Tone2002

Yes, OLD AND BORING!!!! Wait, that is exactly the image Lexus is trying to shake.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Hence the IS's trendy tricks. Twenty year old somethings can't afford the GS so for the time being the more traditional folks will continue to buy more traditional features - not that the GS is old school. LS400 buyers are already having a hell of a time finding something that is essentially being phased out. Generation Y however will have no problem adapting to the new tech through future small to large vehicles

DarkRoseUW

It seems like we get a pretty good package down under.

Cant post any url but has 3 of these w, lexus. followed by au. Go to build and price and use 3000 as the postcode.

I'm looking at an Ultra White, Dark Rose interior and enhancement pack 2, pretty much has the lot

SimTide985

I test drove the GS350 and the only thing that I'm a little uncertain about is its weight..

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

It's among lightest in class! The 5-Series is some 400lbs heavier in some trims

UpSideDown

It will be interesting to see how the F-sport LCD speedo and the moving ring works in cold winter, like -10C to -20C.

All displays incuding rearview camera froze in my last IS.

Here you can see it. @-19C

It takes 30minutes drive to get it working. Happens in EVERY winter.

scruffydog

You may have some merits saying that trendy features usually starts with the cheaper models that targets younger folks, but LCD displays actually started with the LFA, Lamborghini Aventador - which is exactly the opposite side of the spectrum of cheaper cars. Now cars like Ferrari Italia, Corvette and Vipers are moving towards a hybrid type of LCDs? Older people that buy the LS have a slow adoption curve to learn anything new. It's like showing your parents / grandparents on how to use something techy. You know newer tech stuff is better but most older generation people wouldn't have the patience to learn it or care to learn it. For all they care, a LS without a Tach meter would work just fine like a Prius to them.

Now going back to LCD displays, it's just the matter of time, you'll start seeing that across the line up, perhaps even in other brands because I believe it's better - Esp for sporty cars. They're trying to make the IS more fun, similarly to the GS F-Sport - everything from driving dynamics to the way you feel inside the cockpit of the car. The LCD display does make the driving experience that much better. I think they didn't roll the LCD Tach gauges in for the GS F-Sport b/c they debuted that car few years before the IS.

SimTide985

Sometimes it's not just about curb weight numbers. It's how the car's electronics, steering, weight distribution, chassis, and suspension that controls how much the driver feels of the car's weight. The GS350 felt heavier than it probably was.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Clearly you haven't driven in a obese 5-Series, nose heavy A6, nice but numb E-Class on a AutoX vs the GS.

Not to mention it is a night and day difference between 3GS and 4GS on near every level

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I believe you're making an assumption, I never said they start with cheaper models. Far from that, new tech as you somewhat mention starts with Halo cars and trickles down throughout an automotive line-up or even industry as a whole.

I believe HUD is more appropriate for "sporty" cars, there's nothing wrong with the IS's LCD gauge as it has a bezel. The XTS and XJ however (and more) have huge screens with cheap looking readouts that don't belong in a Luxury that would look astheically better in Luxury vehicle but that's for another discussion. They did make the IS more fun, but that's thanks to the LFA and GS. A future digial LCD gauge in the F-Sport models are fine, but remember these are luxury brands, Luxury is about class, prestige and elegance. And so long as there's still a handful of baby boomers, Gen Y won't completely change the industry for another 10 years.

I feel we're on the same page to some extent, but the wording is off.

SimTide985

Yeah, those cars aren't really in my price range either.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Well appreicative of the honesty. A test drive can't hurt nothing beats physically touching and experiencing the vehicles vs what you read on the interwebs

SimTide985

Tell me about it---that's what I usually tell everyone! Test drives are free and if you've got the time and you've got the will and curiosity, there's always value in test driving.

I'll tell you this, I used to be obsessed with the redesigned E-Class and 5-Series. The only thing that's keeping me back from test driving them is their price. It's mainly because if I'm going to even consider an E-Class or a 5-Series, I'd want to get a lot of the cool bells and whistles.

Instead I've still been waiting for a pre-owned 2011/2012 535i to drop into my price range.

The same with the A6 3.0T. Too expensive to buy or lease for me, especially with the kind of options that I'd like to see on it. Again, if I can find a preowned one for maybe $40k or so, I'd love to try it out.

scruffydog

I agree It's like getting a Movado watch with absolutely no tick marks to tell time. I'm sure a digital watch would serve the function better but it will never give a nice luxury feel.