Taste of Lexus 2006 Its official.
09-25-06, 03:24 PM
#242
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
My cousin is scheduled for two but were going at 9 and last year i was an hour late and i still was able to get in. The girl at the door said it was fine so im glad they really dont care when you show up.
09-30-06, 05:14 PM
#243
taste of lexus round 2 -- more into the "story"
since i am stuck here at work running simulations, i might just as well post about my review. i went to the SF event today, and i finally got a chance to drive all the cars i wanted. so i think this could be a fun review for comparisons.
i arrived VERY early at 8:30am. what a smart move (read on). registration was pretty much the same as last time, though i do notice that registration is taking longer than what it should be. i mean, i literally came to the counter and waited about 3-4 mins before getting my wrist band and badge, i feel bad for the huge crowd later on in the day.
when i walked out to the driving courses i realized the VERY BAD news..... number of cars were cut in half. well, at least the ls460, s class, and bmw 7. two weeks ago when i went to the LA event, i believe they had 8 cars in total, 2 on display and 6 on the courses, 4 of which are swb and 2 lwb.
this time around, only one car on display (silver), the black one was GONE. and on the driving course, only one ls460l and 2 ls460. bummer!!!!!!! i realized that the line would be ridiculous very soon, and that did happen quick, maybe towards 10 the line was pretty long already.
later i found out what happened what that lexus had all the cars for the first week of the LA event, but then they split up all the cars, and they are having two tours right now at the same time going around the country. can't blame them if they only have a few cars, but definitely not giving them a good image on the wait time (a lot of people complaining).
other than the lines, i noticed that all the courses are a bit shorter than that of the LA event (probably to keep people moving faster). aside from driving everything else were pretty much the same as the LA event, from food to setup to staff. they did make the imrpovement on food so everyone got more standard portion and lines went much faster.
in any case this is a driving event, so off to the cars. i actually had a blast this time and had some very interesting feedback to share
since i am stuck here at work running simulations, i might just as well post about my review. i went to the SF event today, and i finally got a chance to drive all the cars i wanted. so i think this could be a fun review for comparisons.
i arrived VERY early at 8:30am. what a smart move (read on). registration was pretty much the same as last time, though i do notice that registration is taking longer than what it should be. i mean, i literally came to the counter and waited about 3-4 mins before getting my wrist band and badge, i feel bad for the huge crowd later on in the day.
when i walked out to the driving courses i realized the VERY BAD news..... number of cars were cut in half. well, at least the ls460, s class, and bmw 7. two weeks ago when i went to the LA event, i believe they had 8 cars in total, 2 on display and 6 on the courses, 4 of which are swb and 2 lwb.
this time around, only one car on display (silver), the black one was GONE. and on the driving course, only one ls460l and 2 ls460. bummer!!!!!!! i realized that the line would be ridiculous very soon, and that did happen quick, maybe towards 10 the line was pretty long already.
later i found out what happened what that lexus had all the cars for the first week of the LA event, but then they split up all the cars, and they are having two tours right now at the same time going around the country. can't blame them if they only have a few cars, but definitely not giving them a good image on the wait time (a lot of people complaining).
other than the lines, i noticed that all the courses are a bit shorter than that of the LA event (probably to keep people moving faster). aside from driving everything else were pretty much the same as the LA event, from food to setup to staff. they did make the imrpovement on food so everyone got more standard portion and lines went much faster.
in any case this is a driving event, so off to the cars. i actually had a blast this time and had some very interesting feedback to share
09-30-06, 05:14 PM
#244
ls460/ls460l - the prototype (all ls460 and ls460l in this event are prototypes) didn't fall apart. between the s550, 750i, and the 460/460l, i actually find the LS to have the best throttle response. very very responsive and strong, and as soon as it kicks in you get tons of tq already pushing you into the seats.
one thing i LOVE about the car is how it holds its gear once it sense your driving. i pushed throught the course hard and constantly punching. the car responded by never going out of 2nd gear into 3rd even when i let go of the gas. that's HUGE improvement. with my gs400 or sc430, as soon as you let go of gas, it happily shifts for you immediately
handling are ok for normal driving (read on to find out some crazy driving). you get body roll, but actually now i think back, it's probably less than my gs400 or sc430 stock, and probably not any worse than the gs350. for a car that's much bigger and heavier, maybe i should give them some points
i complained about braking last time. i still don't think it's strong enough for this car, but i have to say it's not bad comparing to the 750i and far better than the s550.
