i believe IS250/350 and IS220d for europe and IS300/350 for US spec. it's kinda make sense since EU used to get IS200 and new IS250 would be a nice replacement for 200.

i was think it doesnt make sense to give US market the 250 as base since base 3.0 was used in the 1st gen and lexus is smart enough to figure out Americans are power hungry.

 

Well if the GT lineup comes to Lexus with hybrid power I'm sure 400 or so hp would be possible from the 350, and AWD with the electric motors on the front wheels. If Lexus decides to make a GT lineup they will be serious and it will be world class, mark my words.

P.S. Not trying to take anything away from the M3. It always has been and probably will continue to be a beast.

James

 

Flip, have you heard anything about there being another "IS 300" in the lineup?

 

Unfortunately not at this time no. The IS300 label will become a classic until they throw in a 3.0L engine back into the line up in the future.

 

Ooooooooooh, daddy wants another IS baby!

 

when do they go on sale in the USA? I got my $40k waiting...

 

Just got back from the Geneva show.

The IS looks about the same in person as the Autospies pics. From afar, I like it better than the E90 3 series. Once you get up close it still looks good but it seems a few things are out of proportion. Just as in the pics, the sideview mirrors look too big. The slab side of the door look really big relative to the small windows - I guess that's an ongoing trend these days.

The rear brake calipers look tiny inside the 18" rims.
The interior looks nice (thankfully the doors were open) from 8 ft away.
The show car was MT and assume it was fairly loaded. Rear camera in the usual spot.

I hope the crowd's interest of the IS vs. the new 3 series (swamped) is not an indicator of future sales in Europe. Most of the Lexus area was rather empty. There was a new GS300 and 430 and hardly anyone near them. Following sales volumes in the US, most of the attention seemed to be on the RX (both 300 - no 330 yet and 400H) and LS.

Yes, the LF-A looked pretty hot.

I'll try to get a couple pics up in the other thread but there's nothing new that's not already there.

One last note - I sure hope that the trunk opening on the IS is better proportioned than on the GS - what was Lexus thinking.

 

Thanks biker!

 

It's probably that other markets will get a 3GR-FSE 3.0L IS300. We here in the North American Markets get the 2.5 and 3.5. But the direction of Lexus/Toyota is gradual. So we will someday see a IS300 perhaps in the future. Guessing 2008 or so for us here in North America?

 

I thought the same thing. I don't care for them being posted on the door itself; rather have them on the window frame.

 

Destroy 3-series? In order to destroy 3-series, the new IS needs to surpass several others........TL and G35. By the way, I don't think the new 3.5L V6 can produce more than 300hp. If so, the engine will not be too quiet, which is a must in any Lexus vehicle.

 

It's a must in the ES330 & the LS430 LOL, not in the new IS, they need to sound sportier.

 

well im still waiting to see of that convertible and coupe version of the IS will be true

 

Almost garanteed to see a convertible.
perhaps a coupe as well

 

just read that the IS will have steering wheel paddel shifters as well as sequiential automatic, yall probably already knew this but just wanted to let yall know. and yall probably already know this to but i hope this is like a misprint, but it said that the IS 250 is powered by a 2.5-liter, 218-horsepower V6 and the IS 350 with the same 252-hp, 3.5 V6. is this true about the 350 version?