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Comments
As you may notice I already re-edited that prior post a few dozen times.
Well, too bad there are not enough of those to be statistically relevant!! :shades:
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Interesting. Top Gear said the A5 3.0TDi did the 62 run in 5.9, and Audi's engine isn't quite as strong as BMW's. Both wipe the floor with the MB 320CDI, though.
Lexus would need to build a new SUV from scratch to compete with the likes of the X5 or the Infiniti FX, and they won't do one. There will never be an RX-F, thats for sure.
I actually held off after seeing lg's note and doing some more research.
I will say, I still like the simplicity and absence of (IMO) unnecessary systems in the 525. Plus it is easy to find with a stick, unlike the 545, and that is probably the deal maker/ breaker for me. So, still searching...
Wanna bet?
I am not saying that the RX-F will rival the X5 and Cayenne in terms of handling but I am saying that there will be a RX-F.
I am really not interested in a RX i really dont like like the current RX nor am i interested if there will be a RX-F or not I just hope they make a better next generation RX.
If LEXUS is currently testing a car the LFA which will most probably compete with super cars like ferrari. Then i don't see that they would have problems building a new SUV even from scratch to compete with X5 cayenne,
Thanks for the reply.
So are you saying luxury isn't fun?
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Remember, mine doesn't have the sport package. That may contribute to the "harsh" ride, if you could call it that, because I've never been in an X5 that has one. Harsh, compared to what? The Range Rover? We came out of a Lexus RX, and the X5 is not only smoother to ride in, but it has less wind noise, much better handling and a much better-finished interior.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Oh, please...
You can't. Period. Try the E320 Bluetec! It's incredible!
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
So ur saying that its superbly better than the RX in every way.?
Yes i know abt the interior I think its 1 of the best.
Would be great if there was a lexus that i could campare to the x5 I hope there will be 1 in the near future.
thanks.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Is this just a guess or do you know of secret Lexus plans to actually build something like that? A tall, rollie pollie ES based mom-wagon is going to get F treatment? I just cannot see that ever happening.
If Lexus were going to do some sort of performance SUV, it would most likely be based on the IS platform, and targeted at the Infiniti EX35 and BMW X3. The LFA is very expensive, so they can get away with a boutique platform, similar to the NSX. This hypothetical SUV on the other hand would not be, and at the kind of volumes they would expect, there's no way they'd build it new from the ground up. That's not how Toyota got to be the richest automaker in the world. I just haven't heard of any plans to make a sporting Lexus SUV. I think they are willing to concede that market to Acura and Infiniti.
Potentially a great car. No doubt about it. But whatwill be the price of this car? Will MB invest enough in training staff to servicie hybrids? How many people will want to buy a MB hyrbid diesel when no one knows the kind of long term commitment MB will have towards hybrids?
The Blutec diesel may merely be a technology showcase car more than anything else
If I wanted to buy a diesel I will buy a Benz and soon a BMW or Audi.
If I wanted to buy a hybrid I will buy a Lexus/Toyota since their long term commitment to reliable hybrids is carved in stone.
Nissan and Hyundai have boosted sales by selling more vehicles to rental-car companies, a low-margin business that the Big Three are trying to scale back. Hyundai has a new car plant in Alabama that is operating well below full capacity, which narrows profit margins on the cars it makes.
Asian auto makers typically keep leaner inventories than GM, Ford and Chrysler, but at the end of November Nissan's inventories were comparable with those of the domestic manufacturers. It had 258,340 vehicles on dealer lots, about 39,000 per point of Nissan's market share -- roughly the same level as GM, Ford and Chrysler. Toyota and Honda Motor Co. have lower levels -- about 28,000 vehicles for each point of market share -- but that was still much higher than each company had earlier in 2007.
And VW has little point in terms of staying in the USA if things do not improve
Germany's Volkswagen AG, because of the weak dollar, loses money on most of the vehicles it sells in the U.S.
WALLSTREETJOURNAL
Yes I think luxury is no fun at all. In terms of cars sport is fun and luxury is sedation. Sport promotes a pro-active driver while luxury promotes a passive subdued driver
Here there are the current official specs for the 62 run (actually, 100km•h) as published in Spain mags. for buyers:
Audi A5 3TDI DPF Quattro : 5.9 secs.
