AGREED!

But for those that say an IS is not engaging to drive...or has no feedback. DRIVE IT. It does NOT feel like any other Lexus. I had a GS and HATED HATED HATED it. It was like the wheel wasnt connected to the suspension it was that disconnected...I drove an IS with the SPort Suspension bought it....It's VERY well connected....not as much as my 996 on PSS9's but what is? Is it as connected as the 3 series or A4 I drove at the same time...in my opinion YES...now I wasnt on a track...but my 996 never touched a track, so why should I base my STREET car on how it feels on the track?

 

IS-F competes well with other sports sedans. Fast, practical, reliable. Only issue with these sedan is that they don't feel like sports cars.

If I were buying a sports sedan, I'd go with a C63. M3 is nice too. I don't think ISF competes well with the germans just because it's a Lexus and it has quirky looks. Performance wise, I think it is great. Just not pure enough for me.

 

I agree with you on just about every count....I too think ythe looks are a bit wierd on the IS-F, but to some the reliability issues in the past MB and BMW may sway some towards the Lexus....

 

Newport, I have been a fan of your nicely moded cab in the past. I was also checking the IS-F out at the dealer and it is a nice/fast looking car for the coin. But I very much disagree with you 0-60 times on the IS350....4.9sec no way in hell.
306hp 3600lbs IS350 vs. 320hp 3200lb Porsche.

 

Would you like balloon's too?

IS350 runs mid 6's my friend and has been a real flop for the Lexus wanna-be sports car............

 

all tips are pretty much fake if you think about it. you don't need nice shiny chrome tips. and guess what? porsche's optional tips on the turbo/c4s are just as fake as the lexus ISF one.

too much whining about these tips. these are luxury items. a lot of it is in the name of vanity.

 

only if u know what i meant. i don't think tips are luxury items at all. LOL!

 

i concur with newport... not the 4.9 second time, but the fact that if an is350 gets a jump, it'll be a long while before you take over. this is true for any car that runs sub 6 0-60 second times.

in the real world, 0-60 mph times are misleading.

 

Dont take my word for it.....Road and Track test times.....

 

Put your $$$ where your mouth is...meet me at a drag strip in a stock 996. (not an advocate for street racing)...you do your best 0-60 time with a G meter or something...I'll do mine with the same meter...best of 3 runs....

I dont know why its soooo tough to believe. You are NOT factoring in gearing. the 996 is geared to reach 175 mph....the IS 150....so it should be no surprise that its geared shorter, and thus the initial jump off the line will be faster for the IS....again, you would have to get to triple digit speeds to catch one....

 

Most of the 0-60 records for the IS350 seem to hover around 5.3 seconds from what i've read.

I have also driven the IS from time to time on loan when we get our LX470 serviced and think they handle pretty well. They had that familiar Lexus "thud" over bumps that is indicative of the excellent sound dampening that Lexus is known for. The handling was more nimble than you'd expect from a brand that specializes in luxury, but I still felt more disconnected than a 3 series BMW. That said, I'd much rather drive an IS350 over a 335 just due to the reliability advantage alone. But you can't compare an IS to a Porsche in handling, ever.

My criteria for a good "sports" car is not a bare-knuckle hole shot from stop light to stop light. If that were what i was looking for I'd go for a second hand Z06 and buy a leather "8-ball" jacket to go with some snake skin boots.

 

Come on Newport...you should know better. R & T also had test results of 5.6sec for the IS 350. It only makes sense that the times cannot be the same as a 333hp M3 or a 320Hp 996 both weighing in at 200 - 400 lbs lighter

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=106607

 

There's always a clown in the crowd..........

Lexus is a great - luxury car, nothing more, nothing less. They have proven that they cannot make a car w/ longevity, mixing performance and luxury. ALL the car mags say the same thing, "nice try Lexus - back to the drawing board". Why do you think there are pages and pages of IS350's for sale?

 

If you READ the same R&T test, they said it was 110 degrees at Willow Springs and ALL the cars tested suffered performance wise...They also noted it would be faster at normal operating temps....as they PROVED later when they had another car on a 80 degree day. So there goes the explaination for the 5.6 sec one day and 4.9 another day....All the tests for the 4.9 sec day were done at the same time....isnt it odd NO ONE is disputing the BMW 335 doing a 4.9 sec 0-60? Same weight, less HP....turbo lag? and yet its never questioned...hmm.....You also have to take in consideration that the IS is an automatic...no clutch, so drivers play more of a part in the 996 times than an IS...saw this in a Nissan GT-R test....guy owned an E90 M3 and could only do about a 5 sec 0-60....was very upset but it was the clutch condition, tires were not new and didnt have enough grip. Yet the GT-R was doing consistent under 4 second 0-60 runs. Also tested a 996 GT3 at the same time and 4.5 was the time he could get....So there are LOTS of variations. I wont even get into the 12 second 1/4 mile times of a stock IS350....

 

dude guys get off your 0-60mph mag racing rocking chairs