CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Personally, I love high reving engines. I drive a Honda built car with an 8,000 RPM redline and boy is it fun. Sure, it only makes 270 HP and 224 lbs-ft of torque, but it is still very fast and fun to drive. I don't feel the slightest lack of torque down low in slow city driving as some might suggest. I used to drive a Mustang in High School so I understand Domestic Hot rod style low end torque as well, but I still have way more fun in my Honda I guess that is why I'm more of an F1 fan since I love those 18K RPM engines Bottom line for me is the end result. If the car performs and puts down the numbers the engine specs don't matter that much too me.

TRDFantasy

You're only telling half the story:

IS350: 277 lb-ft @ 4800 RPM
G35: 268 lb -ft @ 5200 RPM

We've already seen the IS350's torque curve, and 90% of the torque is already available at 2000 RPM.

5200 RPM for peak torque, on paper, looks like a Honda engine. I won't jump to conclusions, but I doubt that the VQ35HR will have a flat torque curve beginning from 2000 RPM.

Both peak torque and peak HP are reached at higher revs for the G35 compared to the IS350, so my point still stands that the engine is being stretched. That's also not mentioning the fact that the G35 has less torque, which no doubt was a sacrifice made in order to reach that increased HP.

Sure, if you want to have a little fun, that's what the G35's high redline is for, and it further cements the G35 as being mainly about sport, and less so about luxury.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the G35 has a freer-flowing exhaust for maximum performance, compared with the IS350's restrictive exhaust, which a lot of people say restricts power by about 20HP.

I can't wait to see the dynos of the VQ35HR. It will be interesting to see how much power it puts down on the ground, and if the 2GR-FSE is actually underrated.

RON430

I think you can take it for granted that just about everyone here is oriented more to the performance side of the equation. When I bought my GS4 I thought it was one of the most ill handling highway cars ever. A set of bilsteins cured it but made it decidedly firm. When I put the same shocks on my wife's GS3, it felt like a buckboard. You are not in a safe or good handling car when you are bouncing off the headliner, as you would in a race car. I have owned many bimmers and could go back but I find their more recent cars to not just have safe handling but a downright rough ride. When you combine it with rock hard seats, it is not the kind of place I want to spend much time. Having said that, about the only Lexus that could be in my future and the decision will come down to the improvements they may or may not have made to the suspension. I could care less whether the thing will parallel park itself once a year or whether the passenger side rear seat passenger can stretch out. Then again, there are still people buying Town Cars and not just to turn them into limos. My point is that there isn't one suspension type that is perfect for everyone. That's all. Nothing seems to iritate supporters of certain models than the fact that someone could drive one of that makers cars and not fall in love it. Heh, it happens. The magazines have a car for what, a couple of weeks? What makes a car enjoyable for a couple of weeks isn't necessarily what makes it enjoyable day in, day out, for many years.

TRDFantasy

Don't get me wrong, I like high rev engines too, but I was simply stating some engineering facts which can't be ignored. Although, I tend to find 4 cyl high rev Honda engines somewhat annoying, just because I personally dislike the growl they make. Subjectively, Toyota's 4 cyl high rev engines sound better, and I too love F1 engines. Not only that, but I also love V6 and engines, as well as high rev versions of those engines .

Simple fact is, the higher you rev, the less efficient the engine is overall, and therefore, the lower fuel economy you get. Also, generally speaking, a high rev engine with high peak HP tends to lead to lower torque and the low and midrange, and higher peak torquw.

You might bring up the point about Honda having such great CAFE numbers, but that's mainly because Honda doesn't build any production V8s. With this in mind, Toyota is right on Honda's heels in terms of CAFE numbers.

A fairly high rev engine that has high torque is just bliss, which is one reason why I really like the 2GR-FSE.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Good thing mine's the V6 DOHC version

Anyway, one thing we are forgetting about is gearing. All the specs posted above are engine specs. By the numbers the 3.5 in the IS appears to spec better, but we really don't know what the torque manipulation is to the wheels after the gearing. It very well could be the G35 puts higher HP and torque at the same RPM points as the IS, or it could not. We just don't know until someone puts up the gear ratios, final gearing, and/or an actual side by side dyno run from each car on the same dyno/same day. Either way when it is all said and done the real world will see both these car perform very cose to each other. One bad launch from eather car probably means a win for the other since I believe they will be that close in acceleration performance.

LexFather

THe funny thing is we are arguing and 95% of these cars won't even be pushed how we are talking, not just the G35 but IS and 3......
Most will be autos and in the G35s case, b/c its a great value.

And 8-10% going to fleet sales.

The new G35 is a logical and good improvement over the previous model.

Though not sure why Infiniti changed the car in what 4 years? Luxury car companies don't make full changes that quick.

I think for the price, like the TL, value will continue to be a huge attraction. You are getting 306hp for 325 and IS 250 money if power and a larger size car and a good price is high on your list. That is a very, very powerful arguement.

picus

I think more and more manufacturers are moving to a 4-year cycle. I don't like it, but it's the way of the world

Incendiary

Why's it bad? I'd rather more redesigns to keep competition fresh than fewer redesigns as a bow to residual value concerns...

jrock65

You guys are forgetting that the Japanese Skyline (G35) was out in Japan for a year before the G35 made it to the states as a 2003 model. So as far as the company is concerned, the car is on a regular 5 year cycle.

jrock65

No disputing that G35 makes less torque at a higher rpm, main reason why I think the auto will be a few ticks slower than the IS350.

But the fact that the 13 year old VQ engine (with revisions along the way of course) can hang with the brand new sophisticated GR engine speaks volumes to how great the design and guts of the VQ is.

And without the benefit of direct injection, which would have even added more power and torque.

jrock65

It is a good value, but the model's sales will suffer by not having a more efficient alternative (IS250 competitor). Mpg is a big selling point these days, and although all chatter on the forums is about the IS350, the IS250 is the volume seller.

I'm hoping they bring out a G25. There made a VQ25HR, no doubt to go into the 2007 Skyline 2.5. It wouldn't be that big a hassle to bring that car here.

A G25 will also weigh less and have better front/rear weight distribution, which would make it more nimble.

picus

It's not bad, I just said I didn't like it. Totally a personal preference on this one, so no objective information to back it up with; I just liked when one model design stayed around for a little longer than 4 years - then again most modern car design is trash anyway, so I guess it's good they don't stick around.

RCFormante

iTrader: (1)

Well the Toyota Altezza (1IS) was out for 2 years (1998) before the 1IS came out as 2001 model. So thats a 7 year cycle before the body style was change.

LexFather

I agree with Picus here. People don't want to drop major coin on a car and the got damn car changes ever 4 years. Hell we have seen some very long cycles SL damn near 20 years once, the 911, the GS was 8 years, the LS is usually 6, the ES keeps a steady 5 year cycle...

You want constant change, that is what Hondas, Toyotas and Kias are for....

jrock65

Right, both the GS and IS had extra long cycles (and it really hurt their sales in the US in the last few years, just a few hundred units per month) because Toyota was waiting to market them as a Lexus in Japan.

I doubt the current IS and GS will have 7 to 8 year cycles again. We'll see.