The 2014 Lexus IS is expected to make its official debut at the 2013 NAIAS in Detroit
#796
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so NA will not get the IS300h? that really sucks, I think its a bad decision. However, I can see merit since we already have the ES and CT. But they need to put what they have now in the ESh into the CT and what they will have in the ISh into the ES
#798
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The Nokia 920 does offer off-line maps. Nokia has had this for a while, even with their Symbian phones:
Since we introduced our location-based apps for Nokia Lumia last year, the most requested feature was to make Nokia Maps work offline just like Nokia Drive. With the evolution of the Windows Phone platform, this feature is now available for Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 consumers.
Offline maps mean you get super-fast maps and can save on data costs, anywhere you go.
Additionally, Nokia Maps will also include:
voice guided turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation to take you right to your destination
augmented reality view to reveal the places around you so you literally see where you need to go
venue maps to see what’s inside venues like shopping malls, airports and stadiums
a link to Nokia Drive to start voice-guided car navigation directly from Nokia MapsBut let’s see the features of Nokia Maps for Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 in more detail.
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/wp_ss_20120831_0007-614x1024.jpg)
Offline maps
As we revealed in June, the Nokia Location Platform is powering the whole Windows Phone 8 ecosystem with the intention of developing smartphones that bring advanced location experiences.
Windows Phone 8 partners and developers will be able to use our location assets to build high quality location-based apps and experiences.
One of the key benefits is that location-based apps specifically built for Windows Phone 8 will be able to use offline maps, for a snappier mobile maps experience. In fact, not only can maps be downloaded, but they can also be used by other apps specifically designed for the new OS.
While those features are available on all Windows Phone 8 smartphones, the experience is going to reach the next level on Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820. These 2 smartphones also include autonomous assisted GPS and GLONASS receivers. In plain English, this means that you can see yourself on a map within seconds, even when you’re offline.
Nokia has recognized the importance of a hybrid location platform that can work online as well as offline from the first time a navigation app was introduced on a smartphone (the Nokia N95).
Now some other players are also recognizing how useful an offline mapping experience can be. However, our experience is much more advanced. It’s not only about caching a part of the map, with a size limit, in only a few countries and without search or navigation, it’s really about bringing part of the experience offline. We have covered this topic previously and you can learn more here.
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-walk-navigation-723x1024.jpg)
Voice guided turn-by-turn navigation
We believe that Nokia Maps helps you feel like a local anywhere: you can see where you are, discover the best places around with a tap, and get to know new destinations with trusted guides and tips from locals. But this is, of course, only half the story, because once you’ve found a great place on Nokia Maps, you also want to know how to get there.
If you have a car, you can now start Nokia Drive voice guided turn-by-turn navigation directly from Nokia Maps. But most importantly, if you’re on foot, you have now voice guided turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation too. It is important to highlight that our pedestrian navigation is specifically tailored to take into account footpaths, parks, stairs and all those areas that are only accessible on foot.
Augmented reality view
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-augmented-reality-view-1024x723.jpg)
So, let’s say you have found a good place to have dinner with Nokia Maps; you’ve followed the pedestrian navigation but you can’t recognize the place. This is very common, especially in very busy cities. Well, today we are happy to introduce an augmented reality view in Nokia Maps to spot the place you are going to.
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-venue-maps-723x1024.jpg)
Venue maps
And if your destination is within a venue, Nokia Maps is going to help you out too. We have been mapping thousands of venues like airports, shopping malls and stadiums to help you orientate yourself even after you have reached the destination and passed its entrance. Venue maps are available in the new version of Nokia Maps too.
What about existing Lumia owners?
Although these new feature of Nokia Maps are not going to be available for current Windows Phone users, we also have exciting news and updates for owners of a Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710 or Nokia Lumia 610.
Nokia is continuously updating its location-based apps and after a successful beta test of Nokia City Lens, our augmented reality app is now available on Windows Phone Marketplace in the Nokia Collection. Go grab it now, while it’s hot.