interior design, i think the LS is very smooth, freshening, and elegant. i like it a lot obviously, and do think it spells a lot of class and luxury, to certain extend more than the current ls430. exterior is totally personal and i won't go much into it
s550 - that car is sooooo much better than the previous s class, period!!!! the throttle is much stronger and the car is much faster, that's the biggest impression. however though, i do feel that the throttle response was pretty slow. i floored it out of turns and it took a split second for the full throttle to kick in. that's bad (well, that's my complain on my sc430 anyway)
handling is a big improvement from the previous s class, more road feel and the car feels much "smaller" and easier to drive. and i think it doesn't roll as much as before too. and to be honest i think the handling of the LS and the s550 are pretty on par with each other. i think this is a big step for lexus, that finally their cars give people a better feel about the handling side instead of what they offer now
interior is pretty nice, not my cup of tea, but it does spell glass and luxury. i had to find my ways to most of the controls though, which is what i didn't like since i like to get into a car and drive it
750i - a mistake by bmw. what the heck is this thing..... i don't know what's wrong with the car but it's definitely far behind the other two competitors..... it's slower (s550 and ls460 i got them to about 80mph before hard brake, but 750i i got just under 70mph). the engine is super loud, it's a good thing when it's the m5 or so where you wanna enjoy it, but on a flagship sedan? insulation is a must.... and the car just felt completely HEAVY (very heavy) when you punch it.
handling though, of course, was top notch. that's expected and i wasn't disappointed at all. very flat, very good response, and tight steering. braking was awesome as well, very firm and strong, i think it's probably the best out of the 3 as well.
the interior though, man..... what's wrong with that..... could be be (personal again), but the interior of the 7 is far from the LS or the S. i didn't feel that comfortable or luxurious in that car at all..... not a bit....
one thing i LOVE about the car is how it holds its gear once it sense your driving. i pushed throught the course hard and constantly punching. the car responded by never going out of 2nd gear into 3rd even when i let go of the gas. that's HUGE improvement. with my gs400 or sc430, as soon as you let go of gas, it happily shifts for you immediately
handling are ok for normal driving (read on to find out some crazy driving). you get body roll, but actually now i think back, it's probably less than my gs400 or sc430 stock, and probably not any worse than the gs350. for a car that's much bigger and heavier, maybe i should give them some points
i complained about braking last time. i still don't think it's strong enough for this car, but i have to say it's not bad comparing to the 750i and far better than the s550.
interior design, i think the LS is very smooth, freshening, and elegant. i like it a lot obviously, and do think it spells a lot of class and luxury, to certain extend more than the current ls430. exterior is totally personal and i won't go much into it
s550 - that car is sooooo much better than the previous s class, period!!!! the throttle is much stronger and the car is much faster, that's the biggest impression. however though, i do feel that the throttle response was pretty slow. i floored it out of turns and it took a split second for the full throttle to kick in. that's bad (well, that's my complain on my sc430 anyway)
handling is a big improvement from the previous s class, more road feel and the car feels much "smaller" and easier to drive. and i think it doesn't roll as much as before too. and to be honest i think the handling of the LS and the s550 are pretty on par with each other. i think this is a big step for lexus, that finally their cars give people a better feel about the handling side instead of what they offer now
interior is pretty nice, not my cup of tea, but it does spell glass and luxury. i had to find my ways to most of the controls though, which is what i didn't like since i like to get into a car and drive it
750i - a mistake by bmw. what the heck is this thing..... i don't know what's wrong with the car but it's definitely far behind the other two competitors..... it's slower (s550 and ls460 i got them to about 80mph before hard brake, but 750i i got just under 70mph). the engine is super loud, it's a good thing when it's the m5 or so where you wanna enjoy it, but on a flagship sedan? insulation is a must.... and the car just felt completely HEAVY (very heavy) when you punch it.
handling though, of course, was top notch. that's expected and i wasn't disappointed at all. very flat, very good response, and tight steering. braking was awesome as well, very firm and strong, i think it's probably the best out of the 3 as well.
the interior though, man..... what's wrong with that..... could be be (personal again), but the interior of the 7 is far from the LS or the S. i didn't feel that comfortable or luxurious in that car at all..... not a bit....
