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I am very surprised to hear this. In my experience the coupes have almost no chasis flex. This is because the FM platform is really solid, and the coupe bodystyle further reverses flex. You can read reviews of the g35 and the 350z (which has the fm platform as well) and most of them, even one review that slammed the 350z say that the FM platform was great and allowed no chasis flex or squirm. As I said that has been my experience as well, especially now that I am driving the car in the pothole filled streets of LA I find that the chasis does not twist and squirm even when i hit the big potholes.
It is possible that the car you drove had something disconnected or lose that made noise, which sounded like chasis flex.
The problem is that the FM platform is made out of steel, so it makes the car comparatively heavy. It is not that heavy compared to other cars of its class, but it is a pig compared to small sports cars, i.e. s2000s and miatas. The G35 would so much better if its body was made of aluminum but I am sure that would make it much more expensive too.
"And in the G35c outward vision is compromised too much."
That is only true in the back. And you can get good vision in the back if you are very careful about setting up your side mirrors. But I admit, this car definately needs bigger mirrors.
"perfect comfort, poise, power, handling, reliability."
For me the G has everything sans the comfort. The comfort is not perfect due to the hard suspension (I have a coupe with all suspension packages). But it is not easy for a car with good handling to have perfect comfort. Actually, it i pretty much impossible. But th G coupe is very comfortable for a car that handles the way it does.
It wont. The 350 will be expensive. Probably in the 40s decently equipped. There will be a cheaper version (IS300 or 250 was it) which has a choice of manual but it will have a weaker 215 hp engine.
Dont be confused by the 300 hp engine ... the IS 350 will not be a sports or "sporty" car because no lexuses are. The LExus strategy is luxury and isolation from the environment. That is exactly the opposite as a sports car which must strive to make you one with the road.
So I am not at all surprised they do not offer a manual. They are just not selling to the sports car buyer. They are selling to the person that feels good about having a 300 hp car, but does not drive it hard or care about how it handles, rather he/she cares mostly about the luxury. I.e. it will be aimed at the same demographic as the TL.
The IS250 is a dog though...even with a manual it can't get out of the way of anything.
I know the IS350 won't come in that low. I was making a point...the IS350 would have to be stupid cheap loaded for me to get one with an automatic.
Have you driven it? From what I understand, the IS is closer in size to the 3 & A4, as opposed to the TL & G35, so it doesn't need as much HP to move.
Feel free to engage in a little hyperbole to make you point. I guess Einstein was right: Everything is relative. But 200+ HP in a ~3400 lb. vehicle doesn't sound too shabby to my ears. Why, the '05 V6 Mustang (Not the V8!) is said to be faster than an '84 Corvette. I had a 5.0L V8 Mustang ('82) that put out a whopping 158 HP. Oh boy, we live in interesting times.
Oh, and technically, the IS250 isn't out yet, so you should refer to it's performance in the future tense: "The IS250 will be a dog..."
Geez, I think our 3.8 liter V6 Dodge Grand Caravans are both faster than a 1984 Corvette (in a straight line that is), so a 2005 V6 Mustang beating that same Vette should be no trick.
Relative to the IS, I'm thinking it is a tad overweight for the size of the vehicle. True, I haven't seen it yet however it is weighing in at over 150 pounds more than an E90 325i, and it sounds like it has a smaller interior (in terms of legroom) than anything else in the class, consider the following:
Vehicle ---------- Total Leg Room ------------ Vehicle Weight
Audi A4 2.0T --------- 75.60" ------------------------ 3,362 lbs.
BMW 325i ------------- 76.10" ------------------------ 3,285 lbs.
Infiniti G35 ------------ 77.20" ------------------------ 3,512 lbs.
Lexus IS250 ---------- 74.50" ------------------------ 3,450 lbs (approx. the IS350 is 3,527)
Hmmm, smallest interior package, second heaviest overall package.
Best Regards,
Shipo
The IS250s are available to mags, have been tested, judged and found deficient. I've seen numbers in the 8s for the AWD model. Egad.
