Lexus IS500

[JeffKeryk]

I understand very well what is GS and what is IS. Those are two different category of vehicles. IS is in category if BMW 3, Audi 4, not 5 series or E class like GS is.
Driver of IS is not going to look at battery charge before turns on stereo.

Perhaps I can clarify my point...
I am not talking about the category of cars. The GS is a great driver's car; the IS is not.
That's why I suggested driving both cars. I find our old Acura TSX a far better driver's car vs. the new IS.
I find the new (refreshed) IS disappointing.
Of course the GS is no more. Our '13 GS350 F Sport is a great car.

 

[Averroes]

It is still an IS. Nice car and reliable.
It is no replacement for the GS, but it's all Lexus has.

If you want performance, you gotta go Tesla.

No. If you want straight line performance only then go for a Tesla. Electric motors are torque-y and that's nothing new. Tesla makes fun cars though no doubt. Not my cup of tea though, as of yet.

Nothing beats a good sounding V8/V10 that has the tune setting to tackle a track or two. Good on Lexus/Toyota.

 

[edyvw]

Perhaps I can clarify my point...
I am not talking about the category of cars. The GS is a great driver's car; the IS is not.
That's why I suggested driving both cars. I find our old Acura TSX a far better driver's car vs. the new IS.
I find the new (refreshed) IS disappointing.
Of course the GS is no more. Our '13 GS350 F Sport is a great car

Well, if you going there, I am not sure GS is drivers car too, when compared to BMW or Audi or some others. I drove GS, one you have a lot.
Current IS did gain weight and regular IS was never some kind of drivers car. But, IS500 might have changes to address that bcs. this vehicle is definitely targeting M340. Will it be fast as M340 or agile? No! The question is: how close is it?

 

[PimTac]

You could probably do 150 down the Interstate with that one?

 

[2EHA]

i’m 6’4 and a half. the ISF was a really really tight fit for me when i gave it a test drive.

are the new ones bigger?

 

[LawrenceGazebo]

The Crown Vic comes with a V8...just saying.

 

[OilReport99]

Well, if you going there, I am not sure GS is drivers car too, when compared to BMW or Audi or some others. I drove GS, one you have a lot.
Current IS did gain weight and regular IS was never some kind of drivers car. But, IS500 might have changes to address that bcs. this vehicle is definitely targeting M340. Will it be fast as M340 or agile? No! The question is: how close is it?

Agree. It could be a close competitor. Not like Toyota doesn’t know how to build a quality car.

 

[PimTac]

The Crown Vic comes with a V8...just saying.

They don’t make them anymore.

 

[Oillover]

I doubt they'll get BMW, Audi and Mercedes buyers.

The Lexus IS500 and previous IS-F are more like American muscle cars... just fast in a straight line with a Japanese badge.

Totally agree.
My IS350 didn't have LSD option.
As a result, it's only benefit was it's straight line performance. Aside from that it was as dull as a beige 4 cyl. Camry

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Very good. But with my mindset I'd rather take the IS500 budget and spend it on a gently used IS350, and use the leftover money for mods. The end result for the same money would give me a car that handles better than germans, and goes like hell in the straight line. IS350 is no slouch afterall... Even the early 2006 models did 0-60 under 5 seconds stock. Match that with the Lotus Exige(?) supercharger, proper suspension, and grippy tires with lightweight wheels, and this should get very interesting... To each their own I guess.

 

[drtyler]

They don’t make them anymore.

Thank goodness.

 

[meep]

Lexus really is going against the popular trend here aren’t they? Either they really know what they are doing, or they are losing touch.... I don’t know, but stumbling across the 2014 GS we have, my eyes are opened. I really didn’t know these cars existed. It’s like a Japanese Camaro in a high quality, refined build which is quiet, knows how to corner, and can throw it down if needed. It’s a fine vehicle, and it blends in without being noticed.

in a day where more and more vehicles have a detached feeling, this one gives me a connectedness with the driveline which is refreshing.... possibly just because Toyota is a late adopter of tech. The steering... it’s feeling of connectedness I found varies with tires. It’s rather muted unless the right tires go on it. But all that done, it’s great. Minivan v6, worked over a little, in something the size of a Camry? Yes. Agree with the post above.... I’ve considered relocating the battery to the trunk.

I don’t understand why the IS wouldn’t also be considered a good drivers car? I felt very cramped in the cockpit ... and the high beltline worsened the effect, but it was a little car with a generous RWD power plant. ???

m

 

[edyvw]

Very good. But with my mindset I'd rather take the IS500 budget and spend it on a gently used IS350, and use the leftover money for mods. The end result for the same money would give me a car that handles better than germans, and goes like hell in the straight line. IS350 is no slouch afterall... Even the early 2006 models did 0-60 under 5 seconds stock. Match that with the Lotus Exige(?) supercharger, proper suspension, and grippy tires with lightweight wheels, and this should get very interesting... To each their own I guess.

IS350 can be better with supercharger. Old ones 0-60? Yes. New ones are slower as they added weight, a lot of it.

 

[edyvw]

Lexus really is going against the popular trend here aren’t they? Either they really know what they are doing, or they are losing touch.... I don’t know, but stumbling across the 2014 GS we have, my eyes are opened. I really didn’t know these cars existed. It’s like a Japanese Camaro in a high quality, refined build which is quiet, knows how to corner, and can throw it down if needed. It’s a fine vehicle, and it blends in without being noticed.

in a day where more and more vehicles have a detached feeling, this one gives me a connectedness with the driveline which is refreshing.... possibly just because Toyota is a late adopter of tech. The steering... it’s feeling of connectedness I found varies with tires. It’s rather muted unless the right tires go on it. But all that done, it’s great. Minivan v6, worked over a little, in something the size of a Camry? Yes. Agree with the post above.... I’ve considered relocating the battery to the trunk.