Just last July we introduced a revolutionary feature of Nokia Drive, called My Commute, which learns your driving preferences and uses information about the latest traffic conditions to help you choose between the different routes you usually take to get to the places you travel most. Initially available only in the US, this feature is also going to be available in Germany, Russia, UK and Brazil in the coming months.
Soon, Nokia Transport for current Lumia devices is going to be updated with improved user experience, search history and automatic coverage update.
Since we introduced our location-based apps for Nokia Lumia last year, the most requested feature was to make Nokia Maps work offline just like Nokia Drive. With the evolution of the Windows Phone platform, this feature is now available for Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 consumers.
Offline maps mean you get super-fast maps and can save on data costs, anywhere you go.
Additionally, Nokia Maps will also include:
voice guided turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation to take you right to your destination
augmented reality view to reveal the places around you so you literally see where you need to go
venue maps to see what’s inside venues like shopping malls, airports and stadiums
a link to Nokia Drive to start voice-guided car navigation directly from Nokia Maps
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/wp_ss_20120831_0006-614x1024.jpg)
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/wp_ss_20120831_0007-614x1024.jpg)
Offline maps
As we revealed in June, the Nokia Location Platform is powering the whole Windows Phone 8 ecosystem with the intention of developing smartphones that bring advanced location experiences.
Windows Phone 8 partners and developers will be able to use our location assets to build high quality location-based apps and experiences.
One of the key benefits is that location-based apps specifically built for Windows Phone 8 will be able to use offline maps, for a snappier mobile maps experience. In fact, not only can maps be downloaded, but they can also be used by other apps specifically designed for the new OS.
While those features are available on all Windows Phone 8 smartphones, the experience is going to reach the next level on Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820. These 2 smartphones also include autonomous assisted GPS and GLONASS receivers. In plain English, this means that you can see yourself on a map within seconds, even when you’re offline.
Nokia has recognized the importance of a hybrid location platform that can work online as well as offline from the first time a navigation app was introduced on a smartphone (the Nokia N95).
Now some other players are also recognizing how useful an offline mapping experience can be. However, our experience is much more advanced. It’s not only about caching a part of the map, with a size limit, in only a few countries and without search or navigation, it’s really about bringing part of the experience offline. We have covered this topic previously and you can learn more here.
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-walk-navigation-723x1024.jpg)
Voice guided turn-by-turn navigation
We believe that Nokia Maps helps you feel like a local anywhere: you can see where you are, discover the best places around with a tap, and get to know new destinations with trusted guides and tips from locals. But this is, of course, only half the story, because once you’ve found a great place on Nokia Maps, you also want to know how to get there.
If you have a car, you can now start Nokia Drive voice guided turn-by-turn navigation directly from Nokia Maps. But most importantly, if you’re on foot, you have now voice guided turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation too. It is important to highlight that our pedestrian navigation is specifically tailored to take into account footpaths, parks, stairs and all those areas that are only accessible on foot.
Augmented reality view
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-augmented-reality-view-1024x723.jpg)
So, let’s say you have found a good place to have dinner with Nokia Maps; you’ve followed the pedestrian navigation but you can’t recognize the place. This is very common, especially in very busy cities. Well, today we are happy to introduce an augmented reality view in Nokia Maps to spot the place you are going to.
![](http://cdn.conversations.nokia.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Nokia-Maps-venue-maps-723x1024.jpg)
Venue maps
And if your destination is within a venue, Nokia Maps is going to help you out too. We have been mapping thousands of venues like airports, shopping malls and stadiums to help you orientate yourself even after you have reached the destination and passed its entrance. Venue maps are available in the new version of Nokia Maps too.
What about existing Lumia owners?
Although these new feature of Nokia Maps are not going to be available for current Windows Phone users, we also have exciting news and updates for owners of a Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710 or Nokia Lumia 610.
Nokia is continuously updating its location-based apps and after a successful beta test of Nokia City Lens, our augmented reality app is now available on Windows Phone Marketplace in the Nokia Collection. Go grab it now, while it’s hot.
