Originally Posted by Sandman

Biker - I agree with what you say about the new engine. Nice incremental improvement for new buyers but won't make much of a difference in driving experience. Unless torque goes up you won't feel much of a difference where your back meets the seat - even though numbers will improve a few ticks. BMW has always kept a healthy weight/HP ratio and they have had a lot of sophistication for a lot of years. The 5 has had a nice 6 speed with low rotational inertia, direct injection, variable intake/exhaust valves for a while now. The GS includes all of this now too - at least when comparing 6 cyl engines.

Surprising to hear about the 3 picking up so much weight. Maybe the new 3 and 5 are just stretch-variants of the same platform and as such the few extra inches of body don't really weigh that much. I have to admit that I have not researched this issue, but would be curious to know how much in common the 2 platforms have.

Originally Posted by chiawei

150lb is not a lot of weight. The E60 is just too light for the vehicle in its class (which are all close to 4000lb).

At 3400LB, the E90 is not over weight by any means,

Also, latest C&D just did 0-60 with E90 330i with 6 speed at 5.6 second. (this is faster than GS430).

Which means the E60 530i at worst would probably do 6.3 to 6.6 in 0-60 with automatic (could be faster). It will kill GS300 easily in acceleration.

Originally Posted by chiawei

Which means the E60 530i at worst would probably do 6.3 to 6.6 in 0-60 with automatic (could be faster). It will kill GS300 easily in acceleration.

Originally Posted by flipside909

Those are just guesstimates. Kill a GS3 in acceleration. Since when was a .1 to .5 second lead a kill? That's barely anything in terms of actual distance measurement.

Originally Posted by Sandman

Gaining 150lbs is equivalent to losing 13HP when you run through the weight to HP calculation. So is 13HP a lot - probably not - unless you are a power fiend!

The 330 is still light and still a great car - but if it is as Biker says withing 50lbs of the 5 series then that to me is noteworthy and makes me

Being a much lighter car than the GS430 with a great engine and trans I would expect the 3 to be as fast or faster than the GS. Just like it is likely that the new IS350 will rival the GS430.

Originally Posted by chiawei

The E90 is only about 80lbs lighter than E60 and shares the same running gear. I am already giving it a very generous bump to 6.3 to 6.6 for automatic and slightly more weight. (i added 0.7 to 1 second).

Typically automatic will not slow a car in this class by one second.

You are looking close to 1/2 car to 1 car length from 0-60. This is not to mention 1/4 miles. E90 pulled sub 15 second in 1/4 and terminal speed is 98mph. The 530i with about 80lb more will not be significantly slower than what 330i just did.

330i manual has beaten the GS430 automatic 0-60 already. This makes an very interesting match up between 530i 6 speed and GS430. I would not be suprised that the new 530i 6 speed would be neck and neck with GS430.

Originally Posted by chiawei

Probably so. Which begs the question why toyota insist on waiting for the new LS to release the new V8.

Originally Posted by flipside909

You really think all this measurement is pertinent to everyday driving? For the average person, nope.

Originally Posted by Sandman

I think that this question was asked and answered from many different angles. A recent thread discusses all that Lexus is rolling out in the next 18 months and it looks like just about everything Lexus will be new and improved by the fall of 06!!

It would be nice to have it all now - but 18 months is a short time in the big picture. (And from some of what you said in your previous posts you will have gone through 2-3 cars between now and then - LOL )