viet658

I just came back from the Taste of Lexus event in Los Angeles. I test drove both the Lexus IS350 and the BMW 330I. I have been reading in lot of places how people have been complaining about the traction control on the IS350. When accelerating from stand still it seemed like the BMW 330I wasn't able to put all of its power to the pavement. As you accelerate from stand still, the tires loose grip and traction control retards power delivery. In the IS350 I did not have that problem. I drove both cars twice and traction control kicked in both times during acceleration in the BMW and not in the Lexus. I don't understand how people can complain so much about the traction control on the Lexus when I couldn't even notice it. On the other hand, how come so many praise the BMW when its traction control kicked in so early just during hard acceleration. I understand that in the BMW you can disable it, but in the Lexus why would you want to since it is barely even noticeable.

4CYLNDR

if you take the Lexus around a racetrack with the traction control on, you'll notice it bigtime. You won't be able to modulate the throttle and steer with it because the car will do what the algorithm tells it is optimal for the situation, which around a turn would most likely be exactly what you don't want it to do

05RollaXRS

The IS VDIM should be noticeable in an auto cross course, but not on a race track. Lexus was able to demonstrate a full four wheel drift through aggressive left and right slaloms on an S-curve with the IS350 on a California race track. The VDIM did not intervene.

viet658

I understand what your saying but majority of people don't take their cars to the track. I currently own a '01 330Ci and have never once been on a track. Even on the mini course Lexus set up, I really didn't notice the VDIM. My point was just that in comparing both cars with their traction control on, it seemed to me that the BMW's seemed more intrusive than in the Lexus.

4CYLNDR

if you don't plan on taking the car to the track, or having some otherwise illegal fun with it ( ) then it probably won't matter too much that the VDIM stays on invariably.

Without actually feeling for myself how the two cars' traction control systems work, its hard to say why the BMWs feel more intrusive, but it could be a number of things:

1) their tires don't grip as well, and thus, lose traction easier
2) more low-range torque (probably not the case), breaks traction easier
3) BMWs traction control system does the job better (slows the car down during traction loss)

4CYLNDR

You are MUCH more likely to break a little traction on a race track than a low-speed parking lot run I read the article too, about the driver being able to demonstrate a full four wheel drift, but that says very little. If the driver had to shift the weight substantially to do so, this still may reflect some hindrance due to the VDIM. On a racetrack, you want to be able to induce oversteer by subtle throttle modulation, NO agressive left and right jerkings of the steering wheel.

Rockville

I too drove both 330i which was excellent back to back with the IS350 which allowed more power to get to the pavement and would dust off the old Bimmer on the straights. The VDIM on the IS350 is very sophisticated and not everyone will get to drive on sunny California roads all of the time. It is a clear technological advantage over the 330i which has a rudimentary design. If you are a professional driver then you don't make mistakes like the rest of us.....

Rock

lovemytrx

I'll disagree with that if you look at the number of turns on a race course and compare that to an autox it will become obvious that there is a lot more manoeuvering on an autox course. The real test of the VDIM would be at an autox. Give Lexus some credit for testing there car on a course or in such a way as to show how unobtrusive the VDIM is and how the driver still has the feeling of free reign over his cars handling.

LexFather

No one is supposed to notice VDIM, it works seamlessly with the system. The only way to tell is if you going out of control and suddenly the car saves you from FUBAR.

And you can take off the Traction Control, the button is under the start button. Thats what I did at the Taste of Luxury

4CYLNDR

more manuevering doesn't equal more loss of traction. the manuevering you do on an autocross parking lot and cones course is usually at a low enough speed that you lose very little traction unless the driver is just not a very smooth driver or the tires don't grip too well.

4CYLNDR

no one's debating the fact that the VDIM could possibly save your live in an unintentional loss of traction situation, and with the VDIM being as good as it sounds,i'm getting more and more excited about picking up a 350 since itll be for both me and the girlfriend (the reason why im giving up the evo).

If you gave me the choice between having it and not having it, i'd keep it of course. All im saying is that with it on, the car might not be the best for taking a couple hot laps around a race track, which is fine by me since i probably wouldn't be doing it to the 350 anyways.

i am a bit curious to see if they end up coming out with an IS460 or some sort of TRD supercharger for the 350. that would make my day.

carenthus

Wowww! I just got back from the Taste of Lexus event here in Los Angeles. I absolutely love the new IS350. It was the best car in the whole event. Handles better than anything available at the event, much better than the 330i. When I drive the IS350, I feel that I have more confidence in the turns. I am more willing to take more risks and more speed into the turns. It was so fun to drive. It was a blast to take the car to its limit and with the tire squealing. The IS definitely, without a doubt, will be my next new Lexus. Awesome experience. Well worth it.

spwolf

VDIM is simply next generation system that is actually a lot more subtle that previous systems, which is why so many people do not notice it and which is why so many journalists do not make any sense at all :-).