It's a good looking car, and I'm actually really curious to see how big it actually is. Seems like a lot of these sport sedans, german and japanese alike, are just wat too compact for my 6'5" frame and typically taller passengers

Without question, I bet Lexus sells a ton of the new IS's, but I'm not sure exactly who they are going to steal their sales from? G buyers are into the performance/value equation, while TL, A4 and 3 series owners have different critera as well. I guess if they get a majority of their existing leasees and owners to trade up to the new model year, that's a built in market right there ...

I don't know, if it's not any less cramped inside than the current IS, it's not anywhere near as roomy as a G35 is, and if as someone else mentioned, it would be in the 40k price range, I'd rather go for an M35, just my $.02.

I heard the VDIM system cannot be shut off... That sounds bad to me. And no manual on the 3.5. Typical Toyota

the vdc cant really be shut off in the G either

The new IS is gonna be about the size of the 3 series in terms of exterior dimensions. Length is 4575mm width is 1795mm and the heigth is 1425mm. What the japanese car magazine that I have say is that the new IS is gonna have every body style that BMW 3 series gonna have. AWD, coupe, convertible. They really wanna compete agains them. The coupe pic I saw was almost like the new SLK but bigger. Not so muscular looking like G coupe. By the way, the new 2007 G35 CG pic was on it too and it looks more rounder like a CLS. The front end looks very much like a CLS. Yeah, to think about it, the whole car looks like CLS, especially the head light. Except for the rear end which look like it has bigger as*. THe new platform is called ML platform which is going to be used in larger FR cars like the new Q.

So where did you see these pictures, especially the G35?

I periodically get Japanese car magazine either from Japan or Japanese bookstore. Info are way ahead of the game than magazines here. I also have a very close friend who works for Nissan HQ in Japan.

Nice to have a connection like that!

Your all comparing a $35K car (G35) to a $40K plus car (IS350), what's the point. If it costs more its gonna perform better. Put an extra $5000 in the G (supercharger) and it will smoke the IS.

Well, in fairness, a G35 sedan loaded up is about $39K.
The IS350 is "rumored" to have a base price around $35K
And that's pretty much loaded anyway.
The only options will most likely be:
1. NAV = $2000-$2,200
2. Audio Package = $1,000 - $1,200
3. Sport Package = $1,000 - $1,500K
4. (maybe the sunroof will be optional too)

I liked the looks of the IS350 and love the power of course.
But the reason I recently got an 05 G35 for the wife was because
the IS350 doesn't hit dealerships until October (another month).
Was told the IS250 will come in first followed by the IS350 a month later (not sure if this part is true though).
Also, as a BRAND new car, ALL the dealers will probably have a bit of a mark up on it, and surely won't sell it for less than MSRP for the first several months.
As a person who leases, lease deals on brand new cars are usually nonexistant.
So what it would of came down too is we would have had to wait another couple months, and probably paid A LOT more for the car.

The IS350 looks to be a SWEET ride, no doubt.
When it comes out will I wish we waited to get it? Possibly
Then when I find out how much the lease payments would of been
would I still feel the same? No.

The Lexus is going to be more expensive than the G35 - there's no doubt. All that extra high tech stuff isn't cheap. How much more is the question.

It obviously depends on what you want. The G35 is on the small size of what I would have bought. The IS (and 3 series) are smaller yet.

So, after 18K miles, I'm still happy with my car.

and from what I have seen so far, the new IS is still smaller than the G, the G is just right for me!

Where'd you find an overpriced fully loaded G for 39K? I got my 05 with everything but navi for 33K add the navi and thats still only 35K... plus you really think anyone's gonna buy the is350 at the base price??? not likely, everyone now a day's wants premium pack and all the goodies, which makes the price of the IS350 over 40K. I rest my case that if you spend the amount of money in the gap between the G and the IS (roughly $5K) then the G will outperform.

I'd like to point a counterpoint. *IF* C&D's figures are reliable, then the IS will be in the lowww 13s at proper conditions. If you spent 5k, you *might* get a vortech installed, and tuned, on your G. Theoretically, you should also hit low 13's with a vortech. But that's theory. I've got a friend in a 350z with a vortech that's run a best of 13.4. And it's been tuned twice(on a side note, he's going up to CP at the end of the week for a "real" tune).

So, you've just laid down 5k on a supercharger. Let's assume that the two vehicles now are comparable in straight-line speed(edge still goes to the g in handling/autox, etc). Let's also assume that the total outlay is similar. At the end, you have the factory lex, that's quiet, and a full warranty and all the reliability that is usually associated with a lexus. On the g, you've got a supercharger belt whine, and you've possibly/probably endangered your powertrain warranty.

And lastly, the IS was financed as a whole. If you bought the aftermarket mods for the g, just what kind of financing deals would you get? Oh, I just remembered who I'm quoting. In your case maybe it would be pocket money.

Having said all that, I personally would like a supercharger, complete with BOV and belt whine. At this point, I would still prefer the G. But the honest truth is none of us have driven the lex yet, so we don't know how they compare. It's still only theoretically.