Start Saving for the IS500 - Page 2 - my.IS

Hotrod350 · 06-02-2006, 01:12 PM

I know what's on my Christmas wish list for 07.

Santa, I'll be good and not stump on any more M3 2005 or older.

coolmonk · 06-02-2006, 01:44 PM

I don't know why some people complain about the paddle-shift gearbox...most buyers won't be buying the manual anyway (just look at the IS300).

Mazdaspeed · 06-02-2006, 02:22 PM

Dear Lexus,

Motor alone does not a performance luxury car make. It has to FEEL right...not just SOUND good on paper. Please do not be the new AMG of the 90's.

JimmyTheMonkey · 06-02-2006, 02:29 PM

If Lexus can really pull this one off with a perfect M3 competitor at a lower price, it might actually steal some sales from BMW - maybe

greydey · 06-02-2006, 03:27 PM

I don't understand why manufacturers think that just because new slushboxes shift 'faster than a manual' that I'd want one?

I don't care if it shifts faster than I can, it's about the tactile feel of a clutch and handheld transmission.

Happy Friday all and +rep if I can to Tailpipe and congrats, and thanks for sharing your insights and talent!!

**jruhi4** · 06-02-2006, 04:49 PM

Quote:

I don't care if it shifts faster than I can, it's about the tactile feel of a clutch and handheld transmission.

Amen to that! And, Tailpipe, I told you privately and now I'm telling you publicly, fantastic article!

Josh11385 · 06-02-2006, 05:38 PM

Sounds good and all but i still love a manual transmission. They are just too much fun compared to automatics. While this car will have 400hp+ I'm still not impressed for that price tag. Will it even have room for any modifications on the engine or is it going to be so compact you will be lucky to get in cold air intake. For that kind of cash that i would put up for the IS500 my IS300 could easily rape the 500 and any stock M3 of the such. My 5spd manual was 27grand brand new. give my 30 extra grand for my car in mods and you have an absolute monster.

edgy · 06-02-2006, 06:21 PM

if it delivers as they say it i will then i am definitely IN...

Also from what i have read & heard... there is a groundswell of opinion amongst the hard core Exotic car fan base and owners that a proper 5 -6 speed manual ' push the pedal & Row the stick' is a more satisfying "system" to actually DRIVE....than ANY of the new "Paddle " shifters.. & Ferrari has arguably the BESt system available period.

Many of the Ferrari guys with their super slick Ferrari paddle shifters are finding that that setup some how just does NOT deliver the kind of engaged driving experience a true enthusiast is looking for.....MANY of the owners of these exotic vehicles with Paddle shifting if they are TRUE enthuisiasts Vs. Fashionable Poseurs lookign for "street cred" with their new ryde have actually been wanting a traditional 6 speed auto or semi auto with a proper STICK to shift... the semi auto clutchless setup that we are starting to see now... row all you want but no worries about clutching & matching revs etc etc...is pretty interesting as well

regardless i wil lbe saving my $$ starting now for this baby if it arrives here in 2007 i will be buying one in 2008 to be sure they have fixed any of the typical 1st year glitches & shit that manufacturer durability testing etc NEVE r seems t o completely reveal.

...

rubley · 06-02-2006, 06:46 PM

I don't understand the continual love affair with manual transimissions now that semi-automatic gearboxes exist that can outperform any human. Before the semi-automatic craze, "slushboxes" where derided for their inefficiency and lack of control. Now that semi-automatics exist that make manual gearboxes look like civil war era technology, manual purists still can't give up the clutch. The real reason they won't let go of their security blanket is because they feel "special", as if they've become part of an exclusive club and learned secrets that were once only possessed by the druids of stonehenge. The simple truth: hundreds of millions of people have learned how to drive a manual, including the queen of england (yes, it's true), if you think your special - you're not, so, let go of your stick and learn to appreciate technology.

bhamkng · 06-02-2006, 07:27 PM

Since its not gonna be manual, I already plan on selling my right arm and left leg for it.

benben · 06-02-2006, 08:15 PM

5.0 liter V8, over 400 hp, 0-60 in 4.7 sec, AWD, 19" wheels, under 60000 USD, bye bye BMW E92 M3 you just lost a potential M3 buyer --> me lol

Cruxader · 06-02-2006, 08:35 PM

regardless of what the article says, I still think the flagship IS series will be a hybrid. Whether its the 500 engine or a slightly smaller version coupled to a hybrid electric system, its the perfect showcase of Toyota's technology. To be cheaper, faster, quieter, more reliable AND more fuel efficient than your competitors, why not? Its a perfectly normal thing for Toyota to do. Have your cake and eat it too.

**METEORO** · 06-02-2006, 09:09 PM

Great Article

from one high (heat going to the finals) to another high!! The car sounds fantastic on paper.

And as far as the tranny, I guess I am more from the Nintenedo generation, and less of a purist. I really do not care whether I have a clutch or not, as long as the end result is a superior performing vehicle, who cares if I have a third pedal or not.

yeuchau · 06-03-2006, 12:07 AM

0-60 in 4.7 seconds.
that's only enough to keep up with the e46 m3.
I doubt if it can keep up with the new m3.
but we will wait and see.

Tailpipe · 06-03-2006, 04:06 AM

If there is one consistent theme on my.IS, it is the need for a manual gearbox option in high-performance Lexus IS models. My question is: for how much longer is Lexus going to ignore such a universal plea? We don't know for sure whether the IS500 will have a manual box, but BMW since had the good sense to offer one on the E46 M3 (as well as the woefully inadequate SMG semi-automatic box) and Audi only offers the RS4 as a manual, a three-pedal IS500 must surely be under serious consideration. Hardcore performance car addicts won't settle for anything less.