Driver72 Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 reporting the 2006 Lexus IS350 is going to have 320 hp along with a new 6 speed auto with paddle shifters! If that's the truth, it might give a current BMW M3 SMG a run for it's money in a straight line. Don't think it would beat one, but it would be within a car length in the 1/4. I will definitely be test driving this car as soon as it comes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-2.5-GT Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Yeah the new IS looks nice. Its about time though. They made a mistake with the last one, by not giving it enough power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driver72 Posted May 8, 2005 Author Share Posted May 8, 2005 I agree. I'd of seriously considered the current model if they would of given it 240+ hp from the get go. I'm still skeptical that the 3.5 liter will actually make over 300 hp, much less the 320 that Sport Compact Car is reporting. Again, both Nissan/Infiniti have been making a 3.5 liter V6 for several years now and Acura for one year, and both max out at 300 hp. Also, if Lexus/Toyota made a 320 hp V6, it would have more power than their 4.3 liter V8 (obviously less torque though). But still, having their entry level car make more horsepower than their flagship?? I'm guess the IS350 will make around 295 or so HP and like the others, somewhere around 260-270 torque. With a nice quick shifting 6 speed AUTO, and the entertainment of paddle shifters on the steering wheel, it could still EASILY produce low 5's (5.2 ish) to 60 and possibly even high 13's @ 100+ mph 1/4 times. I will still test drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTCanada Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 I saw some car show report last night (Dallas I believe) that stated the output of the IS would be 320hp. Should be a nice car. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-2.5-GT Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 i'd hope it was 320. It would be a good seller then i think. I agree it might look strange that their entry vehicle has more power than a mid class one. However it might give it the edge that it needs to stand out. Sure the mid class may have less power, but it should be considered more refined anyway. Not all out performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driver72 Posted May 9, 2005 Author Share Posted May 9, 2005 Well, if it is 320 hp V6 then, it MIGHT be a dream luxury sport sedan. Missing only a manual tranny and optional AWD. As long as they don't put the electronic nannies on like they did for the new GS and let the engine and tranny sing to their full potential, it should be a hot car. I love the looks, and with Lexus build and reliability, it might be a BIG winner. And again, if priced in the mid $30K or so range, it's going to be VERY tempting for me to get. I love AWD and the LGT, but living in So. Cal the reality is, AWD isn't a necessity and does take away from some fun, youthful antics, when desired. I'll make an EARLY prediction if the car is 320 hp and 270+ torque that it'll hit 60 mph in 5.0-5.1 seconds and clear the 1/4 in 13.6-13.7 @ 103+ mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Pimp Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 six speed manual > SMG > watching paint dry > six speed slushbox auto with wannabe racer paddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driver72 Posted May 9, 2005 Author Share Posted May 9, 2005 I don't know Jedi, have you driven Audi/VW's DSG tranny??? It is the ONE tranny I'd take over a manual. It is VERY fun to drive and when stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, it's great to be able to just stick it in regular drive and sit back and relax. It shifts SO FAST, that acceleration times with it are faster than a professional driver can get a 6 speed manual to do! Sure a "regular" 6 speed auto with paddle shifters won't be as fast to react and probably won't let you take it to redline, much less INTO the redline like the DSG of Audi/VW, but with 320 hp, needing a manual isn't as important at that point. It'll be a touch slower and a touch less entertaining to drive, but still provides plenty of fun. Audi/VW's DSG is so good, the all the major car manufacturers from Ferrari to BMW are trying to copy it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Pimp Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 I agree that the DSG is pretty sweet but I have yet to see it adapted to a high torque or non-transverse layout application. At least the SMG can be used in a high torque application as it does in the new M5. I was really talking about how lame it is that Lexus will only offer the IS350 with an automatic which is very different from the auto-manual transmissions that VW and BMW have. Heck dosen't the Toyota MR-S have a true automanual? Why can't they adapt that at least? Slushbox automatics are boring to me and yes I live in the D.C. area and deal with horrendous traffic daily. I think if a sports sedan is gonna be a sports sedan it needs a manual or at least an automanual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driver72 Posted May 9, 2005 Author Share Posted May 9, 2005 The DSG is on a higher powered vehicle. The World's Fastest Supercar. The 987 hp Bugatti Veyron (owned by VW) with VW's W-16 engine. It uses a 7 speed DSG tranny to rip to 60 in under 3.0 seconds and onto 186 mph in 14.0 seconds and onto a top speed of 252 mph. It'll only be time before EVERY manufacturer copies VW/Audi's DSG tranny and puts them on their cars as well. But think about Lexus...they aren't exactly a performance oriented company. So, like Toyota, they are always YEARS behind the times when it comes to technological advances. They seem more content sitting back letting everyone else develop new technologies and THEN they just copy it and make it very well (as said before, it's cheaper and easier to copy originals, than to BE original). I'm guessing Toyota/Lexus will have a DSG type tranny in about 5-7 years. Ferrari will have one in the next two years, followed by others. I also agree, automanuals (tiptronics) are kinda boring, especially ones where you have to uses the shift lever, and the "buttons" that the LGT has aren't much better, they are slow to react. Paddles behind the steering wheel can and are much more entertaining. True it's not the best case scenario, but for Lexus it's a big step toward a more performance oriented car. And with a butter smooth 320 hp V6 sending power to the rear wheels, it will be a VERY QUICK car in a straight line, and I'm sure they plan on bettering the already very good handling of the current IS300 too. Should make for a nice cruiser and canyon carving bruiser too. WRX STI levels...no but with 320 hp and a (I'm sure) well balanced RWD platform, it'll better a stock LGT easily in all but bad weather conditions, and require the LGT to be Stage 2 plus have tire, suspension and brake upgrades to (more than likely) keep up on a canyon run. I love the LGT, and but there's something to be said for smooth, naturally aspirated RWD power too. As I said, I'll have to take an extended test drive and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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