09-30-06, 05:15 PM
#245
ls460 pro driver - so what is it like being in the ls460 driven by a pro race car driver (who's been racing since 12) around the course and you in the passenger seat? one word: SICK.
i was lucky enough to be in that position, and let's just say i couldn't believe the LS could actually be pushed to that limit and everything still completely under control.
the driver was very nice in explaining how the turning circle of the LS being the best in class by demostrating how fast the car made back to back u turns. and then came the full throttle test all the way to 80+mph and then hard braking. then it's obstacle course and he completely swung the car sideway and the car just went like that, sweet!!!
now after the big turn came the s turns and then zig zag. here he was talking and telling us how good the car control (vdim) is in bringing the car. he completely floored the car hard and flew pass all the turns in the tightest rout, and the whole car was pushed hard, tires fully squirling and sliding, and the car was tilted quite a bit too. surprisingly, the car was still completely under control, turning as he wished!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that was probably the best ever pro demo i have ever been to so far. i asked him how he likes the handling of the car compared to the other two. he said the 7 probably has the best handling, but he's very happy with the 460, and for its size the car is definitely not weak at all! he said the handling of the LS is indeed very close to the S, and with the VDIM the LS drives very nice.
he did comment though, with the VDIM off and the power that's on the ls460, drifting the whole car and sliding it through cones is no problem
i was lucky enough to be in that position, and let's just say i couldn't believe the LS could actually be pushed to that limit and everything still completely under control.
the driver was very nice in explaining how the turning circle of the LS being the best in class by demostrating how fast the car made back to back u turns. and then came the full throttle test all the way to 80+mph and then hard braking. then it's obstacle course and he completely swung the car sideway and the car just went like that, sweet!!!
now after the big turn came the s turns and then zig zag. here he was talking and telling us how good the car control (vdim) is in bringing the car. he completely floored the car hard and flew pass all the turns in the tightest rout, and the whole car was pushed hard, tires fully squirling and sliding, and the car was tilted quite a bit too. surprisingly, the car was still completely under control, turning as he wished!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that was probably the best ever pro demo i have ever been to so far. i asked him how he likes the handling of the car compared to the other two. he said the 7 probably has the best handling, but he's very happy with the 460, and for its size the car is definitely not weak at all! he said the handling of the LS is indeed very close to the S, and with the VDIM the LS drives very nice.
he did comment though, with the VDIM off and the power that's on the ls460, drifting the whole car and sliding it through cones is no problem
09-30-06, 05:16 PM
#246
gs45h - just how sweet can the variable suspension be on the car? i just absolutely love the handling of the gs450h with the setup. the car was sooo flat on corners and curves, i think it's really close to how i feel like i my gs400 (that's heavily modified on suspension). and the power was endless as well the hybrid setup, and yet the car was so quiet, i really couldn't tell how fast i was going.
i also noticed that the braking on the car is much stronger than the ls460. they look like similar brakes to me, so i guess weight is size come into play?
gs350 - i didn't drive it today, but i did last time. but in general without the variable suspension i think the car simply goes back to what a GS is like. a lot more body rolls and much less confidence when throwing it around. and the engine sound is also substantially more than that of the gs450h as well, which is expected
is350 - been a while since i drove a small sedan like this, it felt funny. but i definitely miss how easy you can go into corners in this thing, and with 300 horses this car is definitely fast. very sweet exhaust and engine note imho, and braking was very firm as well.
too bad i got this old man in the gs350 right in front of me, and although they already left big margins for me, i still caught up with the guy before half way into the course....... boooo......... i literally stopped my car there and waited him to go...... so much about fun time
es350 - damn, that's it for me..... i almost got kicked out on my first turn, since i had way too much expectation on the car, and on the first turn i turned too fast and the car tilted so much, it slided out.... thank god i didn't touch any cones.....
honestly? i am pretty disappointed. the car is LOUD!!!!!!! on normal driving it's ok, but on full throttle, man, the engine roar is a very annoying way..... i didnt' recall on that when i drove the previous es300/330. i don't know, and even with the engine soaring, the car didn't really pick up speed all the well still... i am already not expecting much on handling, but at least on paper i thought the car would be very quiet and the straight line should be pretty nice. i guess i was expecting too much....
sc430 - why drive this when i already have one? this is 06 and they have the 6 speed, so i wanted to find out how different. and surprisingly, i think it's pretty different!!!! fist of all, the steering is tight!!!!!! i think it's quite a bit tighter than my sc430, that's very surprising, in a good way. so i love it when i turn since i felt like having more control.
the 6 speed definitely makes the car faster, not much, but noticeable. and it could be me but i think the exhaust tone change a bit too. the car handles about the same on corners, just like the other lexus rwd setup.
