Thanks for the news about the Taste of Lexus. I'm going on Sunday this week. Called their number, and asked if they would have an AWD IS250 to drive. The operator was clueless. Did you happen to notice if they did? Thanks. Tim
I looked at (all 83! Wow!) shots. Could not discern an AWD badge on the back of any (if that's where it is). The event reservation people said they will have 250s, but could not say if they would have both 250 and 250AWD models. On the other hand, they did know that there would be GS300AWD models. Makes me worry I'm driving 4 hours roundtrip but may not get in the car I want.
We've had some doubters on a potential 5.1s 0-60 for an IS350, could you comment by your seat-of-the-pants assessment, and the *professional* driver's test of the IS350 if indeed this car can reach such lofty time ? Or would Lexus estimated 5.6s be more accurate, in your opinion ?
What endearing factoids makes the IS350 a more compelling car than the e90 330i ? Would you see the IS350 a truly competitive car in the market, or would its pricing mitigate or enhance its sales performance ?
Sorry for the many questions.... Just curious to hear from someone who have spent more time in and out of the cars...
I also went to the event on Saturday 9/17. They had the 350 and the 250 AWD. The rep told me all of the 250s they have are AWD. They did not have a 250 manual. I didn't sit in the back of the IS, but did sit in the back of GS, and as other people have said, it is extremely uncomfortable. I'm around 5'10-5'11, and could not sit up straight in the seat. Did anyone else try the IS backseat?
I saw the 330i vs IS350 "race" from up close, and I have to say that the "professional" driver in the 330i did not launch it very well. Yes the 350 has better 0-60, but I don't think it should be as dramatic as it was. Sure, both drivers are professionals - professionals paid by Lexus! The funny thing was, everyone boo-ed after the race, because the widespread perception was it was not a fair race.
Pickup in the 350 was awesome. I recently test drove an Audi S4 and the acceleration in the two cars was similar. 350 wasn't as great around turns as I was expecting. After that I drove the 250, and thought it would be boring compared to the 350, but it was still a lot of fun. I would guess 0-60 in mid or possibly high 6 range - anyone else heard numbers for that?
I also drove the RX400h and was impressed. 0-60 in around 7 seconds, and it gets around 30 mpg. Very nice car.
The event overall was a lot of fun. No one else has mentioned this, but they also have two ESPN Golf School pros who can give you a free video analysis of your swing, and then they will mail you the video with comments on it. They also have food and beverages (including fancy Fiji spring water), free 10-minute massages, and a Lexus-branded, leather-bound edition of Zagat's America's Best Restaurants 2005. Someone above said you also get a free pen, but I don't think I got one - maybe they ran out.
It's a great event, and not so bad to get to since it's on the LIRR. You should go if you can!
Thanks for the confirmation on the AWD. Also found it on an alternative IS-related forum. I'm looking forward to it. Would have been nice to have a shot at the G35x and BMW xi's, but sounds like they really are emphasizing "performance edition" and AWD isn't aimed that way. Tim
5.1 is a bit low for the car in my opinion. But again, I believe there were 2 350's and they were getting beat up for hours on end, with no stopping. The AMCI rep even said the front left tire was being worn out because we were driving too hard/fast, really? Why would we ever do that?
AMCI rep said they did some testing and they got an average of 5.5 seconds which did seem accurate, they clocked the 330(auto) at 6.5 seconds, which is again in the range, considering the manual is in the 5.9-6.1 range.
Also, it was very hot, that day for some reason. I was sweating bullets, that could definitely have affected the acceleration, though someone did mention that a direct injection is less susceptible to temperature changes?
The IS350 is just smoother, albeit more tame than the 330i. I went from a 328ci to an Acura TL-S, I thought nothing could have felt more sporty, tuned, and well balanced than the 328ci till I drove the 350. The interior is just gorgeous, pictures definitely do not do it justice. The fit and finish is remarkable. LED reading lights, lit aluminum door sil (Forgot to take a picture of this!), oil dampened everything, huge glovebox, and an AWESOME soundsystem!!!
I'm trading my TL-S in October :-)
Good luck with your decision.
Although I do not believe it will steal the "badge conscious" buyers away from BMW that much, those who want a sporty and luxury ride, for less money (I presume) than a BMW, the 350 is definitely it!