Just last July we introduced a revolutionary feature of Nokia Drive, called My Commute, which learns your driving preferences and uses information about the latest traffic conditions to help you choose between the different routes you usually take to get to the places you travel most. Initially available only in the US, this feature is also going to be available in Germany, Russia, UK and Brazil in the coming months.
Soon, Nokia Transport for current Lumia devices is going to be updated with improved user experience, search history and automatic coverage update.
#802
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First drive: 2014 Lexus IS 350
Beverly Hills, Calif. — It is a rare day when a manufacturer turns a group of journalists loose in prototype versions of an upcoming production model. Lexus did just that by allowing several autojournalists to evaluate seven disguised, next-generation IS prototypes. The object was for us to validate what chief engineer, Junichi Furuyama, already knew — the new IS takes an enormous step forward when compared to the current car.
For me, the old IS was a bit too soft to be considered a true performance car, especially when competing against the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But the new IS, based on this unusual driving experience, will have little trouble hanging with the segment’s very best.
Looking past the camouflage, the new car earns the Lexus Spindle grille and LED daytime running lights. The interior was equally heavily camouflaged, but it was obvious that the cabin will mimic that of the larger GS, complete with the dash-mounted screen to the right of the central cluster. The new IS also features a single dashboard dial. The tachometer rings on the outer edge with the fuel economy, Drive Mode Select (more on this in a moment) and speedometer readouts sitting in the centre. It is an attractively clean and concise way of relaying all the relevant information.
Mr. Furuyama believes the new IS350 surpassed the present 3 Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He is not wrong
The location and angle of the steering wheel has also been tweaked to improve the driving position. This and the new deep-dish style front buckets held me in place when the IS was pushed around a rally cross-style circuit in the parking lot of Santa Anita race track and on a fast run up a boulder-strewn canyon road — the heavy rain had initiated some pretty serious rockslides.
The more substantial work is found beneath the IS’s sheet metal. It starts with the body structure. Overall length is up 75 millimetres, the wheelbase grows by 70 mm and the width by 12 mm. The stretch in the wheelbase has been dedicated almost exclusively to the rear seat riders meaning the IS’s rear leg space now rivals that of the larger GS. Likewise, the platform has been strengthened through the use of structural adhesives, an increased number of spot welds and a new laser screw welding technique. Statically, the torsional rigidity is up 10% — the reality is the newfound stiffness has a greater effect on the dynamic aspects than that number suggests.
The stiffer platform improves both the ride quality and handling because it gives the new suspension a stronger base of operations. Up front, the double wishbone design has been retained, however, the stabilizer bar link has been reworked, which increases its rigidity by 20%. The IS’s new rear suspension was plucked directly from the GS. The new setup, especially with the optional active dampers aboard, does a very good job keeping the rubber on the road —P225/40 R18 front and substantial P255/35R18 rear tires on the test car. The steering has also been refined. Again, the starting point was the GS’s rack, however, further work has sharpened the on-centre feel and made the rack ratio faster. This brings better feedback without making the IS350 seem twitchy. It also adds much better straight-line stability. The final dynamic touch is found in the IS350’s larger front rotors and performance brake pads.
The vehicle tested was an IS350 F Sport. In this version, the spring rates remain the same as the stock suspension — it is the variable dampers that make the difference. The key is the driver’s ability to tailor various drivetrain aspects through the Drive Mode Select system. It offers Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+ modes. Eco makes the throttle too soft, so it will see little use unless fuel economy is paramount. The normal mode is fine, although a faster reaction to throttle input would be appreciated. Sport speeds up the throttle response and tweaks the transmission’s shift points to make things feel far more urgent.
The best mode proved to be Sport+. It not only makes the throttle and transmission changes, it alters the steering’s weight and ratio as well as changing the dampers settings. This brings the best of both worlds — in the normal mode, the damping is 15% softer than the regular suspension, which makes the ride comfortable; Sport+ sharpens the damping so it 15% firmer than the regular suspension.
Mr. Furuyama says the main benchmark for the new IS was the previous-generation BMW 3 Series — he noted the current 3 Series was softened to make it more comfortable. As such, Mr. Furuyama believes the new IS350 surpassed the present 3 Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He is not wrong.