Audi A8 4.2 TDI DPF Quattro Tiptronic : 5.9 secs.
Audi A4 3TDI DPF Quattro : 6.1 secs.
Audi A8 L 4.2 TDI DPF Quattro Tiptronic : 6.1 secs.
(The best A6s being A6 Avant TDI Quattro and DPF Quattro with 7.1 secs. each)
BMW 335d : 6.2 secs.
BMW 535d : 6.4 secs.
(BMW 123d Coupé gets 7.0 secs.; and 123d Hatched, 6.9 secs.)
MB E320 CDI Classic 7G-Tronic: 6.8 secs.
MB S420CDI : 7.0 secs.
MB CLS 320 CDI : 7.0 secs.
MB S320 CDI Classic : 7.5 secs.
MB C320 CDI Classic : 7.7 secs.
MB CLK Coupé 320 CDI : 8.2 secs.
MB CLK Cabrio 320 CDI : 8.6 secs.
If someone wants to know about power, torque and consumes, I can easily post it.
Regards,
Jose
Okay, after re-read those articles about the RX-F, there is a huge possibility that it could be last year's April Fool's joke...
I guess the bet is off then. :P
However, I really do like the idea about the RX-F since bmlexus pointed out that there is not a single "sporty" SUV in the Lexus lineup. I dislike the idea of making the RX into a direct X5 competitor given that its core buyers are very different than X5's. However, with the "F treatment" and maintain the Lexus reliability and luxury, it could manage to steal some thunder from all those sportier competitors.
BMW has a track record of posting slower acceleration figures so if they claim the 335d will take 6.2 secs to 62 miles, I am willing to believe that in reality it'll be around 5.9 secs.
No bad but still too slow for my taste though.
Perhaps Lexus will take the same route that BMW has with the 'M treatment'. You can buy a run of the mill BMW and, for a few dollars more, dress it up with some of the 'M' car spoilers etc. That would also go some way to getting more bang for their r&d bucks in the ISF, use it to sell a few more SUVs to whoever that weird buyer is who wants an SUV that looks 'sporty'.
I guarantee you that there are plenty of X5 buyers out there who bought the X5 because it looks good and their friends will be impressed. That is exactly the sort of buyer who would switch without a thought to a Lexus that looks good and impresses their friends.
Yikes. Not a very complimentary profile for those type of X5 buyers.
It would be interesting to find a luxury/performance auto survey on why people bought their cars. I have a feeling that the truth may not be that complimetary. I know based on a recent non-luxury survery the reason why most people buy a Prius is because they want to impress their friends and others on their green appearances. Low emissions is among the bottom priorities for most Prius buyers. Low fuel consumpiton is not among their top priorities.
Being a compulsive rambler by nature I talked to quite a few BMW owners at the dealership's service department and I will usually ask two questions: What BMW do you drive? Why did you buy one? Hardly anyone said that they bought a BMW becasuse of the way it drives. That to me is quite a shocker because I cant imagine buying a BMW for any other reason.
However, I really do like the idea about the RX-F since bmlexus pointed out that there is not a single "sporty" SUV in the Lexus lineup.
Well considering the future of the whole program currently rests on whether there's even any interest in the tiny amount of IS-Fs they are going to build, I don't think Lexus would be rushing the RX-F into development.
How many sporty products are in the Lexus lineup at all? One? The GS is supposed to be a "sport sedan", but it really isn't. The SC used to be reasonably sporty, but the 430 is as bland-tastic as it gets. Lexus might want to work on more sporty cars before they get to SUVs.
No bad but still too slow for my taste though.
If I were going to have a 3 series, I'd probably have to have that twin turbo. Until Audi's new 3.0 turbo appears though, their 3.0TDi is the fastest V6 they have.
Somebody has to buy those 325i automatics.
And a lot of those...
I am willing to bet my car key that automatic 325i/328i is the best selling 3-series out of all different variations.