I drove only 1 250 and it was auto. I do not think they gave a choice, as they just systematically sent people to the cars they wanted, 250 vs. 350 vs. 330i.
The car in the showroom/tent was the 250 and the front seat were scooted back more than I would care for. I am 5'10". Pushing the seat back to where my palms touch the steering wheel and shoulders resting on the seat back, I had approximately 2-3 inches of knee room in the backseat (yes a bit tight). The real problem I found was the floor where your shoes lay. Although my TL is much bigger, the room from the floor to the bottom of the seat is sufficient enough to have atleast half your show fit underneith it. With this lexus it seemed as if my shoes were lodged/wedged underneith the seat, a very uncomfortable position, even for the 1-2 minutes I sat there.
I'll get over it, I'm not going to be in the backseat anyway!!! If you have bigger kids or plan to car pool etc, I do not think the lexus would be a good car, nor would a 330i.
You can go as early as you want. They set the times to spread people around as much as possible, as most people will follow the scheduled times to a point.
I was registered for 12:45, went at 11:00. registration took approximately 15 minutes, after filling out the waiver form(I guess if you decide to kill yourself?).
You are totally alone while driving. You can have a guest, and even your kids can ride with you, though small kids must be in a childseat/booster.
Just remember that if your guest wants to ride with you they must get a wrist band even if they aren't driving. My wife had to get off the auto line and get in the registration line again just to get the wrist band. I guess for liability purposes.
Have fun there, and take a picture of the aluminum backlit door sil for me! I forgot to take that one.
We are in a position where we need a new car; since our '89 (207K mile) Accord died. We are well set enough financially to want to buy a "sport sedan", but the mileage numbers (infiniti, Acura TL and the IS) really give us pause. After driving a 4-cylinder stick (that looked pretty much like a Prelude, of its day) I am finding myself uncomfortable buying any new car with the "weak" mileage numbers that the Acura TL and even the new IS 250 has. Gas prices will only go UP and as a long term car keeper, I am not sure that even the best of the IS line (at 24/32 IS250 (with Premium no less!)) will be the type of numbers I'd like to have 4-6 years from now. Buying a new car every few years is the biggest way to waste family wealth and so, for me I'd certainly leave the IS 350 for those that can't control themselves, the horse-power fanatics or the overly wealthy.
I must be the only person who felt that there was no where near enough time to really get an accurate feel for the cars. I was able to drive the 250 AWD first (much shorter line) and it was a nice, smooth ride. The course is half a mile, so if you actually max out and hit the 30 range... you do the math. I don't see how driving a car for 30 seconds gives you an accurate idea of how well the car really handles, so I was disappointed by the course length. I can say that the 350 is REALLY fast. Most people (myself included) tapped the accelerator in the beginning and felt themselves pushed in the seat. Paddles shifters definitely a waste of time on such a short course. In fact the 350 almost seems unnecessary, except for all the features that are standard. It's actually still on my list for that reason.
Have to say I was really annoyed by the lack of definitive pricing information. I had 2 people tell me pricing would be available 1Q '06 until I pointed that production is scheduled for next month. :mad:
A note or two: it appears that XM and Sirius will be available early next year (worth a wait for me). Would also have been nice to see what the smart access key looked like.
IMHO, fun event, great to see what colors i would be interested in, but little more information that I've seen in forum posts. So for now, the speculation continues.
On Sunday morning I attended a Lexus driving event and was able to test various cars set up on a course in a parking lot. Even though my drives were short, I was able to get a feel for what the Lexus IS350 & E90 330iA. The course set up wasn't the toughest. I'm sure autocross pros could have done it with their eyes closed. It started out with a straightaway, then you had to swerve left to "avoid" a motorist changing a tire, then a (wide) right hand hairpin sweeper, and an S curve. Here I will post my humble opinion. Both cars a were automatics(Boo! Although I should be one to talk, my '01 Prelude is currently in the shop needing a new clutch after only 53K miles so feel free to take shots at my driving ability ) and were loaded to the gills. The 330iA had SP and Nav among other things. I used the steptronic mode and started both cars out in 1st gear, upshifting to 2nd and leaving it there for the duration of the drive. I took 2 alternating laps in each car (BMW, Lexus, BMW, Lexus).
