Considering the 440i is a coupe version of the 340i, there's no possible way the new IS can be more fun to drive. It's just not possible. I've test driven the G20 340i and it's fast. It's not quick, it's F80 fast and handles very good.

 

With some mods, the F80/F30 are a lot of fun. However, stock, they're just a bit numb, and they don't have as nice of interiors as the Lexus.
Also, fast is not always "fun". I was underwhelmed by the M235i I drove, fast or not. It just didn't feel fast if you will. Sure it pulled hard, but I couldn't really get any information through the steering wheel or chassis. I felt much more of a connection with my GTI - and I drove the cars literally back-to-back.

 

of course he was 12 when he drove a 2014 IS so no wonder he was excited.

 

I'm not sure how an F80 was "Numb". The ride is harsh enough to break your teeth and daily driving one would make me crazy. There really isn't anything Numb about that car. It handles like a beast too. It's probably one of my Favorite M3's. Also the interior is not designed to be luxary it's a track car meant for fun. You're the first person I've ever heard call the M235i or M240i underwhelming considering most people just buy those instead of the M2 and save thousands by making them just as fast with a few cheap modifications.

 

Sorry, I am not talking about the M3. I get all those model codes mixed up lol. I would love to try one. I thought you meant 3-series/4-series.

And I think the M235i thing was a matter of expectation versus reality. Everyone hypes up the M235i, but to me it didn't seem all that different from my friend's 335i in terms of driving experience. Just smaller, maybe a little more sporty, but not enough for what I wanted.

 

Agreed. Steering feedback and intuitive driving is more crucial for driving enjoyment IMO. Sometimes horsepower and acceleration is just a consolation prize to mask a numb chassis.

Also people mistake harsh ride and feeling every bump of the road as "communicative" when all it does is overwhelm the driver with unnecessary sensory input and may actually mask his ability to place the car on the track and make it counterintuitive for him to drive. A properly sorted chassis and suspension filters out extraneous sensory "noise"and gives the driver just enough inputs for him to focus on the job of steering and accelerating the car appropriately.

I tend to give more weight to real world experience especially from actual owners. Sure hp/0-60 is important for spec junkies but the reviewer in the video owned a 440i for several months and test drove the IS multiple times before he came to the conclusion he preferred the IS driving experience.

 

IMO fancy videos of test tracks and talk about handling can also be seen as a ruse to divert attention from lack of investment in power trains or infotainment.

Talk about reliability vs performance Is often one sided, that reliability is sacrificed for performance as a compromise. In fact the opposite is equally valid, that performance is sacrificed for reliability. So that’s a draw.

I have one each F2x/3x and 3IS in the household. Before this it was the E8x/9x and 2IS. So I have been able to compare ownership experience on a daily basis since 2006.

My experiences in short:
F2/3x reliability is a huge leap from previous gen E8\9x
2IS reliability is better than 3IS
Both makes had Bad interior sticky/peeling issues, respectively, in previous gen
I have needed warranty replacement for hybrid battery and shocks and rattles on the Lexus, and steering rack on the bmw.
3IS interior susceptibility to scratches is very high, F2\3x less classy but much more scratch resistant
3IS interior is an ergonomic mess compared to the Fseries
idrive works well, Lexus system is Jurassic
HK system average, ML system not as good as previous gen
steering feel... equal in both in normal mode....Fseries noticeably better than 3IS in sport mode,
some feedback vs 3IS dead dead yet heavy.
3IS less initial understeer, F series better handling balance overall
Hybrid economy excellent, but very poor acceleration, F series economy amazing for performance.
Hybrid discourages acceleration and encourages economy by noisy high engine revs, and is more road noise sensitive in tire selection. BMW sounds great and is quieter when accelerating, less tire noise when cruising.
ZF 8 Speed transmission Responsive, intuitive and reliable.
3IS has better seats than F series
3IS has engine vibration period resonating through the body issues, Fseries very refined but engine mounts don’t last.

The list goes on but the main ones have been mentioned.

 

Good comparison. Just to note, the 350 F-Sport with AVS in Sport+ mode feels way better than other variants. Felt much better than the 335 i tested against so that was the car I bought regardless of speed. The 340 refresh addressed some of the issues with the 335 so the handling on both cars is a wash. At the limit handling on the 3IS is not great...way too much understeer.

 

The best handling Lexus I have driven on track are the GS 450h and RC, F sport, both with 4wheel steer. Better for me than the RCF on the same track. But the handling abilities of the RC's left me even more frustrated with the lack of oomph, and ultimately restricted the level of fun and satisfaction I derived from driving them.

 

Nice... Hope it comes true.


https://www.thedrive.com/news/34521/...v8-sport-sedan

Lexus Files 'IS500' Trademark for Potential V8 Sport Sedan

Our dreams of a true IS F successor aren't dead yet.

After hearing rumors that Lexus would bring a 5.0-liter V8 back to its compact sports sedan, we were pretty disappointed when the heavily-refreshed (but not all-new) 2021 IS debuted with zero new powertrain additions or changes. If a new trademark filing holds any water, however, our dreams for a spiritual successor to the IS F may not be dead just yet.Spotted by a GR86.org forum member, the Toyota Motor Corporation filed a trademark for "IS500" to the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week, the same name those previous rumors gave to the supposed upcoming high-performance Lexus IS. Naturally, the mark is described to be for "automobiles and structural parts thereof."

USPTOWhen unofficial rumblings of a future IS 500 were heard last month, it was said to be Lexus' last application of its naturally aspirated V8, the same 5.0-liter that lives under the hoods of the LC 500, GS F, RC F, and defunct IS F. In its current applications, the engine makes around 470 horsepower which would make for a vast jump over the IS 350's 311 hp. Still, that's lacking compared to the 500-plus ponies expected from the upcoming BMW M3 and M4 with which an IS 500 would compete.

Around the same time Toyota was filing this trademark, however, reports stemming from a Japanese publication surfaced saying that the twin-turbo V8 LC F had been canceled due to the global pandemic, which begs the question: If Lexus can't afford to do a high-performance LC, can it come up with the scratch to build a high-po IS?
Whatever the answer to that question may be, Lexus unveiled the "new" IS a couple of weeks ago making a lot of hoopla over that car's apparently enhanced, more balanced handling and the fact that it was developed at Toyota's Nürburgring-imitating test facility in Shimoyama. If Lexus is serious about targeting the IS at enthusiasts, there are few better ways of doing it than offering eight, turbo-less cylinders. A Lexus spokesperson declined to comment when reached by The Drive.

 

It makes no sense to the put the 5.0 V8 in this revamped IS. The 3.5tt yes, that makes more sense.

 

Literally don't care if it's the V8 or a turbo 6. This platform desperately needs more than 300hp. Give us something with competitive performance.

 

I'll believe it when I see it. We've been burnt by so many optimistic false rumors lately that my expectations aren't all that high.

 

Nothing wrong with the V8 as long as they don't call it the ISF and charge $80k for it. That's just begging to be compared to the BMW M cars and instant failure. Call it the IS500 or F-sport and charge $50k starting price for it be done with it. The same goes for the RC.

 

+1 Although sadly I think any IS500 is a long shot.