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Comments
The IS has a V6 instead of an I6, so it should have more interior room. (By placing the engine farther forward. That would make the front-rear balance worse, but Lexus decides those compromises in the direction of comfort.) But it doesn't.
So it isn't much of a luxury sedan if the rear seats are that useless. It'll compete with upscale 2+2's or 2-seaters. Like, I dunno, the Crossfire. Actually that's a good example - another car whose sportiness isn't really there in terms of feel. But the IS is too big and (for now) it's not a convertible. It doesn't have the really unique looks that a 2-seat tourer has to have.
It's not a sports car either, since you can't explore your car's limits, due to VDIM.
Soft-luxury buyers will probably prefer a larger (wider) car.
It's not a tuner car any longer - there goes any repeat buying. The previous IS was the "I've made it but I'm still too cool for a business man's car" car, but the new one won't be a young person's car. And stickshift is still important in that market, and the IS250's 204hp won't cut it.
Non-tuner Toyota die hards might just go for the next-gen ES instead of the IS.
It looks like a pokemon (the green one that looks like a turtle with an onion on his back), so only a few older people will like it.
Drag racing might be its strength, but no one would buy one just for that.
Ultimately, I think most potential buyers will find that whatever aspect of driving they want, they'll find another car that slightly edges out the IS. It's not a bad car, but I don't see anything that it's the best in... it has no niche. I thought it'd be a good C-class fighter but I no longer do; especially with the number of buyers who'll be happy in an ES.
I want to continue my relationship with Toyota, I really do. But they make it so hard.
1) It will probably be highly reliable
2) Handling is flat and fun
3) AWD for very bad weather
4) It is quick enough for most normal driving situations
5) It has a pleasant level of luxury
6) Back seat may only get occasional use
7) It gets good gas mileage for its performance level
Depending on the price, that can be enough for lots of people, including me. The Taste of Lexus drive helped moved me in that direction. My question will be to wait (for prices to go down somewhat, although I think Lexus maintains high margins) or move early after a final drive.
Trying to figure out the economics of waiting, the numbers below may not be right, but the categories may be. If I wait, I:
- save $1500 (?) on the price
- lose $300-500 on the value of existing car (2000 RX300)
- spend an extra couple hundred in gas costs
- make interest on the cash used to buy ($100 ?)
Costs me $750-$1000 to act now. 6 months of fun. If I own the car for 8 years (likely), it's $100 a year over the life. If I can leverage MSRP (or close) pricing to get some adders throw in (mounted snows?), I can narrow the gap.
Thoughts? Tim
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/upcomingshows.shtml
Great setup. Drove the IS350 & the BMW 330i as well as the GS430 and 530i. Didn't sit in the back seat but from the front seat the IS350 was very comfortable, the interior was very luxurious...worthy of a Lexus nameplate..and the car was fast! Handled very nicely over the mini-track they set up.
The 330i seemed more connected, handled better and the chassis seemed more solid. The interior was not as nice but nice enough, the seats hugged my body better but was not as comfortable (at least in the short run) and it was definitely slower..although the engine sounded better.
All in all, I preferred the 330i but the IS350 will definitely steal sales from BMW. It's a quality car that's blazing fast and has the luxury touches to go with it. BMW will probably need to put the current M3's engine in the near future if they want to stay competitive.
The 3.2 from the M3 willnever go into a non M car. It's too high strung, has lousy emissions, horrible gas mileage and is extremely expensive to produce. The 335i is the most likely candidate in the pipeline - biturbo, 340 hp, 300+ ft-lbs of torque. The car's been spotted testing. I'm very curious as to when it might be available...
Too bad I really wanted to get a Lexus. It's much more of my comfort zone vs BMW or Infiniti.
I really looked at the RL (and TL too) - dealers are under $43 K in Chicagoland but wanted to try something other than a Acura/Honda - it would have been my fifth Acura - with little complaints all have been driven over 100,000 miles. I am sure that the Lexus/Toyota will not disappoint either.
I am now trying to get my deposit back on the IS I put down back in July - when the salesman said I would have a car by September 1 and it kept slipping from there - only when I called to ask on the status - Not the same dealership that I bought the GS from though seeing they were only going to give me $500 off sticker and are surprised when I showed up in a Lexus to get my money back.
Good Luck and wish all the IS buyers well!
Both of us have driven the IS350 (Taste of Lexus) and were very impressed with the performance and the luxury feel. The car is a rocket and it hugged the road (course) like a magnet. Depending on how tall the driver is (how far the seat is back) the rear leg room is limited on the 350.
Just click the link below. Enjoy!
link title
Thanks
P.S. good deal for a GS-AWD !!!!! $3K off of a new launch is a good deal.....also what is the MSRP for a IS 350 going to look like ????? :shades:
Some of it squares with previously released info and some of just doesn't. I'll wait for in-house.
