Guy Legend

Well, I guess the Germans were beat by a couple of pre-production cars.

flipside909

They usually are, thats why all of the cars are riding with Manufacturer specialty license plates. Those cars are pre-production issues that all the magazine companies got to drive.

LexFather

I agree but I hope C&D gets its head out its butt and compares V-8s vs V-8s and V-6s vs V-6s. I think most here know, the Japanese will always win the price/value equation. So its a no brainer the top 3 cars are Japanese.

If the RL placed 2nd here, well we can pretty much figure out it will win 1st when a V-6 comparo comes?

psteng19

Well, as has been said before, the M45 was built to do one thing.
Win car mag comparos and it showed again here.

jjl12

say what you will, the test will make me at least test-drive a M45 before purchasing a GS, even though i'd prob. still end up with the GS. For you GS owners, does the VDIM really come into play that much in normal, but aggressive, driving? the article made it sound like VDIM kicks in way too easily.

gs400998

If Lexus doesn't come out with a faster IS or GS than the M, I'll be praying for the new M45 to depreciate as much as the previous M and the current Q45. I don't mind picking up a low-mileage pre-owned M45

DrewSRX

That seems like a rational and fair thing to assume.

Motor Trend already placed the RL second in their V6 comparo:

Motor Trend

1. Infiniti M35 (non-sport)
2. Acura RL
3. BMW 530i (Sport 6MT)
4. Audi A6 3.2 quattro
5. Cadillac STS V6
6. Jaguar S-Type 3.0

Also, Driver Magazine in Japan placed the Honda Legend (Acura RL) second as well against the Nissan Fuga 350GT (Infiniti M35 Sport):

Driver Japan

1. Nissan Fuga 350GT
2. Honda Legend

It will be interesting to see what happens with Road & Track and Automobile Magazine. I would like to see a real true V8 and V6 comparo as well. Price not with-standing...

LexFather

Good stuff. thanks. I'm looking through my old C&D and they usually almost always use equivilent engines. The last comparo with these type sedans, here was the outcome (all V-8s)
1. 540
2. A6
3. GS
4. Q45
5. DTS
6. S-type.

Before that test, they tested the comparable V-8s. Here was the outcome
1. 540
2. GS 400
3. E430
4. Q45
5. STS
(and they basically called the GS/540 a tie).

When they did do a comparison (it was for 6 cylinders only) last, the OLD M45 and the Lincoln LS included V-8s (M45 V-8 only, LS b/c of price).
1. E320
2. 530
3. A6
4. GS 300
5. M45
6. Lincoln LS
7. S-type

spwolf

heh.... VDIM is the pants - I understand mags not liking systems that cant be turned off, but I probably dont want to slide sidewise into sharp corner like they do :-). VDIM will be the issue with any sport oriented mag

p.s. did anyone notice what good 50-70 time M45 had? 3.7 secs... and I will be the one to tell you how CD tested RX400h at 3.5 sec 50-70... so RX400h has better passing time than M45! Smokin'!

BTW - Edmunds test, was by far, far more informative than CD test... Their grading made a lot more sense too! I am not saying it because GS won, because in Edmunds test, it was clear M45 was sportier and you could simply pick your own points and would come up with your own end score. CD scoring was a lot less clear than that...

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

What we need to remember the engine and tranny in the TL/CL is totatlluy different from that in the previous RL. Also, while the new RL gets the same engine line, the tranny is a new version as well. Time will tell if this newer updated tranny will have fixed any problems that the old TL/CL trannies had, but if you just base the RL on its own history line, it has been one of the most reliable Honda/Acura cars next to the NSX. Also, the resale even on the old RL is not that bad. The resale seems to be comparable to a GS300 which is right around the price it used to sell for.

lexusls430

Im not going to judge or think anything untill i see a couple of comparisions. But i dont think C&D was fair by placing the GS after the RL there is no way.

kreilly

While I'm happy that the new GS fared as well as it did, I must say that I'm a little disappointed with the performance numbers. Let's take a look at how the "fastest Lexus ever" compares with the previous generation. The numbers in parentheses are from a 2001 Car & Driver test of the 2002 GS 430 (my car).

0-60 5.7sec (5.9)
0-100 15.0sec (14.7)
1/4 mile 14.4@98 mph (14.5@99)

It seems like it gets of the line a little quicker but that '02 pulls harder after that. You will also notice that the new GS is only 0.2sec quicker than the MB 350 from 60 to 100. The auto 545i runs to 60 in 5.3 & the 1/4 in 13.8@103 (motor trend). The difference will only grow when the 545 gets the new 4.8 liter 360hp V8.

This does not make me want to trade in my car for the new GS. Especially since I would no longer be able to turn off the traction control. While I might not frequently light up the rear tires, just knowing that I could is pretty cool.

It seems to me that the most exciting car in the lineup is the new IS 350. Here Lexus went for the complete package & they will steal sales from BMW as a result. The new GS falls a little short.

marcpitch

Nice job to those in this thread who are giving the M its due, either from having driven one, from the comparo, or both. However, the more entertaining posts involve those trying desperately to make sense of this topsy turvy world where a 2006 Lexus loses to a 2006 Infiniti in a comparo. "This ain't your older brother's Infiniti anymore..."

When my POS 1997 Corvette was winning accolades in the months following my purchase, guess what: I still thought it was a POS. So, to those new owners of the 2006 GS and those holding the car in high esteem, keep on loving the car; it needs you now more than ever.

Definition of "Sophisitcated Whining:" Whining that is not recognizable until 1 minute or more after having heard or read it. As sophisticated as the new GS is, it has nothing on many of you and your "explanations" as to how the GS finished 3rd.

When I read the article on the Freshalloy forum, I immediately thought of this forum. Thanks for not letting me down. I love this thread!

spwolf

nice one! really. I know GS "has nothing" on me... why would it?

KevinGS

I 100% agree with Kreilly. The new GS just does not have enough ooomph for me for a $55k plus car.

I'd rather have the IS350, which to me looks a tad better than the GS anyway.

I'd miss the interior room of the GS, but in all other ways (style, performance, sportiness), I'd take the IS350.