The IS350 accelerates like a rocket, truly instantaneous. It is the first car I've ever driven that I haven't said "could use more power" or "the automatic really sucks the power out of this motor." You leave for work late in the IS350 and you'll et there early. Handling was decent, but the body pitched and rolled around the turns and I felt the steering was loose and twitchy. The brakes are strong, but very difficult to modulate. I don't particularly care for the new IS exterior styling. The drving position is too straight forward for me. I like to sit down low and "in" the car.
The 330iA is truly a magical car. It may not be light like an E30, or as tossable as an E36, or this thing is damn good, why change it like the E46, but it works. Acceleration was good, more than enough to get out of your own way in everyday driving situations (I'm sure the 6 speed manual boogies). Steering is point and shoot, very direct. Body lean in the turns was minimal and barely detectable. I was absolutely blown away at how well this car handled. I planted my foot in the apex of the sweeping hairpin and the BMW held on and kept going without protesting. Sport seats were supportive. I love the low slung driving position. It is very sportscar-esq like my Prelude.
As cheesy as it may sound, the 330i is truly the ultimate driving machine. Anybody watching who is considering an IS, you really owe it to yourself to at least drive a BMW.
MY above post should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm sure I'm in the lowest percentile of car makers' target markets. I like stick shifts, heavy steering, and am not bothered by tightly wound suspensions.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
So I take it the seating position of the IS350 is more like a G35 (higher and on that seat) than the BMW's low sports car-like seating? It may sound funny to people but the seating position is something I look for as I grew up driving sports cars and coupes...
NYC: The 350 suposedly has a sport option, or so I thought I read. Was the tester so equipped? From all previous experience with a number of brands, if a sport suspension option is available, I'm taking it. It's the one option I would have liked for my current car. A tube, spring and rubber option would have been the perfect icing. Well that and DSG, but hey, I'm sure Toyota will come up with a knock-off soon enough... ;-]
Hmmm. I'm not sure if you've insulted most of the audience here, but anyway...
I've got an '05 TL/Auto which for a fairly powerful v6 returns very good mpg. In my mixed highway/local driving, I'm getting 23-24mpg. On the highway, 30+ is easily acheived. I'm sure a manual 4cyl. Accord does better, but as you mentioned, you're looking at a different class of vehicles.
I believe the TL will return better mpg than a G35 or IS350. The BMW 3 series is rather economical also.
The tone of your post makes me think you'll regret not buying a more economical car, maybe you should look at the TSX? Or 4cy. Accord/Camry?
'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...)
justconvinced - You mention that satellite radio will be available early next year. I also would like to wait for that. XM put out a press release several months ago saying it would a be factory-installed option in several Lexus models "sometime in 2006" (rather than dealer-installed).
Did you hear anything about XM being factory-installed early next year, or just dealer-installed? Also, if factory-installed, I would imagine there needs to be an antenna on the car's roof. Did anything come up about that?
I keep up with all the threads in this board and have not heard anybody talk about this !!!
I just got off the phone with the dealership here in Indianapolis and they are expecting the first 10-11 IS 350 models to come in the frist week in October, that is certain. They will all be fully loaded with Nav and ML systems and is expected to top right around $41,000....I will take this as a speculation since Lexus has not released that information so that was his guess.
Now for the best part and this is NOT speculation. Sometime in 2006, Lexus will introduce the 2007 IS350 model with a 2 door, (single) hard top convertible option. I asked him if he was certain about this and he said it is a done deal and NOT speculation!! He DID speculate that it would be in the mid to high 40s but duh!! I Depending on how the 2006 model prices and sells I would not be suprised if it topped out in the low 50s....but that is my speculation since there are no other cars in this class to compare it with. The only thing that I was not able to get out of him was whether the 2007 model would have a manual gear box and if that would come on the coupe-convertible model.....he could not say for sure. I know we've all speculated that Lexus would bring out a coupe - convertible in the future but can anyone validate the information I just got from my dealership? I don't know about you folks but I'm waiting a year to buy my IS 350!!
I was playing with "configurator lite" on the IS site, and it would seem that the 350 is only available with ridiculous wood trim. Anybody got an insider's line on whether or not you can delete the stuff, in favor of metal, metalized plastic or even CF? Would it kill them to offer a real green instead of the diaper wiper color they call green? And how many different version of silver/grey do we need.
