New IS500

[nate4598]

Not sure if this is a repost
http://my.is/forums/showthread.php?t=295106

[bull3t]

there's some pics of it in the new motortrend...it's sitting on some nice gold bbs rims...

[Garnet Canuck]

Not sure why, but this car does absolutely nothing for me.

[Msedanman]

Originally Posted by canuck

Not sure why, but this car does absolutely nothing for me.

Likewise.....no doubt it'll be a great performer and that V-8 will be a gem, but it's the front end I dislike most.....Looks weird.....Blacked out would be much better.
C.

[InTgr8r]

Originally Posted by canuck

Not sure why, but this car does absolutely nothing for me.

Originally Posted by Msedanman

Likewise.....

I'm with you guys....
Never was a fan of the IS350 styling even before I demo'd it.
This one is no better.

Lex has never made a sucessful "drivers car"
I have no idea what they think stuffing a V8 into the IS is going to do for them.

[2006_G_coupe]

Yea,but that car is gonna haul *** if it makes it.!!

[Z06ified]

Originally Posted by 2006_G_coupe

Yea,but that car is gonna haul *** if it makes it.!!

So will the new M3, and the M3 will most likely be a better drive, especially if Lexus uses a hybrid powertrain - then its driving involvement will be a joke.

[asianautica]

Originally Posted by Z06ified

So will the new M3, and the M3 will most likely be a better drive, especially if Lexus uses a hybrid powertrain - then its driving involvement will be a joke.

IS500 will not be hybrid. IS500 uses the 5.0L V8 from the LS600h hybrid w/out the hybrid system.

[boosterM]

I hate this car.

[Z06ified]

Originally Posted by asianautica

IS500 will not be hybrid. IS500 uses the 5.0L V8 from the LS600h hybrid w/out the hybrid system.

I see - that would be good then. If they offered it with a 6 speed manual, and kept the price below the M3, I might consider buying one. Hmmm, me considering driving a Toyota - never thought I would say it.

Although if the next Cadillac CTS-V has the 505hp LS7 engine from the new Z06 in it, and looks as good as I think it will from the spy photos, for the same price as the IS500 or M3, you can guess what I'll be driving

[Texan1]

too much money....but I am sure it will be fast....

[Z06ified]

Was reading more about it - looks like no manual transmission will be offered, just a paddle shift auto. That's a dumb move if you're looking to attract the performance enthusiast crowd - many of us insist on manuals and don't care how fast an SMG box shifts. BMW knows this, and Cadillac knows this, which is why both offer manual trannies on their M3 (soon M5), and the CTS-V. Infiniti knows this with the G35 too. Put it this way: I wouldn't have bought a G35 if it wasn't available with the 6MT, even though I loved the styling and performance, driving a slushbox wouldn't cut it.

It seems Lexus likes to copy Mercedes, and Mercedes lives in slushbox neverland, and as a result I never have resepect for them as true performance cars - just overpowered, overweight land yachts.

It's a shame because the IS platform is good handling, and a manual would really work well with a V-8 in that car to make a nice performance sedan. The price is another issue. For $60k, I would rather have a loaded BMW M3 V-8. I know the price is speculation, and hopefully it is wrong on the high side.

[Garnet Canuck]

Originally Posted by Z06ified

It's a shame because the IS platform is good handling,

Intersting comment. While I haven't any personal experience driving an IS, I have read comment after comment that the IS is horrible in terms of handling.

[Texan1]

Originally Posted by Z06ified

Was reading more about it - looks like no manual transmission will be offered, just a paddle shift auto. That's a dumb move if you're looking to attract the performance enthusiast crowd - many of us insist on manuals and don't care how fast an SMG box shifts. BMW knows this, and Cadillac knows this, which is why both offer manual trannies on their M3 (soon M5), and the CTS-V. Infiniti knows this with the G35 too. Put it this way: I wouldn't have bought a G35 if it wasn't available with the 6MT, even though I loved the styling and performance, driving a slushbox wouldn't cut it.
It seems Lexus likes to copy Mercedes, and Mercedes lives in slushbox neverland, and as a result I never have resepect for them as true performance cars - just overpowered, overweight land yachts.

It's a shame because the IS platform is good handling, and a manual would really work well with a V-8 in that car to make a nice performance sedan. The price is another issue. For $60k, I would rather have a loaded BMW M3 V-8. I know the price is speculation, and hopefully it is wrong on the high side.

While I understand your pt on needing to row the gears yourself....many auto transmissions these days are NOT slushboxes. They shift crisper and faster than any human rowing a stick....like the new 911 twin turbo. I also recently drove the paddleshift C6 and it was monster shifting very very quick. my 2 cents.

[SixFive]

I saw what I believe was the IS500 mule on the street of philly a couple weeks ago. Tons of equiment inside and the tacked on vinyl. I was peeking and the passenger shut his laptop. I stared a while and they were not happy. owell