View Poll Results: Should Lexus start offering 4 cylinder engines in their lineup?
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Should Lexus start offering 4 cylinders?
05-05-08, 02:47 PM
#16
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I was just reading in R & T that there is room in the engine bay of the new TSX for a 6 cylinder. ....I'd rather see a turbo 4 in there.
05-05-08, 02:47 PM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
Can't say that yet. We'll have to wait for yearly sales figures, The 1-series has only been out less than two months in the American market. the A3 and A4 have been here for years...the A4 much more so.
And I don't know about Atlanta, but the A4 does very well here, especially in the AWD Quattro models.
05-05-08, 02:53 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
Yes. There's definitely room. But the four fits in there nicely (if you remember my review) with room to work on it. The six would be more of a sardine-can.
05-05-08, 02:56 PM
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05-05-08, 02:58 PM
#21
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The main problem there is that the Toyota 4-cylinder interiors aren't plush enough. Some people want interior plushness and a four-cylinder combined, like with the last Acura TSX. Acura made a major error on the new TSX by cheapening its interior, as you'll recall from my review.
05-05-08, 03:08 PM
#22
absolutely not...... there is a much better company offering 4 cylinders, that's called toyota.
lexus is a luxury brand. to be very honest here (and i am not trying to be cocky), like someone already said, if you can afford a luxury brand, you should be able to afford the gas. otherwise, don't stretch it, that's part of the ownership experience. luxury means paying extra for the "status", going cheap is the other direction
cars like gs350 and is350/250 can already achieve very respectable gas mileage with their engines. we don't need a corolla in the lexus lineup for 40mpg
lexus is a luxury brand. to be very honest here (and i am not trying to be cocky), like someone already said, if you can afford a luxury brand, you should be able to afford the gas. otherwise, don't stretch it, that's part of the ownership experience. luxury means paying extra for the "status", going cheap is the other direction
cars like gs350 and is350/250 can already achieve very respectable gas mileage with their engines. we don't need a corolla in the lexus lineup for 40mpg
05-05-08, 03:47 PM
#23
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4 cylinder engines are for Toyota and Scion.
05-05-08, 04:02 PM
#25
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See, to me, Acura's problem is not that they offer 4 cylinders, it's that they don't offer an 8. They have always been seen as second rate compared to the others for that very reason. In my opinion, offering a 4 cylinder doesn't cheapen the brand, but enhances it. It gives more options to the buyer and those that would prefer to spend less time at the gas pumps should have that option. Being able to afford the extra gas that a 6 or 8 requires is not the issue here. It's about being more efficient and not needing or wanting the extra HP a 6 or 8 would provide. I personally see no problem with Lexus giving their customers the option of all 3 engine choices - you want a GS with a 4 cylinder? sure no problem. you want it with an 8? that's no problem either.
05-05-08, 04:02 PM
#26
We're also forgetting that one of the real figures is power and torque, not just number of cylinders. For instance, I did an Acura TSX-Lexus IS250 comparison just last week and found the TSX's 2.4L four just as peppy, if not more so, than the IS250's 2.5L V6. And look at the torque that Saab, itself an upmarket brand, gets from their turbo-fours in the 9-3 and 9-5. They have never sold a six or V8, to my knowledge, in anything other than the (Chevy trailBlazer) 9-7X. Haven't needed one.
of course, if gas price reaches certain point, let's say 20 bucks a gallon here in the US, then maybe gas mileage would become an issue in people's decision in buying luxury cars that are NOT gas friendly. but at THIS point, where gas is 4 bucks a gallon? that's not the point yet imho.
or let's put it the other way. from the posts i read above, some said LS should be available in 6 cylinders. ok, why not 4? some 4 cylinders (with FI by all means) can get up to 300 horses no problem and still being reliable. put that in the LS and the car will go just fine. so, are you saying the LS should be in 4 cylinders as well? do you find it sound somewhat funny? if yes, ask why. if no, then we agree to disagree
05-05-08, 04:07 PM
#28
See, to me, Acura's problem is not that they offer 4 cylinders, it's that they don't offer an 8. They have always been seen as second rate compared to the others for that very reason. In my opinion, offering a 4 cylinder doesn't cheapen the brand, but enhances it. It gives more options to the buyer and those that would prefer to spend less time at the gas pumps should have that option. Being able to afford the extra gas that a 6 or 8 requires is not the issue here. It's about being more efficient and not needing or wanting the extra HP a 6 or 8 would provide. I personally see no problem with Lexus giving their customers the option of all 3 engine choices - you want a GS with a 4 cylinder? sure no problem. you want it with an 8? that's no problem either.
yrs ago, bmw wanted to get the crowd, they came up with the 318ti. a lot of my friends called owners of that car posers or wannabe. that was for a reason. and now you don't see that kind of cars from bmw.
at least in my mind, there is a "structure" for luxury vehicles, and none of the corners in that structure could be cut
05-05-08, 04:29 PM
#29
while i think acura's BIGGER problem is not offering any v8 at all, them offering 4 cylinders rsx and tsx, that's a problem to begin with as well. it just cheapens the brand, period, especially with the rsx.
yrs ago, bmw wanted to get the crowd, they came up with the 318ti. a lot of my friends called owners of that car posers or wannabe. that was for a reason. and now you don't see that kind of cars from bmw.
at least in my mind, there is a "structure" for luxury vehicles, and none of the corners in that structure could be cut
yrs ago, bmw wanted to get the crowd, they came up with the 318ti. a lot of my friends called owners of that car posers or wannabe. that was for a reason. and now you don't see that kind of cars from bmw.
at least in my mind, there is a "structure" for luxury vehicles, and none of the corners in that structure could be cut
05-05-08, 04:48 PM
#30
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I don't think the RSX is cheapening the brand. Especially cause it doesn't exist anymore.
