Dinhx8

i agree, totally differecnt categories of car, but the TL is also cheaper and offers somewhat of a close driving experience for day to day purposes.

Mugatu

iTrader: (1)

how about the fact that it will never go into production.....

mikeb

its still a sweet machine HATER^^^^^^

BlueEyes

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=107560

Aoshi Shinomori

Haha just kidding. The LFA is pretty ridiculous though, it should really give the GTR a run for it's money and more.

Japan8

I got pics of the car, but none of the engine. THey had an engine on display. Pure concept cars don't have engines on display. Engineering exercises may, but then those "things" would be found in other models. Where else is Toyota going to use a V10 engine???

Now regarding Toyota/Lexus and sports cars... I've said it before. If you like electronic nannying then you may love it. If what you like is to feel in touch with your car... sharp handling... performance and a manual transmission (SMG doesn't count... no clutch no interest)... well then you'd better go look at other manufacturers. Toyota makes a well-built, reliable car that is boring as hell, so so performance and looks like something your parents would drive or it looks like "WTF??!"

Japan8

I was a bit disappointed with the interior of the IS350 at the motorshow. It was built like a Lexus... ergonomics, feel of buttons and switches, BUT... I didn't like the quality of the dash plastic. Kinda cheap if you ask me... not much if at all better than the MS6 or RX-8.

BMW... I dunno. The front of the e90 is not bad. The back is Zzz. The side profile looks fat and bloated. Interior... ewww. e46 is still my favorite.

JDM mags in their compro says if BMW get the 325. If Lexus, get the IS350.

DARKMAZ8

Mercedes is having trouble being Mercedes nowadays. The quality ain't the same as it use to be. BMW has been known to be a electrical nightmare. Lexus makes great luxury cars that are reliable.

I had a 96 lexus ls400 and it still drove like new when i sold it last year. They're bulletproof.

ECHO1

lexus fit and finish is on par with its german rivals, it's the driving dynamics that doesn't quite match up.

didn't the g35 come out as auto-only for the first year with the manual coming later? hopefully lexus will go that route and get rid of some of that "nannying" that makes it an 8/10 sporty car and make it more of an enthusiasts car (ala m3).

playdoh43

lexus fit and finish is way above the germans. everything is so meticulously done with a lot more attention to detail than the germans. I agree that the driving dynamics is not up to par with BMW or infiniti if you read all the testdrives for gs430 and is350. However i see lexus more like a japanese benz than bmw.
*g35 did not come out as auto only first year. 6mt was just really really hard to get, back ordered for many months and people were paying well above sticker.

Ike

Actually, the G35 MT was released later than the AT, I don't think it was quite a full model year, but it was not available with a manual for a while after release.

termigni

lexus fit and finish is really nice but i just can't get over the look of them. they look like toyota buttons, like the font style on the transimission is straight from corolla.

raspyrx7

Lexus may have good service, but if the phones still end up at Toyota.... good luck. Out of all the different cars I've ever owned, Toyota customer service is absolutely THEE WORST. They accept no blame for things they know are wrong and they keep sending you back to the dealership, the dealership that wants to help you but Toyota won't let em... how silly is that concept. I don't see myself ever buying a new Toyota or Lexus product because of the nightmare service I've had on my Tundra... great from dealer, horrible from Toyota Corp.

rodrigo67

I can't believe that a car that's suppose to compete with the 330 does not even offer a manual trans for it's top of the line car. I mean c'mon, what is the point of the manual 16 sec 1/4 engine in the is250, for that I'll get a corrolla.

I did a build on a RWD is250 base, with almost no options and got 33,6K with the 204 hp engine 185 tor. with no option for manual.

http://www.lexus.com/lexusConfigApp/...Accessories.do

Then a bmw 330 rwd, again no options for 37,2K, with 255 hp

http://byo.bmwusa.com/configurator/c...=XAB60BMC221A0

The bimmer handles better, has more power, comes with more options base, a 6 sp with it's top engine...why does Lexus think they can compete in the sports sedan market?

playdoh43

I find this hardly a fair comparison dude, In fact i find it perposturous
you are comparing the lowest trim of the IS to the highest trim of the regular 3 series

how about comparing a lexus is250 to a manual bmw 325ci instead? both are 2.5 liter naturally asperated 6 cylinder engines, while the is250 produces 204hp vs 325ci's 184hp, a diference of 20 hp. similar starting MSRP, bmw 325 starts at 32,300, which is more than the IS250's starting price. The IS250 will win all the acceleration related categories.

magazines will do the same comparison, no one would pit the is250 vs the 330ci. and i agree the bmw handles much better, having already driven both (is350 vs 330ci), nor is IS250 the better car despite being more powerful and faster than the 325ci. Id go with the bmw in both situations. But at the same time both lexus more than hold their own, and appeals to people who wants a smoother and quiter ride with lexus reliability. BMW reliability is decent but not great.

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

How do you guys feel about throwing the lowest 6 speed 8 into that mix for comparison?

playdoh43

yeah Ike youre right, the MT did come out later than the AT, but the MT still came out in 2003. Also it was known well before the car debuted that there would be a 6mt version. I think lexus would eventually add a manual transmission to the IS350.. or not... lexus has been stubborn in the past. I see the is350 more as a benz alternative than bmw alternative. I feel like the G35 is more of a direct competitor to the 3 series than the IS.

playdoh43

I agree, if cost isnt a big deal, I would take the is350 over the TL easily. I personally dont consider the TL a great sport sedan, its just not on par with the rest of the field in terms of handling or driving dynamics. however if performance isnt a top priority then Id take the TL over the bmw 330ci. the TL is probably the best daily driver and offeres the most space and utility out of the three

DARKMAZ8

^^^^what about the tl type s? don't those come with 6spd?

playdoh43

there is no type S for the current gen TL in the US.

DARKMAZ8

oh yeah, I was thinking the last gen.

Christianv

My money's still on the BMW, even with the lower hp rating. One thing BMW has proven time and time again is their ability to make a car perform way better than their competition, even with lower hp figures.

BTW, if you're gonna compare the 2 cars, you should probably use the E90 325 (rated at 215 hp) instead of the E46.

In the 30k+ sport sedan segment, only Infiniti comes close to the BMW formula.

playdoh43

youre absolutely right, i mistakenly did E46 instead of E90. but yeah is250 vs 325 is a more fair comparison. I was wondering why the 325 was only putting out 184 :p. and i agree with the inifniti part, well with the G35 and M anyways. The I35 and Q45 still sucks ***. carlos ghosen is taking nissan back to its performance roots.

rodrigo67

Play

I compared these two because they were the best available engines with the manual 6 speed. Lexus does not offer a manual on the Is350, only the Is250 with the minimal engines, while bmw offers the manual on it's top of line. As I am not looking to buy an automatic in any car, I took the best manuals available from each, which is why it seems like it's an uneven comparison, but Lexus left no choice...