I don’t understand why the IS wouldn’t also be considered a good drivers car? I felt very cramped in the cockpit ... and the high beltline worsened the effect, but it was a little car with a generous RWD power plant. ???

m

Lexus are RWD but they understeer like good FWD (Audi). That tells you that performance is afterthought. I think their problem is that after 1st gen IS, they just wanted to please their core customers who wanted to feel cool. Hopefully they go at it now. One good point I read is that it is not IS F, why? Maybe even stronger IS? More capable? That would be interesting to see.

 

[meep]

Interesting. I can’t imagine what kind of thrashing the GS would need to break loose and understeer. I’d imagine they used the same tuning philosophy? Working the skinny pedal as I drive, it has no issue letting the tail push out, for me. It’s running stock tires with about 3mm of outward offset on enkei wheels, a minimal change.

I will say, and maybe this is to your point, it takes some English to set it up right for a good hard turn. Perhaps that’s a tendency to understeer I’m fighting against? I also test drove a bmw 328 and found it much more eager for turn-in. Is that the difference? With the GS, however, I have found that by using a little english, it sets up nicely and digs in well to rip a good line. in other words, once I figured it out, I have no problem getting weight transfer to both dig in up front and let the tail follow the arc. Does that make sense?

 

[edyvw]

Interesting. I can’t imagine what kind of thrashing the GS would need to break loose and understeer. I’d imagine they used the same tuning philosophy? Working the skinny pedal as I drive, it has no issue letting the tail push out, for me. It’s running stock tires with about 3mm of outward offset on enkei wheels, a minimal change.

I will say, and maybe this is to your point, it takes some English to set it up right for a good hard turn. Perhaps that’s a tendency to understeer I’m fighting against? I also test drove a bmw 328 and found it much more eager for turn-in. Is that the difference? With the GS, however, I have found that by using a little english, it sets up nicely and digs in well to rip a good line. in other words, once I figured it out, I have no problem getting weight transfer to both dig in up front and let the tail follow the arc. Does that make sense?

You could kick out tail of FWD in right conditions. Audi AWD will fishtail on track, even in dry conditions, but they are known as understeer monsters (there is term "Audisteer"). It is heavy nose and tendency of nose to pull to other direction. On IS F there were aftermarket solutions in wider front tires and better bushings that provide better control. But, you cannot fight weight. Weight balance in Lexus is far from what is in BMW. Not only that, BMW is very specific where weight is located, so they use in newer ones carbon at high points (roof pillars etc.). That is why in the beginning I mentioned battery. Battery in car like IS500 has to pack the punch bcs. all the electronics, so it is heavy. Yet, it is at worst location, even though it is behind wheel basically. Much better location would be under back seat, or somewhere in the trunk (like BMW's do). To me looks like they pushed engine to the back a bit, which is good. As for 328, yes, bcs. weight balance is so much better it will be much more eager to take a curve and more natural. Of course there are other things too. I think Lexus IS should have double wishbone suspension, which is good.

 

[dareo]

I find this extremely interesting.

 

[UG_Passat]

You could kick out tail of FWD in right conditions. Audi AWD will fishtail on track, even in dry conditions, but they are known as understeer monsters (there is term "Audisteer"). It is heavy nose and tendency of nose to pull to other direction. On IS F there were aftermarket solutions in wider front tires and better bushings that provide better control. But, you cannot fight weight. Weight balance in Lexus is far from what is in BMW. Not only that, BMW is very specific where weight is located, so they use in newer ones carbon at high points (roof pillars etc.). That is why in the beginning I mentioned battery. Battery in car like IS500 has to pack the punch bcs. all the electronics, so it is heavy. Yet, it is at worst location, even though it is behind wheel basically. Much better location would be under back seat, or somewhere in the trunk (like BMW's do). To me looks like they pushed engine to the back a bit, which is good. As for 328, yes, bcs. weight balance is so much better it will be much more eager to take a curve and more natural. Of course there are other things too. I think Lexus IS should have double wishbone suspension, which is good.

Yet BMW has figured out how to make a MacPherson Strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension handle well.

 

[edyvw]

Yet BMW has figured out how to make a MacPherson Strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension handle well.

And point is? BMW will out handle IS500 and outrun regardless of some 100hp deficiency. M340 is 3+sec car. But, I am not sure that is the point. If Lexus execute this to be close enough, it could get some people who might not care whether car is 3.5sec or 4.5sec. BMW figured out a lot of stuff yet F30 and G20 are closer to Lexus feeling than E90 feeling.

 

[UG_Passat]

And point is? BMW will out handle IS500 and outrun regardless of some 100hp deficiency. M340 is 3+sec car. But, I am not sure that is the point. If Lexus execute this to be close enough, it could get some people who might not care whether car is 3.5sec or 4.5sec. BMW figured out a lot of stuff yet F30 and G20 are closer to Lexus feeling than E90 feeling.

Don't assume, just because it has a double-wishbone suspension, it's going to handle well.

My dad's old Pinto had a double-wishbone suspension, and it wasn't a good handling small car

The M340i is rated at 4.4 seconds. AWD cuts it down to 4.1 seconds.
Step up to the M3, it's still 4.1 seconds.
Cough up money for the competition package, then it's a sub 4-second 0-60,