azmike

Rock:

Any more info on the Sept SC430 refresh? Any plans to increase in the interior size. I ask because I am pretty tall and, although, I like the car it is a little small for me.

LexFather

refresh as in maybe new tails, bumpers, and a new 6 speed, like how the 04 LS 430 got freshnened.

Rockville

AS always Sick is on target. The '06 will have 2 bulb headlights with AFS, new fogs, new grill, new bumper, six speed automatic like LS, GS have and IS will have, new wheels (yes!) and a new Camel interior. If you are that tall then you have to keep the top down......

azmike

Exactly That is why I didn't buy it.

pbm317

Is it true that the IS350 will only come with the 6-speed automatic?? Please tell me there will be a manual transmission offered on the IS350... otherwise I'll have to look at other brands for my next sedan. i.e. Audi, BMW, Acura

Rockville

I've been an unpopular bearer of news on this subject. I happen to enjoy manual shifts myself from my first Austin Mini in the 60's to the Porsches in the late 60's that had first gear close to you and had a rubbery feel that could make you miss second at high revs. I remember fondly the rush of second gear in the Jaguar XKE and the Austin Healey 3000. I remember the close throws of the MG midget and MGB's and my personal favorite the TR3 which I used to take the windshield off with four spring screws and be able to bend over and touch the ground from the drivers seat. I remember the Muncie on My '64 Goat jamming in second and having to crawl underneath and free up the linkage. The invention of sychros so you didn't have to double clutch on the down shifts. The fox and castle on the VW steering wheel which you had to change the clutch cable to the back every couple of years. I have driven so many sticks that I can probably tell you where reverse is without looking at the pattern. The SAAB 900's that you had to leave in reverse just to take the key out. I've even shifted 3 and 4 forward on the column. The old Volvo had this really long shift lever with a big **** on top and you could monkey shift it without the clutch all day long at the right RPM's. Let Denny Clements tell you to your face that there is not going to be any manual IS350's, I just don't have the heart anymore......

Gojirra99

Hmm, Henry should have waited for that or he may just trade in for a 06

LexFather

That looks like the next IS sedan.....

Lexusfreak

Thanks for sharing Theo.......I had a feeling that the V6 would be eventually the 3.5L (hence the GS350). Personally, I think that would be the perfect engine with the AWD. Any horsepower & torque numbers on that engine? I'm guessing at least the same as the new Avalon, but probable more.

BrickHead

Does this mean we will see in '06 the RX350, ES350, GS350, GS450h, GS460, and finally the LS460? Next year is going to be so exciting!!!

Rockville

I'm not sure when the GS350 will come out but it will be necessary after its little brother is born. Since the new GS300 is already an '06 then I expect the '07 to be a GS350. The schedule is penciled in through May '06 with the release of the High performance GS450h. The GS460 and LS460h may follow in Calendar '07. They are too far out to verify release date. This next year will be the most roll outs in any year of Lexus history. Lexus is accelerating....GS the next phenomenon.....

wogey

It is a shame that Lexus force buyers that can't wait into GS300s for only 1 1/2 year or less. The marketing dept really screwed up with this making informed U.S. GS buyers having to wait till 2007 for the GS350 while it is already available in Japan. A higher performance 3.5 is already available on the new "family sedan" Avalon. How is that for a Motor Trend headline: "The new Avalon kick butt on the new GS300 and it cost $15K less". This is what happens when Marketing drives Technologies. What a shame !!!

http://autospies.com/article/index.asp?articleId=4013

New V6 Engine
All grades are powered by an all-new 3.5-liter, 24 valve, V6 engine matched to a five-speed sequential shift automatic transmission. A sequential shift feature allows the driver to enjoy a more involved driving experience by controlling gearshifts manually, when desired. Equipped with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), and a dual-stage variable intake manifold, the new V6 produces an impressive 280 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque -- a performance improvement in horsepower of more than 33 percent over the previous generation. This engine is the most powerful V6 ever offered by Toyota in its U.S. model line-up.

The Avalon can effortlessly accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in 6.6 seconds while achieving an impressive estimated EPA fuel economy mpg rating of 22 city/31 highway. In addition to being more powerful and more fuel efficient, the Avalon is targeted to be certified as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV).

flipside909

there's a purpose for Lexus to push the GS300 in North America. We've discussed this in another thread describing the approach that Lexus wants to have facing it's competition. They didn't "screw up" like you think. It's a pretty tactical approach in my opinion.

You are forgetting the Avalon and the GS are two totally different vehicles for two totally different target markets. The average person buying a GS is more inclined to look at competitor cars like the 5 series, E class, the new Infiniti M series, Audi A6 and etc. The average Avalon buyer is looking at cars in it's class like a Ford 500, Buick or etc. You are only looking at this in one perspective unfortunately.

wogey

I guess if one is a short sighted sales marketing stooge, one might think this is a tactical approach. From a stategic marketing perspective, there are always other approaches. I for one is in strong disagreement with this sort of screw the "un-informed" or "can't wait" consumers approach. This seems to be the current wave of marketing in the US. Is this what they are teaching MBA kids nowadays at NYU Stern, Stanford, Wharton and Harvard ??? There are better ways to squeeze every last dollars out of consumers with every product lifecycle, such as providing the best products based on best technologies available, and with the best possible support services. I thought this was somewhat the original Lexus, but the are getting away from this now. I will blame the current US marketing and sales execs for this. With the new GS, it is obviously best technologies are not used on the US cars when GS350s are ready and available to be manufactured now.

Back to your point regarding competitors. With the unreliabailities of Benzes and Audis, the lessor interior quality and almost there Infinitis, and the Bangled BMWs, they are all venerable now. And also are you justifing that it is ok for the $15K-less Avalon to have a better engine that the GS300 ??? Here was a chance that Lexus GS could have stepped up and shined. It could have been without a doubt for the first time the best of the ultra sport sedans from the $40K-$70 market. But a few sales stooges and a deceiving marketing campaign will prevent that from happening, because there are plenty of people out there that are already talking about the 2007 GS350 and GS460 even before the 2006s are on sale !!!

Thank God for the Internet and forums like Club Lexus. More and more people are able to get up-to-date info easily. And the more they know about the upcoming GS 350 and GS460 being available in 15-18 months, the more they will hold off on their purchases.

Which one is really the better long term brand marketing campaign ? Will the people that buy a 2006 GS300 be happy campers when their $50K cars get outdated in 15 months when the 2007 GS350 are available ??

Gojirra99

Is The GS 460 even available in Japan yet ? Is the new 460 engine ready for production ? The 350 in Avalon is already producing 280hp & The one in the IS350 available this fall reportedly will have 310-320 hp. If they introduce the GS350 to N.America right now, that will make the 300 hp GS430 obsolete & redundant.