I definitely wouldn't be surprised if Lexus started offering "F-sport" packages for their regular cars. Whether they'll actually work or not is another matter. The whole "L-tuned" thing was a total flop.
It has already happened.
Lexus debut "F-sport" line the for the IS in SEMA 2007. There are some good stuffs (some I am planning to get) but also lame stuffs like the $700 carbon fiber engine cover... :sick:
Anybody remember the original "The In-Laws" movie (not the recent remake which I haven't seen)? BMW 7 (IIRC) goes into car wash/detail shop to hide, comes out with flames on the hood/flanks! Funny, funny movie.
I don't believe that the flaming 7Series trend caught on, however...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Daimler tumbled 11 per cent to €59.17, truck-maker MAN slid 11.3 per cent to €100.94 and Porsche sagged 11.9 per cent to €1220.48
link title
And Toyota is not immune. Their shares are at a 52 week low.
Now don't put words in my mouth, I didn't say that all X5 buyers do it just for the status thing, but I would certainly gamble that the majority do it because it impresses their fellow tennis club members.
And in the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that my wife's previous car was a 325i with an automatic. FWIW, that was still a fun car to drive, she would have kept it except the all-new-to-our-lifestyle stoller didn't fit in the boot....
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I drove the Porsche Cayenne S, both the 2006 and 2008, and neither stood up to the X5's ride/handling combo. The Porsche actually felt less connected to the road.
I would say that there's only one area in which Lexus is superior, and that's the backup camera. The one in our X5 is a joke, and I know it's not limited to our car, because I read complaints about it in an X5 forum regularly. However, yes, everything else about it is great.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Had an interesting experience with the MB. The car, as C & D says, has more gadgets than a Sharper Image catalog. The problem is that none of them enhanced my driving experience. Moreover, as a relatively fit 63 year old guy, I felt old and pretentious in one. Anyway, just for chuckles I met with the F & I guy and ran some numbers. They were interesting.
MBUSA has a three year residual of 57% on the car (assuming 12K miles per year), so if you opt for one of their subsidized leases you are almost forced to get right back into another one at the end of three years. Just like a hamster on a treadmill. Why? There is no way that you will want to pay 57% of the MSRP for the now three year old car. On the other hand if you buy it new, you don't get the lease subsidy. I guess one way around this is that you could have your company lease it and prepay a huge mileage factor (say, 100,000 miles) . Then at the end of the lease you could buy the car for a much lower figure and then sell it to your wife. Somehow this doesn't turn me on.
Well, as I said the Cayenne/Volvo/F150/Grand Wagoneer etc. were running fine and the S550 wasn't doing too much for me either in terms of driving experience or in the F & I room. But I had the New Car heebeejeebies. What to do?
I test drove a new Chevrolet Silverado LT 4X4 with the extended cab. Chevvy pickups now have rack and pinion steering, lots of suspension travel, good ride with the standard 17" wheels, no wind noise with the steeply raked windshield, XM radio and Onstar are standard, nice soft touch controls that you don't need either bifocals or an MIT EE to decipher, seats as good as our Volvo's, fantastic leather surfaces, fully boxed frame rails, etc. GM is clearly back.
I wanted Side Curtain Airbags and GM's Stabiltrak, options that the dealers don't stock because I guess the average pick up customer doesn't think he needs. So I special ordered it in November with the 5.3 V8. GM offers a special rebate on the towing package which essentially gives it to the buyer free of charge. This package is nice to have becauses it gets you a tranny cooler and an Eaton locking rear end, in addition to the frame mounted hitch. Naturally the four wheel drive options (AWD, high range four wheel drive, and low range four wheel drive) are engaged by turning a knob, not a German mouse. The new truck had an invoice (not MSRP) of 31K and with the help of our accounting firm, after various deductions on our '07 taxes (we are a Subchapter S), it will wind up costing us 18K. (Britenesss can explain this better than I can.)
