a dash on the road, in the drive or on the company car park.