jdot85

corradoMR2

Interesting ups and downs for both cars. Thanks for the post.

fastdak25

Is the ATS selling very well? To this day i still have yet to see a single ATS on the road, and already seen several other 3ISes in my area (near Balt, MD).

SonyHome

Statement about overheating 8 speed tranny in the IS350 F Sport is concerning. I wonder if Lexus saw this behavior while their testing and also was this an issue that existed in the IS-F? 90 degree day is not really that hot to say that it's overheating because of it.

abcsoup

This is also the US model without foglights, so I wonder if the ones with them suffer even more in high heat. Also wonder if the 6 speed has the same issue.

aTeAse

Where can I read about overheating 8 speed transmission

SonyHome

It's stated in the video and that's the first time I've heard of it and I've read and seen a lot of reviews.

vbx

Most of us wont see the overheating issues as we arent tracking these cars. Nothing to worry about. Butni find it funny that both automatics tranny suffered from heat exhaustion.

Lexus should consider making the manual tranny as an option. Starting with the new rc coupe.

John510

The ATS is a very beautiful car in black. My neighbor has one. First thing I thought when I saw it was "Oh wow thats a sexy car!" I would have considered an ATS over a IS simply because I get a GM employee price but I did not even know the ATS existed until after I purchased my IS.

natnut

I suspect the 3 series would have suffered a similar overheating with its autotransmission.

Simply put, these are road cars with no track preparation and anyone expecting them to hold up beyond a few laps is deluding themselves.

Autoguide is being very clever by excluding the 3 series from this comparison and by omission, implying that the 3 series wouldn't have suffered the same overheating issues...

UncleSpud

One important issue that was referenced for the Lexus was understeer induced (in good part) by staggered fitment, which to me seems to represent a triumph of fashion over performance. Yes, all the car marques offer staggered fitment on top of the line sport models, but why? With taller, skinnier tires up front it's a perfect prescription for understeer. The IS 350 F Sport rwd has a great chassis, but why handicap it with only 225-40 up front when you can fit 255-35 out back?

Does anyone know if you can fit the 18.5" wheels in front so you can square the set up? Wouldn't 255-35-18 x 4 make this car handle better?

js1011

I see a lot in the bay area, specifically in San Jose, Ca. In fact, my neighbor across the way from me has one in black. I think they look really cool.

neilvosko

south florida is swarming with ATSsss
easy to spot with unproportional single side exhaust...another GM innovation

SonyHome

I've been told you could put 245/40/18 on the front 18x8 wheels. Also I believe 18x8.5 will fit in the front. I'm thinking of going with 19" summer wheels and they are 19x8.5 and 19x9.5 wheels which are supposed to fit on 3IS.

webra

In our market we don't have the Caddy, but the turbo I 4's are all the rave now, first with the VW Golfs and now the BMW's. Even the little 118i has the same torque as an IS250! So the 200t is better late than never, and hopefully it's lighter too....recent Lexus's are too heavy.

I drove an e63 all day long on a track and it did not even wimper. It was brilliant. No heat issues at all on a 36 deg C day. NA advantage?