Yes, the IS needs this b/c sales are not meeting expectations and are not pacing at 40% past projections. It also is getting slaughtered in reviews, not finishing a close second or tieing for all intents and purposes. As a matter of fact, b/c you said so, that is why the IS needs it.


I am going to tell you and whomever else out there that just doesn't get it. Clearly people LOVE what Lexus has to offer like they LOVE what BMW has to offer. This is the LEXUS INTERPRETATION OF THE 30-50k luxury sport sedan.
It will NEVER be a BMW copy. Clearly Lexus KNOWS what it is doing since the car has been a SMASH. Clearly BMW is the king in this class

Could it use improvement? Yes. I too would love to see a manual 350. Backseat room is sore. Guess what, the 3 interior belongs in a 10 year old Kia. The ride to some is HARSH and not perfect like some of you would have us believe.

I just cannot believe some of us cannot conclude that both cars are WINNERS and there ALWAYS has to be a loser.

 

It was this thread..... Yep this one, that caused me to checkout the new 335i. I didn't even know BMW was releasing such a beast! I was all set on a 07 IS350, X package with Navi and ML. But after reading all about the 335i, I needed to check it out before pulling the trigger on the new IS.

Well last night my girl wanted to go out to eat dinner. It was a place right next to the BMW dealer, how convenient! She had been with me a few weeks prior when checking out the IS.. Well let me tell you the BMW had a beautiful exterior.. And the interior... well It had allot to be desired, looks wise.. But it seemed much more roomier and the back seat seemed to have more space also!! How could that be, it being a coupe and is IS a 4 door? Anyway I'm still up in the air about the decision on what one to go with... I like the look of the BMW better and it seemed a little more roomier, but my girl.. Well, she was in love with the thing.. All she kept on saying was how sexy the car looked and how comfortable the seats were. When she was sitting in the drivers seat I said "what do you think"?... She didn't answer... I said "sweetie"? She said "what" in a flustered way.. She was fanaticizing about driving and riding in such a car, I could see it in her eyes. And the sales guy.. Boy he was smooth, seemed so confident.. He said if he didn't have what I wanted he could get it within a few days. Worst case he could order it and it would be 60 days.. The Lexus dealer kept saying he may be able to order one but it will be 4 months!! When we get home she is paging through the brochure.. She keeps saying how hot the car was.. (no I didn't buy the 335i) Then she drops the real bomb... "I like it so much more then the Lexus" I knew that was coming. "It seemed so much more spacious" she said! "I felt more closterfobic in the Lexus".... No I'm not dating a plus size girl she's 5'6" and a size 2.

I was not so one sided about the car but I got to tell you, I'm leaning more towards the BMW.. I'm going to test drive one next week.. O and then their was the money.. The dealer was like their is no discount on the car.. Similar to the Lexus dealer when the IS first came out... I don't know what to do? I'm not going to let my girl make my choice, but since I'm leaning that way and she has a deep love for the car.......

 

Both cars are indead winners but I truly am in love with my IS350 with it's performance and luxury...for me it is the perfect car. If I was just now in the market for a new car, with the new BMW now out, I would still go the the Lexus. I am the type of person who would trade if something else really caught my eye but am totally thrilled with my IS.

 

I though people like IS hate BMW 3!? However, the 3 coupe has more power than the IS and it is a coupe so I think we shouldn't compare them... I don't know I like IS so much I don't like the BMW 3, but the coupe I have no comment to it yet... Since haven't seen one yet...

 

i agree with the first part- this is a lexus interpretation- but is BMW really king in the class?

in the US, lexus outsells them in this $30-50k segment (ES+IS vs all 3 series)

i know the argument that the ES is a different kind of car, but at the end of the day, Lexus is outselling BMW in this price range as a whole...

i 100% agree on the lexus interpretation part though. thats why the IS wont get a stick. that's why the suspension isnt a copy of BMW. this is what lexus wants. if you want a manual tranny,steering,suspension mods... you essentially want a different car.

i believe the lexus IS is the best car at what it does while the 3 is the best at what it does. it really amounts to what you want- an involving driving machine, or a luxurious driving machine? or put another way, a $30-50k luxury-sports sedan , or a $30-50k sports-luxury sedan?

 

Hmm, sounds like the same comments that's used to describe the sales pace of the 3 series. Since the beginning of time.

There are two main reasons why the IS is selling so well, and is winning people that would normally buy a 3 series. 1) Price 2) Looks. Beyond that, the Lexus doesn't handle well, it's numb, it's cramped, has an interior that's no higher quality than the BMW, and lacks anything that resembles a true driving personality.

My list was simply what I decided the IS needed to truly compete with the 335i.

 

That is not necessarily true. I love my IS but at the same time I admire BMW 3 series for what it is.

 

Both Cars IS & 3 series are selling very well, and the fact that they are is a testimony to the enineering masterpiece of each car. The ES is a different category and is not a fair comparison with the 3 series.
With regards to the IS performance, I don't know why people are complaining because very few of us actually get to drive cars to the limit- specially in this country(road conditions, speed limits and quality of drivers) will not permit you to drive cars to the limit.

 

Remind me what happened to the IS' sales when the first G35 went on sale?

Sales nose dived.

The IS is first and foremost a G35 competitor. Both cars strive to compete with the BMW, with some success.

I think BMW has demonstrated for a long time that it has a very strong following. No matter what competition enters the market, the 3-series just gets stronger.

There will soon be a 335i sedan on the streets. From the looks of it, it's faster than our cars in stock form; when tuners unlock the twin turbos, the Bimmer will be a step ahead of both Infiniti and Lexus.

 

The 335 does look really nice on the outside and the manual shift is certainly a plus. I just can not get past the interior of that fine automobile. If it had an interior that came even close to the IS, my decision would be difficult. As I spend much more time inside the car vs. looking at it parked in my garage, I can not and will not spend my $$'s on such a sterile interior. How can they do every thing else so right, and get the inside SO WRONG?? So what that it's a bit bigger inside. That dash looks like your grandpa's 72 Oldsmobile. Turns my stomach to look at it!!

 

At this point your a borderline troll with no point or facts to back up any statements. Its the same with your 400 posts. BMW>Lexus, Lexus is not sporty, bah Hulk Smash, Lexus is numb, blah blah blah.

I just read what you wrote again and its not even worth having a serious debate with you.

 

My dad has the 330ci and i can assure you it has nothing on the Is350. It doesnt even compare at all in every aspect.

 

And exactly what does the last-gen coupe have to do with the new-gen 335i?

 

 

I don't really know how somebody can call a 3,500 lb sedan a sports car...

This debate will rage forever. Most people can't understand that yes, the BMW is a better handling car. The Lexus has batter material quality. The Lexus will also have better overall reliability, but the blanket statement that all BMWs are unreliable is untrue. They are hit or miss.

I'm not even going to delve into the design (exterior and interior) of the cars except to say I like the BMW interior, just wish it had softer leather with the same firmness. Or in the IS, firmer more bolstered seats with the same leather.

If you are looking for a good, quiet, isolated, fast daily driver, get the IS350.
If you are willing to spend a bit more, get a better handling car in exchange for some comfort, get the BMW.