While both are either near tops in MPG and still comparable in HP the competition hasn't stayed still in regards to power.

BMW/Benz/Audi have moved to forced induction. Some other brands have bigger displacement V-6/V-8s for more power.

What is the next step? Will they be bored and stroked for more displacement? Will new engines come? Forced induction has been hinted as possibly coming, will that happen?

I'm thinking the 3.5 might grow to 3.6 or so and maybe the 4.6 becomes replaced with the 5.0? My other thought is Lexus will leverage two hybrids, those for fuel economy and those for more power like the current 450h/600h setups.

What do you think?

 

increasing the displacement will likely hurt gas mileage. if lexus do that then they need more lower end hybrid to help offset the rating to meet with the standard. i don't think lexus will go FI yet, so maybe hybrid is their way out to balance it, while increasing power with higher displacement

 

I'm also thinking they will be slow to increase displacement due to fuel economy. Better 8+ speed trannys will be more critical in the future. Adding hybrid capabilities will continue to increase even if it remains a small portion of total sales.

 

Wishing for but not expecting anything that will increasing power by hurting fuel economy or emission like adding turbos or increasing displacements. Of their existing technologies, I hope to see Valvematic, VVT-iE and 8-speed auto implemented across the board. On the other hand, they may get away with increasing displacements while not hurting fuel economy by implementing those better engine and transmission technologies, like they had done for many times before. Li-ion battery-based hybrids would be great too although it's rather unlikely, seeing how Toyota already mentioned that they are too heavily invested in NiMH batteries to switch anytime soon.

 

engines are fine as it is. Infiniti's 3.7L 330hp figure only looks good on paper, but not in real world testing.

just bring in the dual clutch !

manual mode is a joke.

 

^^^ Dual Clutch would be interesting. Not entirely sure if there are reliability problems with them in regards to the brands that offer them.

Though didn't Toyota actually offer one or a SMT or something with the MR-2 Spyder?

 

hehe, everything is about design

 

Nobody makes a better V6 than the 2GR-FE and its variants. Would like to see DI across the board, and for Toyota to start using dual-clutch transmissions would be interesting too.

 

VW and Audi have had tons of reliability problems with their DSG so I don't think Lexus is gonna follow suit unless they've found a much more reliable implementation, although the fact that the LFA chief engineer mentioned about having evaluated a dual-clutch transmission in the LFA prototype does probably mean that they already have something under development.

The MR2's SMT was slow and clunky, definitely no good for a luxury car.

 

Thanks I had heard some issues but wasn't sure entirely. I think for the LFA the dual clutch wasn't as interactive as he wanted but maybe for a luxury car the smoothness would be appropriate?

Henry the M3 is a dual clutch right?

 

fuel efficient hybrids is where it will be at
along with powerful hybrids

ES, HS, CT will be the fuel efficient ones
IS, GS, LS are the more powerful ones

but i wonder what if they do force induction with hybrid...

 

Lexus 3.5L V6 might stay the same size or grow to 3.6L. Lexus 4.6L V8 might grow to 5.0L or stay the same size as well. I think also in the next few years we will see brand new engine designs which are physically smaller and lighter while keeping the same displacement.

Aside from that, over the next few years I expect to see at least some of the following technologies: electric-assisted turbos, Valvematic, Dual VVT-iE, and electric water pumps plus electric A/C compressors on non-hybrid models.

 

Maybe some Dual VVTi-EL plus Valvematic

Btw:
I was hoping for CVTs though. The problem though lies in its torque limit capabilities as it depends on manufacturer. Toyota/Lexus can push it as far as V8 provided its mated to an electric motor (i.e. Lexus LS hybrid), Honda can take it as far as 2.4 liters but only in FWD, Audi can do it even on V6 models BUT no quattro..........and for non-hybrid, I think Nissan/JATCO has the most solid unit capable of 3.5 V6 and AWD in the Murano.

Still, I'm hoping for CVTs hehe

 

Dual VVTi-EL? Is that dual intelligent electric variable valve timing with lift?

Valvematic replaces any previous Toyota valve lift systems, so a VVTi-EL system would be redundant with Valvematic .

 

before ls400 after ls430 after ls460 new 490