Let's be honest: Chances are Lexus would never have chosen the name 'IS' for its BMW 3 Series fighter back in 1998 if it had known an extremist terrorist organization with the same name would rise several years later. The Lexus Islamic State doesn't have a nice ring to it. But it's too late now. The IS name isn't going anywhere, and now it's time for the luxury sedan to receive a mid-life refresh, which will be revealed next week at the Beijing Motor Show.

The 2017 Lexus IS is expected to receive updated headlights and an even more aggressive front end.That Darth Vader-spindle grille will surely remain. Lexus released a single teaser image of the update, stating that the updated IS "will bring exciting breakthroughs based on the Lexus signature L-finesse design philosophy." No indication was given about changes to the powertrain options, which includes a standard turbocharged four-cylinder with 241 hp in the IS200t, while the optional 3.5-liter V6 with 255 hp is found in the IS300. The IS350 is boosted to 306 hp and comes equipped with an eight-speed automatic, and all of those variants can be had with the F Sport package. The Lexus Islamic State, sorry, IS, will premiere in the coming days.