Testing proved the IS350 to be noticeably crisper. The steering is much sharper and it turns in with more authority. The improvements were made all the more noticeable on the rain-soaked skid pad. There was very little body roll and less understeer when the IS was pushed as far as the conditions permitted. A g-force meter backed up all of my seat-of-the-pant evaluations. On the wet tarmac, the current IS350 available for testing pulled 0.81g before the stability control system intervened. The new IS350 F Sport prototypes were pulling 0.91g before stability control intervention. Now, that is a significant and quantifiable improvement.
While the engines carry over from the current cars, there is an important upgrade for the IS350 — the addition of an eight-speed transmission (the IS250 retains the previous six-speed box). In the acceleration portion of the skid pad test, the current car put 103 kilometres an hour on the speedometer before hitting the braking zone — the new car with its extra ratios was showing 114 km/h when it hit the same point. The difference is found in the taller first and second gear ratios. They give a noticeably faster launch and a much stronger mid-range. The transmission will also have a positive effect on fuel economy. The canyon drive proved the new car is very quiet. However, an intake noise attenuator ensures the driver hears the right noises when it’s appropriate.
The next-generation IS will make its debut appearance at the North American International Auto Show in January. Full specifications, content and pricing will be available at that time.
Beverly Hills, Calif. — It is a rare day when a manufacturer turns a group of journalists loose in prototype versions of an upcoming production model. Lexus did just that by allowing several autojournalists to evaluate seven disguised, next-generation IS prototypes. The object was for us to validate what chief engineer, Junichi Furuyama, already knew — the new IS takes an enormous step forward when compared to the current car.
For me, the old IS was a bit too soft to be considered a true performance car, especially when competing against the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But the new IS, based on this unusual driving experience, will have little trouble hanging with the segment’s very best.
Looking past the camouflage, the new car earns the Lexus Spindle grille and LED daytime running lights. The interior was equally heavily camouflaged, but it was obvious that the cabin will mimic that of the larger GS, complete with the dash-mounted screen to the right of the central cluster. The new IS also features a single dashboard dial. The tachometer rings on the outer edge with the fuel economy, Drive Mode Select (more on this in a moment) and speedometer readouts sitting in the centre. It is an attractively clean and concise way of relaying all the relevant information.
Mr. Furuyama believes the new IS350 surpassed the present 3 Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He is not wrong
The location and angle of the steering wheel has also been tweaked to improve the driving position. This and the new deep-dish style front buckets held me in place when the IS was pushed around a rally cross-style circuit in the parking lot of Santa Anita race track and on a fast run up a boulder-strewn canyon road — the heavy rain had initiated some pretty serious rockslides.
The more substantial work is found beneath the IS’s sheet metal. It starts with the body structure. Overall length is up 75 millimetres, the wheelbase grows by 70 mm and the width by 12 mm. The stretch in the wheelbase has been dedicated almost exclusively to the rear seat riders meaning the IS’s rear leg space now rivals that of the larger GS. Likewise, the platform has been strengthened through the use of structural adhesives, an increased number of spot welds and a new laser screw welding technique. Statically, the torsional rigidity is up 10% — the reality is the newfound stiffness has a greater effect on the dynamic aspects than that number suggests.
The stiffer platform improves both the ride quality and handling because it gives the new suspension a stronger base of operations. Up front, the double wishbone design has been retained, however, the stabilizer bar link has been reworked, which increases its rigidity by 20%. The IS’s new rear suspension was plucked directly from the GS. The new setup, especially with the optional active dampers aboard, does a very good job keeping the rubber on the road —P225/40 R18 front and substantial P255/35R18 rear tires on the test car. The steering has also been refined. Again, the starting point was the GS’s rack, however, further work has sharpened the on-centre feel and made the rack ratio faster. This brings better feedback without making the IS350 seem twitchy. It also adds much better straight-line stability. The final dynamic touch is found in the IS350’s larger front rotors and performance brake pads.