And yes it's all relative. In my eyes if a car costs over 30k, it better do 60 in less than 7 seconds.
Good to know that BMW 325i, 323i, 328i, 525i, 528i, 530i, 535i, 728i, 730i, 735i, 735iL, 740iL, 750iL(V-12) are all dogs.
Good to know that BMW 325i, 323i, 328i, 525i, 528i, 530i, 535i, 728i, 730i, 735i, 735iL, 740iL, 750iL(V-12) are all dogs.
Lets see, 323, 328 over 30k? Maybe 5 years ago.
528, 535, 728, 730, 735, 740 = old school also and defunct.
Do they still make a 525i? My god, that engine was hell enough in the e46. Even the new e90’s 3.0 325i is nothing to shout about. Maybe I’ve seen the wrong stats but manual 325i’s and manual 530s make the run to 60 in under 7 seconds.
If you’re talking steptronic cars or used/old bimmers well, those are not exactly the sort of car I’d go anywhere near.
I stand by it – if I pay over 30k, the car better make it to 60 faster than 7 seconds. That’s not asking much when 24k Jetta GLIs and 25k A3s can run to 60 in the low 6s.
C&D has it going 0-62 in 7.3. Does that make it a greyhound?
Engine specs weren't finalized, but we managed to extract figures from chief engineer Suguya Fukusato that are pretty close. The smaller six will generate about 220 horsepower and 184 pound-feet; the larger six should pump out a healthy 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet. No official acceleration figures are available, but our unofficial stopwatch clocked the IS350 at 5.9 seconds from 0 to 62 mph, in stark contrast to the 2.5-liter's 7.3-second sprint. Power is instant and progressive, offering a far more compelling experience than its predecessor. We hit an indicated 165 mph in the IS350 and 149 mph in the IS250.
Link
Still, I'd take it with a stick before I'd go with the auto. IS350.
It's highly doubtful that you can shift faster than the steptronic, consistently, day-in and day-out, under all circumstances. How often are you on the race track anyway? Do you keep your car for only one year? I don't think a two-year old 330i is worth $30k. In any case, the current dog list apparently includes:
325Ci coupe 7.1/8.1
325CiC convertible 7.7/8.9
325xi wagon most probable
330CiC convertible 6.9/7.5/6.9 How many of us can shift the manual as fast as the SMG?? BMW tester can get 6.9, you probably can not.
525i 7.3/7.6 with the new 3.0 not the one in E46
525xi
530xi wagon 6.8/7.5
X3 2.5i 8.6/9.3 Now there is a slow vehicle
X3 3.0i 7.6/7.9
X5 3.0i 7.8/8.3
Z4 2.5i 7.1/7.2
I'm not sure most would agree that brand new 3-series coupe, Z4 and Mini are "dogs."
It is to shift appropriately -- skip gears, engage the clutch really (really) softly, whatever.
It's called a manual for a reason. It requires thought, participation. . .and experience.
Oh, and they almost never break, and when they do they don't cost $2K+ to fix.
When this latest generation of wanna-be manuals becomes well and truly reliable, it'll become an interesting discussion. It's not, yet.
Audi A4 2.0 FWD with 200Hp and 207 max torque Auto - 0-60 in 7.1 sec.
Audi A4 3.2 AWD with 255Hp and 243 max torque Auto - 0-60 in 6.6 sec.
BMW 325I RWD with 215Hp and 185 max torque Auto - 0-60 in 7.3 sec.
BMW 330I RWD with 255Hp and 220 max torque Auto - 0-60 in 6.3 sec.
Infiniti G35 RWD with 280Hp and 270 max torque Auto - 0-60 in 6.0 sec.
Jaguar X-Type 3.0 AWD with 227Hp and 206 max torque Auto 0-60 in 7.1 sec.
Lexus IS250 RWD with 205Hp and ? max torque Auto 0-60 in 7.7 sec. EST.
Lexus IS350 RWD with 305Hp and ? max torque Auto 0-60 in 5.8 sec. EST.