Man I'll be glad when silver is back to the number three color choice... ;-]
I've been looking forward to info on the "rumored" IS convertible myself. It's probably a mid-life crisis thing, but I've had a hankerin' for a convertible lately. But being a practical family guy, four semi-reasonable seats is a requisite as well as a hard top. The hard top is for the practicle reasons of security and the lovely New England winters/weather we have! OK, forget the practical. I want one 'cuz it's cool!
Practically speaking, I won't be new-carring 'till late '07 at the earliest. At this point, I'll be interested in the VW Eos, Volvo C70 and the IS. Pontiac is working on a HT Convert G6, but it will still be a Ponticac G6... Actually, I hope they get it right, more competition/choice for us consumers!
'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...)
My only concern with a possible IS 350 convertible is that Lexus does not have the best car exterior designers out there). The coupe SHOULD look sweet but I am just very concerned with that slab of metal that they call a side. The contours of the car from the side door angle and bland and boring at best, unless they modify the look a bit for the coupe/convertible it may just look (from the side) like you're sitting in a flat box.....I hope I'm wrong. I hope Lexus gets this right!!!
With the high beltline and the way the rear screen integrates with the rear deck, a vert might indeed look pretty slab-ish with the top down.
I noticed something else on the color selection function. They really shouldn't show that profile shot. The car is much better looking than that shot implies:
Looks annoyingly like a G6:
I had the IS page up on my box, and a co-worker said "You lookin' at a G6?"
You have to go the "More IS Info" page of this app., then hit the "Create IS Driving Dimension" button. The configurator will come up. The shot above is a little better than the straight profile.
found what you were doing. I think the 250 is wood also, but I didn't check the black interior.
IMO, I only like wood with a tan/taupe interior. I prefer soemthing else with gray or black guts.
Hey, maybe I'll get invited to a drive event! I also have a $100 coupon to use at the Lexus dealer, for some kind of class action settlement.
Really curious if it will have enough room in the back for 2 kids, plus enough trunk to use as a family travel vehicle for weekend trips. Not spending this much coin for something that is relegated to local duty only.
]The new 3 series (even the Civic or Mazda 3) is probably big enough in back, so hopefully the IS can at least match them. As long as the front compartment is roomy enough that my wife won't complain, the kids can just squeeze in if need be.
Heck, they fit in the back seat of my tC now, so at least they will have their own doors and roll down windows!
Another weird one: I hate mica. You can have all the metallic colors; gimme a deep enamel British racing green. I swear, I'd pay extra for a non-metallic paint job...
I with you on the hopes for the roominess of the car. I'm not as concerned about the back since we will just have a baby. I just hope it has more head room then the new GS300. My head hits the roof on that thing and I'm just over 6 feet tall. Heck the OLD IS has more headroom than the new GS :mad:
I had an orange Datsun 240 with absolutely beautiful paint, and I still choose (when I can) pure colors, rather than metallics. They're much less common, though. I think BMW still has Electric Red, and everyone needs a black to be in the market, but in general, it's slim pickin's.
With the water-based (green-friendly) paint that we appear to be stuck with, orange peel & other defects are much more common than they were with the old stuff. Bring on the "metal flake" to hide the defects. Oh boy. Pure colors show bodywork defects better as well, so I'm guessing most OEM's aren't in favor.
It gets better. This stuff chips if you look at it. The old oil-based paints looked better, lasted better & took abuse better, but you gotta watch out for the size of that ozone hole, or whatever.
The wood trim is said to be available in the standard and luxury trims. Sports / Performance models will get aluminum. If you read the configuration page it says not all options are shown.
It's true. I have a long torso and I guess short legs. When I sit up straight my head is right against the side near the sun roof of the GS and I'm only 6' 1/2". Something about that car is just small. I had more head room in the BMW330i I test drove last weekend. :confuse:
Ahhh, thanks. I saw the footnote, but who knows to what options they refer?
