I was at the US Open today. As you know US Open is sponsored by Lexus. Well, they have brought 2 Is models to the show. One was IS350 in Charcoal gray with beige interior and the other was red with black. I must say the car look better in person.

I was told the schedule date is 10-15-05.

One thing I was discouraged about was that the driver side back passenger door, the inside panel was loose; I mean it was just dangling; also the rubber modeling was all loose as well.

I did ask, that Lexus is known for its quality (I hope since I have never owed a Lexus before), so how come this car is damaged. The answer was because this is a pre-production prototype and these pre-production cars are not made the same way as the production. I did not believe this as I would think the cars that are used for media and test runs would be better if not the same production quality.

Any thoughts?

 

awesome...thanks for the news...

i don't think that panel is a big deal...it is not like it will be something common

any pictures?

 

Any damage is unusual, I wonder if it had to do with being a) a display model or b) damage during display setup/transportation.

Anyhow, a holographic IS is expected to show up at the Hollywood Bowl sometime as well...

 

really? how do you know? are you going?

 

The IS' you saw are hand built pre-production models. Those are probably the same New IS' that Lexus Marketing brought over for the East Coast Test Drive preview for our selected CL and my.IS members at Castle on the Hudson last Wednesday. Two of them have made it their way to Flushing Meadows for the US Open. Actual production models are being made and shipped over to the US as we speak. So the flukes you saw are just pre-production model flaws.

 

To have anything loose or dangling from Lexus manufacturing is unheard of... so no worries.

 

From here:

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/rec..._id=1001052022

Currently there is an RX 400h on display at the turnstiles entrance, and a GS 430 at the North side next to the Dim Sum stand...before it was an LS 430 and GX 470...

Don't know if I'll go...

 

Pre-preduction or not, if they can't make sure the cars are at their best when shown to the public, then don't bother to show them at all. This is not the PR a company wants especially when its core value is in the reputation for quality.

 

they probably did not notice it or it got damaged during the day, it happens, take it easy.

 

Thank you for the re-assurance, it does help a bit. I cannot wait to test drive the car. Sorry Lexus Fan, I did not had the opportunity to take pictures, I know I should have. But was busy admiring the car between the matches.