Well, both IS models are very peppy: IS350 is super fast. My choice of manual tranny wasn't available: both had automatics so I had to live with that...
The handling was very good. Fit and finish feels excellent. IS350 I drove did not have a sunroof (so, it will probably be an option on both models).
The back seat is miniscule: looks even smaller than my current IS': almost like a 2+2 configuration....
All in all, I reserve my judgement until I drive an IS250 with a 6-speed. Both automatics are very competent but no stick=no fun, so we shall see.
BWM did not feel very tight: kinda rattly and loose (I wonder if Lexus boys messed around with a few screws
On a side note: they also had a Mercedes E500 as a GS430 competitor and let me tell you: this is the car to buy
Sounds like we've got a similar problem...a relatively "small" garage. The max length for my next car will be 188 inches, and that really limits my choices. Especially if I decide to go with an entry-lux car.
Happy hunting!
Just my 2 cents.
BMW 325xi= bit pricey
Volvo S40= looks like a mazda3, but yes does come 2.5t awd
I actually test drove the BMW X3 today
180 inches. not too bad, much bigger back seat than any of the sedans (obviously)
the misses however does not want a SUV or Wagon
So if the lexus is too much, Audi A4 hear we come.
BTW I heard from my dealer that they will have "A car" (is 250awd) for the test drive on friday at 10am and that the entire shipment is all 250awd's except for 3 Loaded IS350's that are "already paid in cash" :shades:
must be nice to have 45k or so laying around!
Only a few more hours to go!!!!
Do Lexuxes with ML fetch enough in resale to justify the added cost?
When the world is going to the iPod and lossy digital audio, does an "audiophile" system, especially in a car, make sense?
Will the iPod connected to the ML sound better than connected to the standard stereo?
Lipster
I think I'll try them again. Actually, I want RWD which would have to be ordered from the factory because Lexus is not shipping RWD to the midwest at all.
How do you like the car?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
jC
I found the IS350 to be a rocket, but the looks are very bare and plain, bordering on being boring. Its sleek, but has no character or anything to break up the all the broad expanses of blank sheetmetal. The 330i which I actually found to be much better looking with the sport wheels, was more buttoned down on the handling coruse and much roomier than the IS350, but the IS350 is more playful or agile, which I could see some calling it more fun. The BMW requires a more deliberate hand to get it to play, a typcial German trait. German cars won't do anything until you give them the spurs.
I found the GS430 to have better steering than the E500, but the E500 was more solid by a smidge, even more so than when I first drove it back in 2003. Both cars were highly impressive.
After waiting to drive the IS350, GS430, LS430 and E500 I had enough of that cold wind and decided that the GS300 and IS250 would have to wait until another time.
M
You can also get 2,500 off with no questions asked through the Costco Auto program - Woodfield Lexus is the selected dealer.
I have had terrible experiences with Highland Park Lexus and would not recommend to anyone - if they got allocated my order of an IS 250 AWD Blue Onyx/Cashmere it maybe available?
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051011/latu048.html?.v=30
Manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) is $29,990 for the IS 250 rear-wheel drive with the six-speed manual transmission. The 2006 IS 250 includes $5,000 of additional standard equipment with only a $255 increase over the previous model. The IS 250 rear-wheel drive with six-speed sequential automatic transmission MSRP is $31,160 and includes Formula One- inspired steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The IS 250 all-wheel drive MSRP is $34,285 and, in addition to the above features, includes a perforated leather-trimmed interior upgrade with heated and ventilated front seats and wood trim.
The IS 350, the fastest sport sedan in the near luxury car segment, MSRP is $35,440. Its highly tuned 3.5-liter engine delivers a best-in-class 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque, resulting in the quickest zero-to-60 mph time of any competitor sport sedan.
The wait continues.
Manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) is $29,990 for the IS 250 rear-wheel drive with the six-speed manual transmission. The 2006 IS 250 includes $5,000 of additional standard equipment with only a $255 increase over the previous model. The IS 250 rear-wheel drive with six-speed sequential automatic transmission MSRP is $31,160 and includes Formula One- inspired steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The IS 250 all-wheel drive MSRP is $34,285 and, in addition to the above features, includes a perforated leather-trimmed interior upgrade with heated and ventilated front seats and wood trim.
The IS 350, the fastest sport sedan in the near luxury car segment, MSRP is $35,440. Its highly tuned 3.5-liter engine delivers a best-in-class 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque, resulting in the quickest zero-to-60 mph time of any competitor sport sedan.
Good luck to all
I would guess that those prices don't include destination, so add about $700 to get the bottom line on the sticker....
It looks like a really well-equipped IS350 will come in under $40K.. At these prices, they may steal some business from BMW... and, definitely from Infiniti....
regards,
kyfdx
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