Mercedes C230 RWD with 201Hp and 181 max torque Auto 0-60 in 8.0 sec.
Mercedes C350 RWD with 268Hp and 258 max torque Auto 0-60 in 6.3 sec.
SAAB 9-3 Linear FWD with 175Hp and 195 max torque Auto 0-60 in 8.5 sec.
SAAB 9-3 Aero FWD with 210Hp and 221 max torque Auto 0-60 in 7.3 sec.
Volvo S60 T5 AWD? with 257Hp and 258 max torque Auto 0-60 in 7.3 sec.
Volvo S60R AWD with 300Hp and 295 max torque Auto 0-60 in 5.4 sec.
These are some figures for the cars in the class with the auto.
Not sure why my opinion of cars with automatics and less than eye-popping performance caused a scene. Sorry. Just feel the IS250 is a major let down. And whomever keeps writing 220 hp...give it up, Lexus' SAE numbers are: 204 hp, 185 ft-lbs. http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehicle_Reviews/Sports_Convertibles/2006_Lexus_IS_250_IS_3- - - 50.S184.A8929.html
And yes, BMW's 325i is already using SAE. As if this matters but I know somebody will bring it up.
e90 - 330i 5.6 seconds.
You can take it from there.
http://www.albeedigital.com/supercoupe/articles/0-60times.html
Even at the above website the 2001 E46 was recorded at 6.1.
It is to shift appropriately -- skip gears, engage the clutch really (really) softly, whatever.
It's called a manual for a reason. It requires thought, participation. . .and experience.
Oh, and they almost never break, and when they do they don't cost $2K+ to fix.
When this latest generation of wanna-be manuals becomes well and truly reliable, it'll become an interesting discussion. It's not, yet.
Good God, another newbie driver discovered the religion of manual. FYI, I have clocked over 150k miles on manual cars, with two burned out clutches to boot. What does the merits of manual vs. automatic have to do with what I was saying? Are you sure you can shift as fast as SMG?? I know I can't, even after 150k miles on manual cars. If you can not, then a car that is rated for 6.9" 0-60 for manual and SMG will be slower than 7" in your hands. It's as simple as that. Skipping gear and thoughts have absolutely nothing to do with 0-60. The shifting points are pre-caculated for that drag run, and it will be an exercise in reflex.
The vast majority of 3 series three years or younger would be considered "dogs" in your scheme of things. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
It does make sense. Explain why it doesn't. I don't worship at the temple of BMW. Show me an e36 and I wonder about the M3 sedan. e46? Been there, done that...familiarity breeds contempt. e90? I wonder when the M3 sedan or supposed 335i turbo will appear.
I've drawn a line for me personally. That line = 0-60 below 7 seconds merits consideration. Anything over that marker = dead to me. Why does that trouble you so much?
I'm sorry, did you check his profile or something? Did he check the 'newbie driver' box? Otherwise, quit with the insults.
"FYI, I have clocked over 150k miles on manual cars."
And I've clocked over 312k miles (500k km) on manual cars and never once had a transmission failure, nor have I had to ever replace a clutch (despite having 112k miles on one car).
"Are you sure you can shift as fast as SMG??"
Straw-man argument. No one here has made that claim, but you keep arguing against it.
"Skipping gear and thoughts have absolutely nothing to do with 0-60."
And going 0-60 has absolutely nothing to do with his original post. Again, no one here is claiming that manuals are inherently faster 0-60 than automatics (but if your interest lies in keeping the RPMs at a 'steady boil' when braking into a turn, you'd be better off picking your own gears and finessing the clutch than fighting with the transmission as it tries to up-shift when you let off the gas.
"The shifting points are pre-caculated for that drag run, and it will be an exercise in reflex."
Taking the joy out of driving is not my idea of progress.
Newbie? Well, I've driven ~1.1 million miles and most of it was in vehicles with manual transmissions. The 95,000 that wasn't is why I feel so strongly about never having another automatic. MG, two Miatas, 240Z, Kenworth truck & one of the very few Lincoln LS's produced with a Getrag manual (extinct now, as it turns out).