I thought I'd remembered a press release to the effect that metal trim would be in there. I find the wood attrocious, frankly, and not in the least in keeping with the "sportier" Lexus concept.
wale_bate: From what I gathered, the IS350 only comes one way as far as suspension/wheels/tire offerings go. It is supposed to be the performance iteration of the IS. The IS250 will be available with a Sport Package option (I think) that gives it the same wheels/tires/suspension calibration as the IS350. There was also a rumor circulating there that the IS350s had special tires that wouldn't be the OEM tires, but Michelin was somewhat of a co-sponsor of the event and supplied tires.
kdshapiro: Cars are a passion of mine. I truly love driving(20K per year). I couldn't live with an automatic on a daily basis. I have to be at work at 7:30 AM and usually don;t hit that much traffic. In the afternoon, once I get out of the Bronx it is smooth sailing. Maybe because I'm 29,l but I can't see myself giving up my stick shift in the foreseeable future.
blueguydotcom: LOw Driving positon is important to me. When driving my Prelude, I almost have a worm's eye view of the road. It feels like you're sitting on the floor. The BMW's driving position to me was much lower than the IS. The IS still has the wraparound cockpit thging going for it, but it doesn't work for me as well as the BMW.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
From what I gathered, the IS350 only comes one way as far as suspension/wheels/tire offerings go. It is supposed to be the performance iteration of the IS...
Wrong. Both IS250/350 have a *sport package* with staggered 18" wheels (front/rear), and a tightened suspension.
There was also a rumor circulating there that the IS350s had special tires that wouldn't be the OEM tires, but Michelin was somewhat of a co-sponsor of the event and supplied tires..
What *special tires* are these ??? Haven't heard anything to that effect. Most probably, the low profile 18" tires sport package-equipped cars would be Dunlop summer tires. Have not heard about Michelins.
The text was an attempted answer to a forum member's question. In the text there were a couple other options to be considered other than "overly wealthy". Overly wealthy was just my polite bail-out... Its just a question of priorities, among other things. Hoping, for you, your money was spent on the best payback. Will it still seem like a good idea ten years down the road (if you still own what might come to considered an IS 350 Premium guzzler)? If you indeed have the bucks to throw at a new car (in the 350 class) every few years then you might indeed be in the overly wealthy category. Congratulations!
Are the actual EPAs out? I thought those numbers were still speculative.
The current car is rated 18/26. Even with pump prices where they are (and I only anticipate higher), I'm not getting beaten up. Then again, my commute is short and very sweet (hilly canyon). One of the cars I'm looking at seriously is a 4.2L V8 currently rated at 18/24 for the automatic and 15/21 for the manual!
Dunlop for summer tires, eh? That's a shame, unless Toyota's leveraged exclusivity on some hot new product we haven't met. I have yet to find one serious tire expert who recommends any Dunlop performance rubber. Pilots would be a better match, I think. Perhaps that's why they ran them at the event. Thought here: aren't the Michelin's OEM on the 3-series?
I can't even begin to describe how disappointing the wearability has become with regard to paints. The fact that there is a full-fledged industry out there applying protective films to the noses of cars tells me that there is a major shortcoming in paint R&D.
Somehow I don't think all the blame can be foisted onto H2O, though. I've woked with a number of water-based acrylic products for wood that frankly surpass the perfomance of their old oil-based counterparts. Seems like perhaps the development dollars yield higher return elsewhere in the automotive sector.
Ah yes, I would give much to be able to see my reflection a yard deep in an enamel paint job again. Probably won't happen unless I get myself a project car...
Thanks for the link. I was surprised that the manual rear wheel 250 has worse ratings than the automatic, I always thought the manuals are more efficient (I am driving a Corolla XRS with manual right now)?
At the bottom of the press release was a story about website, thenewis.com where you can submit pix and win the car (I wonder which one). Has anybody checked that out? I only had time right now to look at the "IS Tour" section, it shows some of the features, but no specs.
Comments
It's a great opportunity to drive all of their cars.
We've had some doubters on a potential 5.1s 0-60 for an IS350, could you comment by your seat-of-the-pants assessment, and the *professional* driver's test of the IS350 if indeed this car can reach such lofty time ? Or would Lexus estimated 5.6s be more accurate, in your opinion ?
What endearing factoids makes the IS350 a more compelling car than the e90 330i ? Would you see the IS350 a truly competitive car in the market, or would its pricing mitigate or enhance its sales performance ?
Sorry for the many questions.... Just curious to hear from someone who have spent more time in and out of the cars...
I saw the 330i vs IS350 "race" from up close, and I have to say that the "professional" driver in the 330i did not launch it very well. Yes the 350 has better 0-60, but I don't think it should be as dramatic as it was. Sure, both drivers are professionals - professionals paid by Lexus! The funny thing was, everyone boo-ed after the race, because the widespread perception was it was not a fair race.