other cars - i didn't drive the is250, gs350, rx350, and the rx400h. lines were getting long. for the is250 i would choose the is350 any day. the gs350 i did it last time. and i made a point that i wouldn't drive the rx anymore on the course ever since i almost killed myself driving it last yr (on a track you tends to drive fast, and on that car it's just heart attack)
i also noticed that the braking on the car is much stronger than the ls460. they look like similar brakes to me, so i guess weight is size come into play?
gs350 - i didn't drive it today, but i did last time. but in general without the variable suspension i think the car simply goes back to what a GS is like. a lot more body rolls and much less confidence when throwing it around. and the engine sound is also substantially more than that of the gs450h as well, which is expected
is350 - been a while since i drove a small sedan like this, it felt funny. but i definitely miss how easy you can go into corners in this thing, and with 300 horses this car is definitely fast. very sweet exhaust and engine note imho, and braking was very firm as well.
too bad i got this old man in the gs350 right in front of me, and although they already left big margins for me, i still caught up with the guy before half way into the course....... boooo......... i literally stopped my car there and waited him to go...... so much about fun time
es350 - damn, that's it for me..... i almost got kicked out on my first turn, since i had way too much expectation on the car, and on the first turn i turned too fast and the car tilted so much, it slided out.... thank god i didn't touch any cones.....
honestly? i am pretty disappointed. the car is LOUD!!!!!!! on normal driving it's ok, but on full throttle, man, the engine roar is a very annoying way..... i didnt' recall on that when i drove the previous es300/330. i don't know, and even with the engine soaring, the car didn't really pick up speed all the well still... i am already not expecting much on handling, but at least on paper i thought the car would be very quiet and the straight line should be pretty nice. i guess i was expecting too much....
sc430 - why drive this when i already have one? this is 06 and they have the 6 speed, so i wanted to find out how different. and surprisingly, i think it's pretty different!!!! fist of all, the steering is tight!!!!!! i think it's quite a bit tighter than my sc430, that's very surprising, in a good way. so i love it when i turn since i felt like having more control.
the 6 speed definitely makes the car faster, not much, but noticeable. and it could be me but i think the exhaust tone change a bit too. the car handles about the same on corners, just like the other lexus rwd setup.
other cars - i didn't drive the is250, gs350, rx350, and the rx400h. lines were getting long. for the is250 i would choose the is350 any day. the gs350 i did it last time. and i made a point that i wouldn't drive the rx anymore on the course ever since i almost killed myself driving it last yr (on a track you tends to drive fast, and on that car it's just heart attack)
09-30-06, 05:17 PM
#247
so anyway, that's it on my last report / review on the lexus driving event. it was nice talking to all the staff during the event and i got quite some information. i like the event setup this yr a lot more than last year, and i hope they keep it up!!!!
one last thing i just have to ask: why the HELL do some people HAVE to adjust their mirrors? not just the rear view, but make that the side mirrors as well while at it. what's wrong with them, they actually look at the mirrors? move on, people beind you are waiting!!!!!!
sorry about the rant, but i am sure you understand why...
one last thing i just have to ask: why the HELL do some people HAVE to adjust their mirrors? not just the rear view, but make that the side mirrors as well while at it. what's wrong with them, they actually look at the mirrors? move on, people beind you are waiting!!!!!!
sorry about the rant, but i am sure you understand why...
09-30-06, 05:29 PM
#248
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later i found out what happened what that lexus had all the cars for the first week of the LA event, but then they split up all the cars, and they are having two tours right now at the same time going around the country. can't blame them if they only have a few cars, but definitely not giving them a good image on the wait time (a lot of people complaining).
other than the lines, i noticed that all the courses are a bit shorter than that of the LA event (probably to keep people moving faster). aside from driving everything else were pretty much the same as the LA event, from food to setup to staff. they did make the imrpovement on food so everyone got more standard portion and lines went much faster.
in any case this is a driving event, so off to the cars. i actually had a blast this time and had some very interesting feedback to share
Dang that sucks... so they have half the amount of cars and just as many people... and people were complaining that the lines were long at the El Toro event in Orange County...
I'm registered for the Dodger stadium one for November... wonder how bad that would be?
Anyone know if they'll let you in if you get there earlier than your registered time?
09-30-06, 05:34 PM
#249
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so anyway, that's it on my last report / review on the lexus driving event. it was nice talking to all the staff during the event and i got quite some information. i like the event setup this yr a lot more than last year, and i hope they keep it up!!!!
one last thing i just have to ask: why the HELL do some people HAVE to adjust their mirrors? not just the rear view, but make that the side mirrors as well while at it. what's wrong with them, they actually look at the mirrors? move on, people beind you are waiting!!!!!!
sorry about the rant, but i am sure you understand why...
one last thing i just have to ask: why the HELL do some people HAVE to adjust their mirrors? not just the rear view, but make that the side mirrors as well while at it. what's wrong with them, they actually look at the mirrors? move on, people beind you are waiting!!!!!!
sorry about the rant, but i am sure you understand why...