The vehicle tested was an IS350 F Sport. In this version, the spring rates remain the same as the stock suspension — it is the variable dampers that make the difference. The key is the driver’s ability to tailor various drivetrain aspects through the Drive Mode Select system. It offers Eco, Normal, Sport and Sport+ modes. Eco makes the throttle too soft, so it will see little use unless fuel economy is paramount. The normal mode is fine, although a faster reaction to throttle input would be appreciated. Sport speeds up the throttle response and tweaks the transmission’s shift points to make things feel far more urgent.
The best mode proved to be Sport+. It not only makes the throttle and transmission changes, it alters the steering’s weight and ratio as well as changing the dampers settings. This brings the best of both worlds — in the normal mode, the damping is 15% softer than the regular suspension, which makes the ride comfortable; Sport+ sharpens the damping so it 15% firmer than the regular suspension.
Mr. Furuyama says the main benchmark for the new IS was the previous-generation BMW 3 Series — he noted the current 3 Series was softened to make it more comfortable. As such, Mr. Furuyama believes the new IS350 surpassed the present 3 Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He is not wrong.
Testing proved the IS350 to be noticeably crisper. The steering is much sharper and it turns in with more authority. The improvements were made all the more noticeable on the rain-soaked skid pad. There was very little body roll and less understeer when the IS was pushed as far as the conditions permitted. A g-force meter backed up all of my seat-of-the-pant evaluations. On the wet tarmac, the current IS350 available for testing pulled 0.81g before the stability control system intervened. The new IS350 F Sport prototypes were pulling 0.91g before stability control intervention. Now, that is a significant and quantifiable improvement.
While the engines carry over from the current cars, there is an important upgrade for the IS350 — the addition of an eight-speed transmission (the IS250 retains the previous six-speed box). In the acceleration portion of the skid pad test, the current car put 103 kilometres an hour on the speedometer before hitting the braking zone — the new car with its extra ratios was showing 114 km/h when it hit the same point. The difference is found in the taller first and second gear ratios. They give a noticeably faster launch and a much stronger mid-range. The transmission will also have a positive effect on fuel economy. The canyon drive proved the new car is very quiet. However, an intake noise attenuator ensures the driver hears the right noises when it’s appropriate.
The next-generation IS will make its debut appearance at the North American International Auto Show in January. Full specifications, content and pricing will be available at that time.
Read more: http://www.driving.ca/research-car/r...#ixzz2EHVpu6ym
#804
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What is it?
Lexus has had a busy 2012: from a new LS to a new ES, almost every car in its lineup has been revamped and redesigned. Now the relentless march of progress casts its steely gaze upon the diminutive IS, which has been little changed since 2006. The small segment is what wins hearts and minds in the luxury car war; it's where allegiances are fought and conquered over stalwarts such as the Audi A4 and the BMW 3-series, along with newcomers such as the Cadillac ATS and competitors such as the Acura TSX and Buick Regal. Chief engineer Junichi Furuyama makes no bones about it—his team benchmarked the BMW E90—the last generation 3-series—when developing the new IS. In Lexus IS tradition, it once again looks to Munich for inspiration. This new IS, Furuyama says, will be more precise, with more communication between vehicle and driver, and an increased emphasis on driving dynamics—and more emotion, inside and out.
For starters, that means potential Lexus buyers had better get used to the "spindle" grille (their words, not ours). The IS comes with the most fearless interpretation yet: its three-dimensional grille bulges outward, wearing its Lexus badge like a medallion. The IS 250 and IS 350 models get different front bumper treatments but both are suitably aggressive.
The rest of the IS retains similar dimensions from the current model. Its GS-sourced chassis adds to the wheelbase and incidentally adds stability. Rear wheel arches are stretched to dramatic proportions. The headlights and taillights are both swoopy and angular at the corners—and in front are jagged LED-laden spars for the turn signals that are separated from the headlight body. Along with that massive Predator-faced grille, that's going to raise some eyebrows when the camouflage comes off.
Speaking of camouflage, we drove the IS on public roads as well as at an informal autocross track, becoming the sort of spy-photo targets we've always hunted down ourselves. On the road that camouflage paint manages to startle entire families in Honda Civics, sending camera phones waving, as well as baffled bystanders and dawdling middle school kids who pointed and jabbered excitedly while blocking our intersection. People in a current Lexus IS barely recognized us. Perhaps, Lexus figures, that's a good thing.