Pickup in the 350 was awesome. I recently test drove an Audi S4 and the acceleration in the two cars was similar. 350 wasn't as great around turns as I was expecting. After that I drove the 250, and thought it would be boring compared to the 350, but it was still a lot of fun. I would guess 0-60 in mid or possibly high 6 range - anyone else heard numbers for that?
I also drove the RX400h and was impressed. 0-60 in around 7 seconds, and it gets around 30 mpg. Very nice car.
The event overall was a lot of fun. No one else has mentioned this, but they also have two ESPN Golf School pros who can give you a free video analysis of your swing, and then they will mail you the video with comments on it. They also have food and beverages (including fancy Fiji spring water), free 10-minute massages, and a Lexus-branded, leather-bound edition of Zagat's America's Best Restaurants 2005. Someone above said you also get a free pen, but I don't think I got one - maybe they ran out.
It's a great event, and not so bad to get to since it's on the LIRR. You should go if you can!
AMCI rep said they did some testing and they got an average of 5.5 seconds which did seem accurate, they clocked the 330(auto) at 6.5 seconds, which is again in the range, considering the manual is in the 5.9-6.1 range.
Also, it was very hot, that day for some reason. I was sweating bullets, that could definitely have affected the acceleration, though someone did mention that a direct injection is less susceptible to temperature changes?
The IS350 is just smoother, albeit more tame than the 330i. I went from a 328ci to an Acura TL-S, I thought nothing could have felt more sporty, tuned, and well balanced than the 328ci till I drove the 350. The interior is just gorgeous, pictures definitely do not do it justice. The fit and finish is remarkable. LED reading lights, lit aluminum door sil (Forgot to take a picture of this!), oil dampened everything, huge glovebox, and an AWESOME soundsystem!!!
I'm trading my TL-S in October :-)
Good luck with your decision.
Although I do not believe it will steal the "badge conscious" buyers away from BMW that much, those who want a sporty and luxury ride, for less money (I presume) than a BMW, the 350 is definitely it!
I'll get over it, I'm not going to be in the backseat anyway!!! If you have bigger kids or plan to car pool etc, I do not think the lexus would be a good car, nor would a 330i.
Good luck with your choice.
I was registered for 12:45, went at 11:00. registration took approximately 15 minutes, after filling out the waiver form(I guess if you decide to kill yourself?).
You are totally alone while driving. You can have a guest, and even your kids can ride with you, though small kids must be in a childseat/booster.
Just remember that if your guest wants to ride with you they must get a wrist band even if they aren't driving. My wife had to get off the auto line and get in the registration line again just to get the wrist band. I guess for liability purposes.
Have fun there, and take a picture of the aluminum backlit door sil for me! I forgot to take that one.
Thanx.
Buying a new car every few years is the biggest way to waste family wealth and so, for me I'd certainly leave the IS 350 for those that can't control themselves, the horse-power fanatics or the overly wealthy.
Fun, lots to eat. Now on to the cars....
I must be the only person who felt that there was no where near enough time to really get an accurate feel for the cars. I was able to drive the 250 AWD first (much shorter line) and it was a nice, smooth ride. The course is half a mile, so if you actually max out and hit the 30 range... you do the math. I don't see how driving a car for 30 seconds gives you an accurate idea of how well the car really handles, so I was disappointed by the course length. I can say that the 350 is REALLY fast. Most people (myself included) tapped the accelerator in the beginning and felt themselves pushed in the seat. Paddles shifters definitely a waste of time on such a short course. In fact the 350 almost seems unnecessary, except for all the features that are standard. It's actually still on my list for that reason.
Have to say I was really annoyed by the lack of definitive pricing information. I had 2 people tell me pricing would be available 1Q '06 until I pointed that production is scheduled for next month. :mad:
A note or two: it appears that XM and Sirius will be available early next year (worth a wait for me). Would also have been nice to see what the smart access key looked like.
IMHO, fun event, great to see what colors i would be interested in, but little more information that I've seen in forum posts. So for now, the speculation continues.
jC
I feel so flush...
