Looks like we're both correct. A search of Internet records for this car showed it to be on the Eliminator's option list but only a couple were actually installed at the factory.

 

Well, Mike....looks like you and me have more in common than we thought. At that age.....late teens.....I didn't mind driving a nice cushy, soft-riding car like the ES either. And trust me.....I grew up not only with muscle cars, but with some REAL big, heavy, library-quiet, pillow-soft riders too. My dad, after retiring from the Army, worked for Philco-Ford and used to bring home 5500-lb. Lincoln Continentals and 4600-lb. Mercury Marquis every night. He would toss me the keys and say " Here, enjoy yourself....just put some gas in them ". ( He knew I was sensible and trustworthy and would not wreck them....and I didn't ). And, yes....they DID use gas....lots of it.....at 100 octane.

 

LOL, yeah, guess we like the plushness!. I wish the IS was out back in 1996 or I would have gotten that. I also looked at the Mitsu Diamante, Acura TL 2.5, Acura CL 2.2 (the 3.0 wasn't being made yet), the Nissan Maxima ( I wanted a Nissan SO BAD, as my current car was a Nissan Sentra but I could not get past the looks). I really was a Nissan guy, not a Toyota one.

Your lucky, my dad was never into cars at all. He only got into them AFTER I got the ES and now he refuses to drive or buy anything else.

Funny how things change huh?

 

My dad was never really into luxury cars either. He liked the Chrysler slant-sixes and small V8's for their durability and economy. He would only bring home the dinosaurs because they were a company perk and he knew I liked to try them out.......but he told he he would never own one.

I agree with you the ES is an addicting car. For the money it is the best entry-level luxury car on the planet. I almost wish I had gotten one instead of the IS300 I drove for years but the IS'es yellow paint, chrome ball shifter, and chronograph gauges blew me away.

 

I totally agree with you about this. Prior to my addiction to GS's, I had my wife's old 99 ES300 for about 2 years. What a great car. It was such a joy to drive. I am really looking forward to the release of the 2007 ES350 in the spring. Assuming prices don't blow up, it will remain one of the best values out there (especially with the new 3.5).

 

I had an ES for 4 yrs before the GS and it also hooked me on Lexus. still have the 95 ES too.

BTW-stock for stock, the 95 ES handles much tighter and flatter than the GS.

 

Interesting observation. The ES definitely doesn't shudder like the GS does on uneven surfaces.

 

I live where no Lexuses are sold...Mexico City...and I get a lot of looks at my RX. People ask what it is (badgeless on the backside) all the time. The snobbish looks usually come from other luxury suv owners, especially ALL of the ones that have eaten my dust at the track.

 

Asbolutely no comparison. In all candor, the Chev engine probably put out more power. The thing that screwed the Vette was the fact that it was around 800 to 1000lbs heavier. NHRA had two sports car classes. A and B Sports Production (A/SP and B/SP) The Cobras owned both classes. Jaguar advertised the XK-E would go from 0 to 100MPH in (I think) 14 seconds. Ken Miles, driving a 427 Cobra went from 0 to 100 and back to 0 in 14 seconds.

 

Perhaps, it happens that there are not many 'luxury cars' in your area?
if you live in 'green-rich' environment, like silicon valley, LA, or any other cities in USA, a lexus is nothing much but another car rolling on the streets... The fact is that there are way too many 'HIGH end' (100K+) cars in USA...aren't there?
i just think that...
What people see in you is not what you have, its more about what you are...

cheers,

 

Keep a close eye on it...and consider some anti-theft devices like a steering-wheel club, engine immobilizer, LOJACK, ( if available there ), etc.... I know it has a standard factory alarm.

I say this because stolen SUV's are a hot item in Latin America primarily because of the lousy roads, and some of those admiring looks that you describe from onlookers there may not be so innocent....although the RX is not as well suited to off-roading as truck-based SUV's.

 

I heard that (about the 0-100-0). I don't know if this is urban legend or not, but when I was growing up, I heard that there was a Shelby owner (perhaps Shelby himself) that would stick a $100 bill in the passenger sun visor and tell the passenger that if he could grab the bill under hard acceleration, he could keep the $100 bill AND the owner would turn over the title to the car. Probably just an urban legend.

 

I read that in a Car Craft magazine...I think it was Shelby. Did he do a special version of the Dodge Viper? If he did...the author of that article was put to the same challenge but it was in a Viper instead with Shelby driving I believe.\

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...0/ai_n12878997

 

I drove my friends carrera 4S, people are staring at me, smile and a , i drove his CLK55-cars around me are trying to avoid me specially when i change lanes they literally give u space to go through BUT when i drive my GS4 i get all of these things!


BMW people...whay can't they get along specially M3 owners

 

The $100.00 on the dash is legend. As far as the 0 - 100 - 0 goes, That was actually done with a 427 Cobra in 1965. Shelby was deeply involved in the Viper development (The fact that it's called a "Viper" is no coincidence, the Cobra name is owned by Ford). There are plenty of cars today that will do that, in 1965 it was quite a feat.