And if a blind test was possible, no one with sane mind, even Mr. Toyota would choose IS350 over M3. The only thing 350 have over M3 is it's quiet inside.

 

Thats your opinion, i'd never pay with my own money for a bmw. My proof of this is that i bought a toyota.

BTW, his name is Mr.Toyoda.

 

The dynamics of an Inline 6 and a V6 are quite different.


anyway,
I am not going to argue about which is better overall, I'm just curious as to why the IS had all those other options and not the sport package

 

It seemed like a little bias review. The writer seemed pro BMW from the beginning, but maybe not. . .

Here is what I see: Lexus IS350 is direct injected and reaches 306 HP. In the article the writer reminds everyone that a year ago the IS350 spanked the BMW by a full second. Now a year later, BMW has COPIED the direct injection AND added twin turbo's just to be competitive. Sounds like a cop out to me. What would happen if Lexus took the IS350 as is and added twin turbos to it??? My guess: BMW gets spanked AGAIN.

Review is not apples to apples - period!

 

But the IS doesn't have twin turbo's, so your argument is about as lame as they come, and direct injection wasn't invented by Lexus, so BMW didn't copy anything. If you want to stand by your weak *** arguments, then Lexus copied Infiniti by upping the displacement of the IS to 3.5 liters, afterall, the G had a 3.5 before the IS did, so by your point of view, Lexus copied Infiniti. Do yourself a favor and think before you post.

 

This might sound dumb, but how come putting a turbo on the 2IS so hard? Granted, I understand that we have a high compression ratio, but the 335i is also DI with turbo. How is the 335i different in regards to the IS350? (I'm guessing you can't just magically decrease the compression ratio)

 

The IS350 and M3 are in totally different categories. The IS350 is a blend of luxury and sport, while the M3 is all about performance. I suspect that a large percentage of IS owners would find the ride quality of the M3 too punishing for use as a daily driver.

Getting back to the review, I believe that BMW won it because of the superb driving dynamics of the 335i, not because it would win in a drag race. I wish Lexus could replicate the steering feel of the 3 series in the IS.

 

Do you guys every get tired of this comparison?

Give it a rest already. You bought a Lexus. Enjoy your Lexus. If you feel the Lexus is lacking in feel and drive sell it and get something else! Or contact corporate and express your dismay in the driving experience.

If I was having buyers remorse over buying the IS350 I wouldn't compare it to a 335i. Be more like a C6 vette. Now thats performance, and raw power.

I don't mean to sound snappy, but seriously.. = / Leave the reviews up to the professionals and enjoy your car.

 

Although I admit I do like the comparison debates w/other vehicles in this class, this is getting a little old. Specifically; the fact that people think because the IS350 does not “perform” in the same manor the BMW does [Steering feel, suspension, ect] - is the result of some sort of product short-coming or engineering error. On the contrary, who's to say that Lexus could not build a "BMW" or out BMW - BMW..? Lexus sure has the resource and engineering talent to do so. The engineering/development path that Lexus has chosen w/the IS350 [and other Lexus products] is what makes a Lexus a Lexus – like it or not. This is also the very reason why I choose the IS350 over the BMW 335i, the G35 and the TL – among other reasons.

In furtherance, take for example the front suspension setup of the BMW 3 series – modified McPherson strut. Now just imagine if Lexus would have taken that same design path; people here would have been crying foul because of the cost-saving nature of the setup, and would be labeling it “cheep”.

I'm not trying to water-down this and other comparisons to the ISx50 - just trying to keep it in perspective.

 

I enjoy my car. I also enjoy the comparison. Don't read the thread if you are sick of it. It's not like the subject of the thread "tricked" you into reading a review you are sick of.

 

I'd think that a civilized discussion of a comparison review is appropriate for this forum. If it isn't, I'm sure the moderators will tell us otherwise.

To IS_Mine's point, If I wanted to read professional reviews, I'd buy a car magazine. I come here to discuss the car and share my thoughts with other enthusiasts. Just because I criticize certain aspects of the car doesn't mean that I don't enjoy owning it or that I'm suffering buyers remorse. For the most part, I think it's a great car. Reliable, good looking, class leading technology features, very quick and very comfortable. But I don't think the driving dynamics are up to the high benchmark set by the BMW 3 series, and don't feel I'm being "disloyal" by expressing a hope that Lexus will make improvements in that area.

 

I don't think you're being disloyal at all.

I just think some of you are grasping at something that will never happen to a Lexus vehicle. These cars are prided on being cushy and dependable.
Not for their *ulitmate driving experience* or *road feel.*

You bought a comfortable car thats quick in a straight line, and those are facts. And I imagine that will be the same thing with the IS-F, comfortable.. fast in a straight line, and will be able to stop on a dime.

 

Actually, in terms of engineering I am starting to wonder about Honda and Toyota--they are dismal in F1 considering what they spend. The Euro companies are back on top.

As for engines, the power output of the 3.5 is not earth-shattering, they just finally decided to do it because of competition:

BMW engines:

1987: 3.5 liters 256hp (286hp in Europe without cats)
1991: 3.6 liters 311hp
1993: 3.8 liters 340hp (Euro only)
1995 3.2 liters 321hp (Euro only)
2001: 3.3 liters 333hp

Most of that was done without all the new technologies. Not rocket science. What the new technology has allowed is more control of the powerband, higher compression and better fuel efficiency. However, at the end of the day it takes a certain amount of air and fuel to make hp.

Now, Nissan has thrown the 3.7 in to the Infinitis to up the ante even further. I see little V8's in the not too distant future.

 

why settle for what someone else - or, in this case, what a website - says? just go test drive the cars themselves and form your opinions based on your test drives.

we can sit around all day and debate how one car is better/worse than the next one because a website or publication said so, but what matters at the end of the day is your own personal opinion formed around your experience of the car, not someone else's opinion or experience.

 

I think kt22cliff is a bmw troll, i think alot of ppl here are bmw trolls who got spanked by someone in a is350.

We all had the money to buy a BMW but we didnt, why? Well for me the no1 reason was toyota's reliablility. Its true BMW is the best of the class WHEN its on the road and NOT at the shop. For me i'd rather have a 'not best of class' that i can drive everyday and wont cost me an arm n leg when i gotta take it in. Also i've said this before in many other threads, the difference between is350 and 3xx cars can only be found while driving at the limit and its all about the drivers skills.

Takumi in a AE86 beat a hella lot ppl in a 20yr old car after all