The IS350 accelerates like a rocket, truly instantaneous. It is the first car I've ever driven that I haven't said "could use more power" or "the automatic really sucks the power out of this motor." You leave for work late in the IS350 and you'll et there early. Handling was decent, but the body pitched and rolled around the turns and I felt the steering was loose and twitchy. The brakes are strong, but very difficult to modulate. I don't particularly care for the new IS exterior styling. The drving position is too straight forward for me. I like to sit down low and "in" the car.
The 330iA is truly a magical car. It may not be light like an E30, or as tossable as an E36, or this thing is damn good, why change it like the E46, but it works. Acceleration was good, more than enough to get out of your own way in everyday driving situations (I'm sure the 6 speed manual boogies). Steering is point and shoot, very direct. Body lean in the turns was minimal and barely detectable. I was absolutely blown away at how well this car handled. I planted my foot in the apex of the sweeping hairpin and the BMW held on and kept going without protesting. Sport seats were supportive. I love the low slung driving position. It is very sportscar-esq like my Prelude.
As cheesy as it may sound, the 330i is truly the ultimate driving machine. Anybody watching who is considering an IS, you really owe it to yourself to at least drive a BMW.
MY above post should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm sure I'm in the lowest percentile of car makers' target markets. I like stick shifts, heavy steering, and am not bothered by tightly wound suspensions.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I'm with you, I just won't get a stick for my daily beater.
"Ditto? You provincial putz?"
Yup. Ditto.
NYC: The 350 suposedly has a sport option, or so I thought I read. Was the tester so equipped? From all previous experience with a number of brands, if a sport suspension option is available, I'm taking it. It's the one option I would have liked for my current car. A tube, spring and rubber option would have been the perfect icing. Well that and DSG, but hey, I'm sure Toyota will come up with a knock-off soon enough...
;-]
I've got an '05 TL/Auto which for a fairly powerful v6 returns very good mpg. In my mixed highway/local driving, I'm getting 23-24mpg. On the highway, 30+ is easily acheived. I'm sure a manual 4cyl. Accord does better, but as you mentioned, you're looking at a different class of vehicles.
I believe the TL will return better mpg than a G35 or IS350. The BMW 3 series is rather economical also.
The tone of your post makes me think you'll regret not buying a more economical car, maybe you should look at the TSX? Or 4cy. Accord/Camry?
'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...)
Did you hear anything about XM being factory-installed early next year, or just dealer-installed? Also, if factory-installed, I would imagine there needs to be an antenna on the car's roof. Did anything come up about that?
I just got off the phone with the dealership here in Indianapolis and they are expecting the first 10-11 IS 350 models to come in the frist week in October, that is certain. They will all be fully loaded with Nav and ML systems and is expected to top right around $41,000....I will take this as a speculation since Lexus has not released that information so that was his guess.
Now for the best part and this is NOT speculation. Sometime in 2006, Lexus will introduce the 2007 IS350 model with a 2 door, (single) hard top convertible option. I asked him if he was certain about this and he said it is a done deal and NOT speculation!! He DID speculate that it would be in the mid to high 40s but duh!! I Depending on how the 2006 model prices and sells I would not be suprised if it topped out in the low 50s....but that is my speculation since there are no other cars in this class to compare it with. The only thing that I was not able to get out of him was whether the 2007 model would have a manual gear box and if that would come on the coupe-convertible model.....he could not say for sure. I know we've all speculated that Lexus would bring out a coupe - convertible in the future but can anyone validate the information I just got from my dealership? I don't know about you folks but I'm waiting a year to buy my IS 350!!
Speculation: the SC is toast if they do a turtle-top IS. Good thing too, IMO.
Would it kill them to offer a real green instead of the diaper wiper color they call green? And how many different version of silver/grey do we need.
Man I'll be glad when silver is back to the number three color choice...
;-]
Practically speaking, I won't be new-carring 'till late '07 at the earliest. At this point, I'll be interested in the VW Eos, Volvo C70 and the IS. Pontiac is working on a HT Convert G6, but it will still be a Ponticac G6...
'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...)
I noticed something else on the color selection function. They really shouldn't show that profile shot. The car is much better looking than that shot implies:
Looks annoyingly like a G6:
I had the IS page up on my box, and a co-worker said "You lookin' at a G6?"
They should show a front 3/4, I'm thinkin'.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You have to go the "More IS Info" page of this app., then hit the "Create IS Driving Dimension" button. The configurator will come up. The shot above is a little better than the straight profile.
