ph00ny

when i hear technology, i think more things that can go wrong and more things requiring dealer visits

c5mtl

hybrid is making a come back almost 60/40 today

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Hybrids are a shell and pea game. The only place they make up for lost energy is regenerative braking. But the truth is in the details. From cradle to grave, a hybrid uses more barrels of oil than a conventional gasoline engine. Porsche Design group did a study in the 80's that underscored this problem. It's still true today. If you're buying it because "its good for the environment" it's a mistake. Just think of all the toxic metals to be refined and built into batteries by poorly protected workers. Then consider recycling/disposing of those same metals. Electrics still have a very long way to go to be truly competitive. The one good thing about it, they're getting direct technology testing on a large scale, so at some point in the future, it may work better.

So now you know why I voted for the V-8...

CMistIS250

As the saying goes, there's no replacement for displacement!

+1 for the V8!!

pavster

Most of the materials in current cars are recycled. So those old batteries become... new batteries. And anyway, you know we won't always be running on gasoline, right? We're already very close to peak production, while the consumption is only going up. So yeah, I'd rather have a cutting edge gas/electric drivetrain that might actually move progress in the right direction, while making my drive so much fun. Check out the Best Motoring GS430 vs GS450h vs Infiniti M45. Guess which one is fastest...

Comparing a V8 to a trick hybrid powertrain is like comparing a really nice paper notebook to a cutting edge laptop.

...

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I actually know quite a bit about peak oil. That's my point. You're EROI on a hybrid is not as good as direct conversion, and it never will be as long as you have to make batteries and high current semiconductors for the hybrid.

Lets Drive

iTrader: (3)

Between a V6h and an alluminum V8, I'd go with the V8. Offer a V6h at the IS 2/350 level though.

If Toyota is trying to take a stab at the competition, its best they not repeat the mistake that Honda did with the RL, and just market a bigger engine with more cylinders. The V8 speaks to a different group than the hybrid does, which I feel is more inclined to purchase a Lexus bulit M3 competitor for very specific reasons, not really related to those that appease hybrid owners.

Who knows though, pricey mid-sized, luxury performance hybrids may just have a market.

pavster

So what do we do then? The way I see it, there are abundant sources of energy other than oil out there. Wind is one, for instance. A switch to wind power requires a change to the infrastructure and to the cars themselves. It seems hybrids are a first step in that change. Going with a V8 = no change = death when oil runs out, if not for us, then for our kids.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

One thing that I also question is if the V8 will be more functional for the IS compared to the V6+hybrid.

Most people that buy the IS live in metropolitan areas that deal with a lot of traffic, and it may benefit them more. The V8 may be better on the track, but we're talking about real life situations such as dealing with hour long commutes, frequent stops and gos in neighborhoods, and running errands such as grocery shopping, post office deliveries, and transporting children.

How we drive and where we drive at dictates which would be better for us, not for Lexus itself...

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

What they think we'll buy dictates everything.

ptmIS350

Being a young gay male I would choose a hybrid because the same confusion in my brain is the same as electric-motor hybrid car.

Hetero's go for V-8's because it's straight power.

Cmon guys it's common sense...I don't really understand why the connection isn't understood.

ff_

Comeback? Are you trying to infer that 40% of the cars sold today are hybrids?

SLEXC400

Has anyone seen anything in the press about plans for a hybrid IS? I have been trying to decide on a new car to replace my '94 SC400 that is now approaching 200K miles and I really want to get a car with good gas mileage this time. My brother traded in his '98 Audi A4 on a '06 Honda Civic coupe. He looked at the IS and decided the gas mileage wasn't high enough. He is getting just over 30 mpg in the city and around 40 on the highway (both figures right at the EPA rating) in his Honda and is delighted with the car. He wanted the hybrid Civic, but it only came in a 4-door model which doesn't look nearly as nice as the sleek, new coupe. I certainly don't need the power of the V8 I have now (I live in Miami and it takes me a good 35 to 45 minutes for a 12 mile commute to work --- traffic is horrible) but I don't want an econobox either. I really love the new IS and may go for it anyway, but if there is a hybrid on the horizon I wouldn't mind driving the SC for awhile longer ...

cdeslandes

I'm leaning towards hybrid. You can get TONS of torque from electric motors.

V8s are nice, but I'm tired of paying for gas.

socalJD

The whole premise for the IS500 is to directly compete w/the M3 - thus a V8 is the logical choice. It will be limited production and priced such that only a handfull of enthusiasts will be the target demo. If Lexus were to produce a hybrid IS, it would be aimed at totally different demo, most likely those who would normally choose the IS250 rwd. Unlike the GS or LS, a hybrid IS would probably be targeting the environmental/efficiency conscious crowd and not the high performance enthusiast crowd. I'm more amazed that a hybrid ES has not been introduced since one exists for the Camry . . .