Another indication would be the autox, or laps times around a specific track. The problem with comparing autox times is tht the comparisons are only valid for the cars that ran that course on that day. This issue could be addressed by having a static course design; that way it could conceivably be reprocuded at any location at which the comparison is being performed.

I really liked the fact that autox times were included in the previous month's Cheap Speed shootout.

 

Ok, I'm resurrecting this old thread. I got my issue last night, along with my first issue of SportZ(great mag btw).

I read, and re-read the comparo. Something's just not right. Now, I must admit that I know nothing regarding axle ratios and gear ratios, but I was looking at them tonight. A few people here and on C&D's forums have pointed out that the IS has similar gear ratios to the G's, but it doesn't. Every single gear on the IS is shorter. Also, the axle ratio(is this also called final drive?) is quite a bit larger, at 4.08. Looking down further on the chart, you can compare the speeds between the two cars at 1000 rpm increments:

RPM(x1000) - Speed(G35) - Speed(IS350)
1 - 5.7 - 5.4
2 - 9.2 - 9.3
3 - 13.2 - 13.6
4 - 16.9 - 19.0
5 - 21.4 - 26.5
6 - 27.0 - 32.4

So, although the lex redlines at 6600 vs the 7k of the 05 6MT, it can achieve greater speeds in each gear.

Now here's the two things that just don't add up. C&D typically measures the acceleration time between 30/50 and 50/70, in top gear. If I understand that right, that would be 6th gear. As a side note, anyone ever tried to accelerate from 30 in 6th??? Anyway, for 30 to 50, the G was timed at 9.4 seconds. From 50 to 70, it was timed at 8.9 seconds. Compare those times to the IS's: 2.7 and 3.4, respectively. Don't those numbers jump out a little bit?

For people with more of a clue than myself, do those numbers jive with the gear and axle ratios? C&D states that the IS's torque peaks at 4800, just like the G. It's rated at 277(new SAE standards) vs our 260(old SAE methodologies). In order for this thing to accelerate, in SIXTH GEAR, from 30 to 50 in 2.7 seconds, would suggest huge amounts of torque available at under 1k to 1.5k rpms.

Can someone please explain these numbers?

And before anyone accuses me of being obsessed. Thank you. I know that

 

Wait - did you just say that the article says the IS does 30/50 in 2.7s, but the G does it in 9.4s? That can't be right. The G is not that slow, period. That's a misprint. Get in your car right now and do 30-50 and I guarantee you'll do it in under 3 seconds. Hell, check *any* magazine and you'll see times from 2.2-2.9, but I couldn't find one over 3 seconds. 50-70 is normally 3-4 seconds. Those times are flat out wrong.

Edit - just to say I can't find the scan of the article and haven't received my C&D yet. Just want to say again, there is no way, I mean, no way possible, they could have reasonably gotten 9.4s from 30-50. Someone needs to call them on that.

 

Just to make sure that this is clear - they are saying those are the times for the car in top gear not just generally how long it takes them to get there. The G was the second fastest of all the cars tested. I don't mean to say I think the numbers are accurate but I wanted to make sure we were clear on what the article says.

 

Motor Trend, June 2005, has the G doing 5.8 0-60, 14.1 1/4 mile, 14.2 0-100 MPH
Also Automobile had similar fuguures in a test recently.
I think they got a slow one in the test.

 

The plot thickens ....

 

Right - so it makes sense that 30-50 is a little slower than it would be in say, 3rd or 4th gear. But 9.4 vs 2.7? Something isn't right there. On the other hand 50-70 in 6th shouldn't take much longer than it would doing it in 4th or 5th because you're going to be around 2000 rpm regardless. Sure, it might take a half second longer, but 9 seconds? That's just flat out wrong. One of you (trey I think?) has a 6MT right? Go try it. Just count, you won't need a stopwatch to see that you're well (and I mean well) under 9.4 and 8.9s respectively.

I guess what I'm getting at is not only do the G's numbers seem high, but the IS350's numbers seem oddly low. I understand it's a faster car than the G, and I understand it has more aggressive gearing, but a 7 second difference? Basically what C&D is saying is that the IS350 does 30-50mph faster in its top gear than the G35 does in its best gear for that speed (probably 4th).

 

Um guys the IS is AUTOMATIC, hence the much faster top gear times...it DOWNSHIFTS

 

I don't understand why they didn't stick it in manual mode and do the top gear times

 

Even so, the G numbers still seem strangely high, even in 6th gear.