rominl

iTrader: (4)

hahhaaa, maybe they know how to build engines and not body kits

SUPRA OWNER

I mean it seems to me lexus is always 1 step too late. The audi S4 is here already with a v8 and all wheel drive. I guess this is what the is430 will be competing against. By the time lexus produce this car audi will probably be adding turbos to the v8 S4.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lexus is never really into performance, they have stated it over and over. they want to provide a balance cars, so i am not surprirsed if they are not aiming at m3, c32, s4, etc...

LexFather

Not only that, these are low volume cars. Lexus is really not into that. Plus the S4 340 hpV-8 is not much if any faster than the old 250hp TT V-6.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

which is kinda shame i have to say

nima

Question, when you say Lexus is asking Rod Millen to ....., who is Lexus? and why not TRD that is the official Lexus performance development team???!!!
Does it make sense?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

who is lexus? lexus is lexus. it makes sense coz' trd usa isn't really the trd is japan as far as i know. so if that's true, then that means lexus has better relationship with toyota usa than trd usa to toyota usa. if they are to make an is430, it makes perfect sense for lexus to provide both the car and the engine right?

Faraaz23

So TTE, the ones who originally built the prototypes, are out of the loop now?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

well they are still working on the supercharged version of the is430, but it's not done yet. not sure how you mean by out of the loop, but these companies (toyota japan, tte, trd japan, trd usa, lexus) don't really work as close as you imagine anyway. for example, if toyota really supports tte doing the is430 project back then, they wouldn't give tte so much trouble by having them buy out the whole celsior just to get the engine

Richie

The Supercharged one (silver) has never run in its live. It was just a show car.
They only have the black NA IS430 running.
I think TTE is too bussy doing the F1 project to be making IS430's and the shipping would make them a hell of a lot more expensive I would think.

LexusPia

Since in my opinion the main competitor IS430 is aiming at is the very potent BMW M3, the base price on the IS430 if it comes to the market in the next 12 months will be around $47k to $48k base and a fully equipped one will be around $57 to 58k which is about what the M3 runs for now. I believe Lexus will fight M3 head on with the higher power 360hp engine vs M3's 333hp at about the same price. Of course BMW won't sit around waiting for Lexus to clobber them but instead will likely come out with a 350/360 hp engine too. Maybe the M3 can accommodate the M5 engine in it which will of course blow everything off the street.

Richie

Has anyone actually contacted Rod Millen or Lexus USA for some more info?

jac114

Hi guys... I have seen and heard the new is430 at the japanesse auto extraviganza in the U.K ..lexus bought it over from germany to show it off... I also belong to the lexus owners club in the u.k and there are a few pics of it on our club stand... It awesome and yes the supercharger was fitted


See our here for pics
http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/JAE03?&page=2



Thought you might be intersted

Jac

loonyrobert3

i thought tte had build the is430 already look at the link superchargedis200 was driving the tte version

http://is300.net/forum/viewtopic.php...8ae0d5f575886f

robert

jac114

YEP I was there with superchargedis200 also known as supercharged is340 in our club.. unfortunatley i am not in pic although i was lurking behind the car at the time..

By the way it was a great show....


jac