These last two weeks have seen a series of signifcant snow storms and close to zero temperatures here in the Northeast. The Silverado was more than a match. Coming down the Maine Turnpike this morning it just rolled along quietly and competently, soaking up the bumps, and turning in 20 MPG on regular fuel. The American V8 is quiet until aroused, the HVAC is a wonder to behold on cold New England mornings, the sterio awesome. As a final note, I don't have to park it a 1/4 mile away from the front door to the supermarket as I would have to with an S550, I can throw my gymn stuff in the back seat area, and, come Spring, I can put some mountain bikes in the bed. I'm good to go!
All in all I love it. With the economy pointing down, this makes a nice alternative to an leased lux sedan.
As NevadaBanker used to say, YMMV.
Your Silverado is the ideal truck... there is none better, period. Congratulations.
Like Lexusguy, I've got my eyes out for something smaller and particularly more fun. For me, that's likely the upcoming BMW 135i coupe. After that, I'll check out the upcoming X5 35d (yes... diesel) as a possible replacement for the wife's MDX.
If I was in the market for a truck, however, it would undoubtedly be a Silverado, as I prefer it over the latest style of the GMC Denali.
TagMan
You may want to check out Clarkson's rave on the new 135i. He's normally not a BMW fan, but he gave the 135 the full 5-stars.
"Then you leave the motorway and the road gets twisty and it’s like settling into your favourite armchair. The steering, the feel, the way you can adjust your line through the bend with the throttle. There is no other car made today in this sector of the market that gets even close. If you love driving, this is up there in a class of one.
The fact of the matter is this. The 135 coupé is the best car BMW makes. I have no hesitation at all, then, in giving this long-awaited return to form the rare accolade of five stars."
Clarkson 135i coupe review
Hybrid Panamera Press Release
Hybrids and Porsches just seem strange. I know that they came out with a hybrid vehicle over 100 years ago, but that was when everyone was trying to figure out a way to make new horseless carriages.
I have to believe that this is some way of saving money. If they have a hybrid in their line, then they get some tax break.
What do you guys think? Would you Porsche owners ever consider a Porsche hybrid?
-moo
TagMan
So, you can see why I'm going to place a deposit!
TagMan
I sort of agree because there have been indications that Porsche is not thrilled with the market conditions. However, there's a lot of development cost and it would have to be well underway.
Well, let's see. That market has or had:
Porsche Cayenne
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
Chevy Trailblazer SS
GMC Typhoon
Mercedes G55 AMG
Mercedes E55 AMG wagon
BMW M5 wagon
BMW X5
Dodge Magnum R/T & SRT8
etc.
And I would classify a sedan as a "people mover," too. But that list would be as long as both your and my arms put together.
I would not consider buying a Hybrid Porsche but I also would not consider buying a Cayenne or a Panamera. I own a Porsche and may buy a second one and I consider them purely toys based upon the smile it brings to me when I drive them. I think the market will soon offer plenty of hybrid choices in almost every product category.
I would rather like to see Porsche focus on improving electronics, shorten product life cycles, and offer reasonably price performance upgrades in their core GT and Sports car products.
Just to reiterate, I don't think that hybrids are bad. I just don't see the place for them from the buyers that Porsche attracts. From my Honda and Nissan days, the hybrid market attracts a strange crowd. (No disrespect meant towards any hybrid owners.) They tend to be rather eccentric.
As far as hybrids go, the premium that you pay on one vastly outweighs the savings on fuel. The only reason to purchase one would be to help the environment. And to be real, that hybrid purchase is a grain of sand in the desert.
-moo
I am sure Porsche is not interested in paying the "luxury tax"...
A good question here should be: Why is Porsche choosing hybrid over diesel?
My choice is mutually exclusive: I buy for thrills or I buy to conserve. Combining the two is a compromise I cant live with. A diesel BMW is right now the best compromise available.
the hybrid market attracts a strange crowd. (No disrespect meant towards any hybrid owners.) They tend to be rather eccentric.
BINGO!
That describles me perfectly and ever since the 90s when I saw the Honda Insight I always yearned to buy one of those. I cant wait for the next few years when I walk out of my hybrid closet and finally confess to the world that I am an eccentric( unfortunately by that time hybrids will become as blandly mainstream and as non-eccentric as a Egg McMuffin Breakfast with a hash brown and a coffee)