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Really though, I like a real serious red if I'm going to do red.
IMO, I only like wood with a tan/taupe interior. I prefer soemthing else with gray or black guts.
Hey, maybe I'll get invited to a drive event! I also have a $100 coupon to use at the Lexus dealer, for some kind of class action settlement.
Really curious if it will have enough room in the back for 2 kids, plus enough trunk to use as a family travel vehicle for weekend trips. Not spending this much coin for something that is relegated to local duty only.
]The new 3 series (even the Civic or Mazda 3) is probably big enough in back, so hopefully the IS can at least match them. As long as the front compartment is roomy enough that my wife won't complain, the kids can just squeeze in if need be.
Heck, they fit in the back seat of my tC now, so at least they will have their own doors and roll down windows!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Another weird one: I hate mica. You can have all the metallic colors; gimme a deep enamel British racing green. I swear, I'd pay extra for a non-metallic paint job...
I had an orange Datsun 240 with absolutely beautiful paint, and I still choose (when I can) pure colors, rather than metallics. They're much less common, though. I think BMW still has Electric Red, and everyone needs a black to be in the market, but in general, it's slim pickin's.
With the water-based (green-friendly) paint that we appear to be stuck with, orange peel & other defects are much more common than they were with the old stuff. Bring on the "metal flake" to hide the defects. Oh boy. Pure colors show bodywork defects better as well, so I'm guessing most OEM's aren't in favor.
It gets better. This stuff chips if you look at it. The old oil-based paints looked better, lasted better & took abuse better, but you gotta watch out for the size of that ozone hole, or whatever.
I thought I'd remembered a press release to the effect that metal trim would be in there. I find the wood attrocious, frankly, and not in the least in keeping with the "sportier" Lexus concept.
kdshapiro: Cars are a passion of mine. I truly love driving(20K per year). I couldn't live with an automatic on a daily basis. I have to be at work at 7:30 AM and usually don;t hit that much traffic. In the afternoon, once I get out of the Bronx it is smooth sailing. Maybe because I'm 29,l but I can't see myself giving up my stick shift in the foreseeable future.
blueguydotcom: LOw Driving positon is important to me. When driving my Prelude, I almost have a worm's eye view of the road. It feels like you're sitting on the floor. The BMW's driving position to me was much lower than the IS. The IS still has the wraparound cockpit thging going for it, but it doesn't work for me as well as the BMW.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Wrong. Both IS250/350 have a *sport package* with staggered 18" wheels (front/rear), and a tightened suspension.
There was also a rumor circulating there that the IS350s had special tires that wouldn't be the OEM tires, but Michelin was somewhat of a co-sponsor of the event and supplied tires..
What *special tires* are these ??? Haven't heard anything to that effect. Most probably, the low profile 18" tires sport package-equipped cars would be Dunlop summer tires. Have not heard about Michelins.
If you indeed have the bucks to throw at a new car (in the 350 class) every few years then you might indeed be in the overly wealthy category. Congratulations!
And, do you know what the IS250 manual is rated at?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The current car is rated 18/26. Even with pump prices where they are (and I only anticipate higher), I'm not getting beaten up. Then again, my commute is short and very sweet (hilly canyon). One of the cars I'm looking at seriously is a 4.2L V8 currently rated at 18/24 for the automatic and 15/21 for the manual!
Dunlop for summer tires, eh? That's a shame, unless Toyota's leveraged exclusivity on some hot new product we haven't met. I have yet to find one serious tire expert who recommends any Dunlop performance rubber. Pilots would be a better match, I think. Perhaps that's why they ran them at the event. Thought here: aren't the Michelin's OEM on the 3-series?
http://www.lexus.com/about/press_releases/index.html
Somehow I don't think all the blame can be foisted onto H2O, though. I've woked with a number of water-based acrylic products for wood that frankly surpass the perfomance of their old oil-based counterparts. Seems like perhaps the development dollars yield higher return elsewhere in the automotive sector.
Ah yes, I would give much to be able to see my reflection a yard deep in an enamel paint job again. Probably won't happen unless I get myself a project car...
At the bottom of the press release was a story about website, thenewis.com where you can submit pix and win the car (I wonder which one). Has anybody checked that out? I only had time right now to look at the "IS Tour" section, it shows some of the features, but no specs.