Those who prefer to do their driving in a straight line (with max acceleration the only criterion) clearly have a different point of view.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Taking the joy out of driving is not my idea of progress.
What's the joy in 0-60 drag racing?? If there is none to begin with how can any be taken out? Bluedotcomguy and were discussing 0-60 under 7 being a requirement for any car being considered remotely sporty. If your argument is that straitline performance is not as relevent as handling, you are actually in my corner.
Then you are siding me with in my discussion with Blue. I was pointing out that there are many decently sporty cars with slower than 7" 0-60. The tranny part only came about because IMHO, the auto tranny rating is closer to what most drivers will actually get for 0-60 even when shifting manual on their own because they can not shift as fast as SMG or professional drivers; that makes a whole slew of cars slower than 7" in the hands of their owners (all those 6.5-6.9 cars). Whether manual is superior to automatic in driving experience was never part of the discussion.
xSGs are the perfect medium.
For those who are interested in maximum control of the cars manual or SMGs are the way to go.
I thought he said, "In my eyes if a car costs over 30k, it better do 60 in less than 7 seconds." Agree with him or not, that's a pretty clear statement of his opinion - and one that didn't mention anything about a requirement for sportiness.
He has stated in other posts that he holds cars like the Miata and TSX in high regard. Both are "sporty cars" that post 0-60 numbers above 7 seconds. But they also cost less than $30,000.
$30,000 is simply a line he has personally drawn in the sand. In a day when cars are as powerful and quick as they are today, it's not unreasonable to desire a $30,000 vehicle that achieves certain benchmarks.
Would you not be a little embarassed when you stomp the go pedal at a fresh green light in your brand new $33,000 slush box 325i and the Honda Odyssey next to you (with 2 kids watching "Shrek 2" in the back) pulls ahead and changes lanes in front of you???
Uh-uh. I never mentioned sporty. I simply called slower to 60 cars that cost over 30k dogs.
If your argument is that straitline performance is not as relevent as handling, you are actually in my corner.
I want both. Yeah a gen 1 miata in the twisties was a hoot. But you and I both know that same car with 200 more hp would have been absolutely exhilirating. hit a tight 270 degree 15 mph corner and with a manual and a decent engine, I'm going to be a happy camper.
Cost to fun ratio. I can snatch up a new miata loaded for 24-25k. That'll put a grin a on my face because it doesn't cross that imaginary line of 30k.
It's not so much whether you can lay out the dough to buy a fast car - it's whether you personally can make any particular car operate at its best, regardless of whether that means keeping rpms down to stretch every last ounce of gas or running right up to the redline. I'd think I'd get more satisfaction out of maximizing the HP in a manual 4 cylinder Honda Accord than just slamming my foot down on an automatic Porsche Boxter.
Think about Nascar - the argument that it's not a sport is based on the fact that it mainly involves machines, and the best machine will win. Pro-Nascar arguments revolve around the human interaction - when to slow down, when to accelerate, when to block an opposing car, the pit crew, etc. Automatics take a level of involvement out of the equation and lessen the "sport" of the whole thing.
Whether manual or automatic is better for personal taste is entirely a different story altogether, depending on your driving condition etc..
That's been the fact of life for many 325i owners for years; substitute V6 Accord for the Odyssey, and you still get that today with the new model.
Really?? V6 Accord is a lot faster than 325Ci, the "sport coupe," especially off the line.
As another example, I used to drive a front-engine dragster that would run the 1/4-mile in about 7.5 seconds. One time, though, I popped the front wheels so that they went over the starting beams and I started the timers with my rear wheels instead of the front wheels. So I basically got a 170" head start on the clock. My elapsed time on that run was 6.8 seconds, which would have been good for a world record if it had been a legitimate time!
While the numbers the mags get usually are representative of the best times you could achieve, you will rarely hit those numbers unless you wish to damage your drivetrain.
I think though it's important that each mag sticks with their established method, so one can compare times.
However, I would never do a full torque brake launch with my auto tranny.