I was very surprised on how well the Mercedes Benz S550 handled when I drove it!
09-30-06, 06:03 PM
#250
Dang that sucks... so they have half the amount of cars and just as many people... and people were complaining that the lines were long at the El Toro event in Orange County...
I'm registered for the Dodger stadium one for November... wonder how bad that would be?
Anyone know if they'll let you in if you get there earlier than your registered time?
I'm registered for the Dodger stadium one for November... wonder how bad that would be?
Anyone know if they'll let you in if you get there earlier than your registered time?
no problem, you can go as early as you want. and i recommend then, otherwise you are the one who will suffer
i actually didn't see as many people as the LA event, otherwise the lines would have been twice as long. but still, when you are about 45 to 50 mins out and know that they only get 3 cars to drive, that's not a good feeling i suppose
09-30-06, 06:24 PM
#251
Man, the LS interior in person is just stunning. I was in the cashmere interior one with maple wood. All that wood around the NAV system is very luxurious. It definitely looks better than the sterling/gray wood.
10-01-06, 10:05 AM
#253
Super Moderator
s550 - that car is sooooo much better than the previous s class, period!!!! the throttle is much stronger and the car is much faster, that's the biggest impression. however though, i do feel that the throttle response was pretty slow. i floored it out of turns and it took a split second for the full throttle to kick in. that's bad (well, that's my complain on my sc430 anyway)
handling is a big improvement from the previous s class, more road feel and the car feels much "smaller" and easier to drive. and i think it doesn't roll as much as before too. and to be honest i think the handling of the LS and the s550 are pretty on par with each other. i think this is a big step for lexus, that finally their cars give people a better feel about the handling side instead of what they offer now...
handling is a big improvement from the previous s class, more road feel and the car feels much "smaller" and easier to drive. and i think it doesn't roll as much as before too. and to be honest i think the handling of the LS and the s550 are pretty on par with each other. i think this is a big step for lexus, that finally their cars give people a better feel about the handling side instead of what they offer now...
The LS460 you drove is not the sport model either right ?
10-01-06, 10:50 AM
#254
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Great reviews Henry, thanks.
When you say "variable suspension" I think you're talking about the active rear stabliizer, right? From everything I've read, including yours it makes a huge difference. I've been saying for YEARS that Lexus needs an active suspension.
As for the brakes feeling stronger, perhaps that's because you're also getting the regenerative braking function - turning a powerful motor will provide some serious stopping power even without the pads ever touching the rotors.
I experienced this in an RX400h.
gs45h - just how sweet can the variable suspension be on the car? i just absolutely love the handling of the gs450h with the setup. the car was sooo flat on corners and curves, i think it's really close to how i feel like i my gs400 (that's heavily modified on suspension). and the power was endless as well the hybrid setup, and yet the car was so quiet, i really couldn't tell how fast i was going.
i also noticed that the braking on the car is much stronger than the ls460. they look like similar brakes to me, so i guess weight is size come into play?
i also noticed that the braking on the car is much stronger than the ls460. they look like similar brakes to me, so i guess weight is size come into play?
As for the brakes feeling stronger, perhaps that's because you're also getting the regenerative braking function - turning a powerful motor will provide some serious stopping power even without the pads ever touching the rotors.
I experienced this in an RX400h.
10-01-06, 02:59 PM
#255
Great reviews Henry, thanks.
When you say "variable suspension" I think you're talking about the active rear stabliizer, right? From everything I've read, including yours it makes a huge difference. I've been saying for YEARS that Lexus needs an active suspension.
As for the brakes feeling stronger, perhaps that's because you're also getting the regenerative braking function - turning a powerful motor will provide some serious stopping power even without the pads ever touching the rotors. I experienced this in an RX400h.
When you say "variable suspension" I think you're talking about the active rear stabliizer, right? From everything I've read, including yours it makes a huge difference. I've been saying for YEARS that Lexus needs an active suspension.
As for the brakes feeling stronger, perhaps that's because you're also getting the regenerative braking function - turning a powerful motor will provide some serious stopping power even without the pads ever touching the rotors.
I experienced this in an RX400h.another interesting thing, they had the 750i but not the 750il, so i don't know what difference should i expect