![](http://cdn.autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20121204/CARREVIEWS/120409832/PH/1/5/is-prototype-gauges.jpg&MaxW=630)
What's it like to drive?
Our autocross course in the Santa Anita Racetrack parking lot was sopping wet, a rarity for Los Angeles but a boon to show off the IS's newly christened stability and grip. We drove the 250 and 350, largely carryover powertrains from the last generation. Lexus product planners told us that a hybrid model will be available in Europe only; Americans will simply content themselves with the CT. The 250 was lively, its rear end easy to manage; it felt not only far lighter than the 350 but also nearly matched it in straight-line acceleration. In the 350, with the traction and stability control off and the reassuring safety of an empty parking lot, we had to manage its rear end delicately to preserve grip. Putting the 350 in Sport Plus mode firms up the electric power steering to hefty levels. By comparison, the 250—which doesn't get the Sport Plus option—has a noticeable center soft spot in its steering.
We ran into some issues with the transmission, which now has eight speeds in the 350; still six in the 250. (No manual will be offered.) Both upshift imperceptibly and readily, dipping into the rev limiter. But the car wouldn't allow a downshift while coming out of a corner even though there was still plenty of rev range left. It's a teething issue, undoubtedly, one that we expect to be fixed when it's ready for showtime. In various Sport modes the transmission needs to be far less conservative and far more aggressive—after all, isn't that why there's a separate Eco mode?
![](http://cdn.autoweek.com/galleryimage/CW/20121204/CARREVIEWS/120409832/PH/1/6/is-prototype-interior.jpg&MaxW=630)
Do I want it?
Overall, Lexus sought to inject some of the GS into the smaller IS. The new GS is a runaway success, catching us off guard with how multi-faceted it could be. Turn the **** to Eco and you get all of the refinement you'd expect from a Lexus. Turn it to Sport, then once more for Sport Plus and you get all the loud, screaming track-day furor you'd never expect from a Lexus. We had hoped that the IS 350's Sport Plus mode, which adjusts the constantly adaptive dampers and firms up the power steering, would display this same contrast. While the steering felt more linear throughout its motions, the IS 350 remained calm, quiet and composed, with little body roll and a little too much Lexus dulling of the senses. Whereas the difference in the GS was like Jekyll and Hyde, the IS is more like Jekyll and his mildly annoyed cousin Bruce.
We expect so much out of our cars these days. We want them to cruise at 30+ mpg on the freeway all day, then rip lap times around our miniature neighborhood Nürburgring when the sun sets. We want them to be seen and heard. We want to command diverging philosophies at the push of a button—or in this case, a twist of the ****. The GS performs this with stunning alacrity. Perhaps we've been spoiled by that. But Lexus wants to imbue some of that duality into the IS. It hasn't—not yet, anyway.
Lexus promises us a more in-depth drive sometime early next year, after the IS is revealed in its final form in Detroit. Already, Furuyama promises us that between now and when it goes on sale in the first quarter there will be time to implement the changes that we suggested: transmission software tuning, for starters.
#805
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However the "problem" might be that IS300h is more expensive to make than IS350... so how many people would pay $1k more for IS300h with 60-80hp less in USA?
Becuase IS300h in Europe will be $5k more expensive than IS250 AT.
#806
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
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well this is certainly a very different P.R. approach for lexus, letting mags and other reviewers drive a camo'd car! ![EEK!](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/eek1.gif)
i think it's great, getting good buzz out there before the big reveal.
![EEK!](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/eek1.gif)
i think it's great, getting good buzz out there before the big reveal.
#807
Pole Position
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Overall length is up 75 millimetres, the wheelbase grows by 70 mm and the width by 12 mm. The stretch in the wheelbase has been dedicated almost exclusively to the rear seat riders meaning the IS’s rear leg space now rivals that of the larger GS.
Mr. Furuyama says the main benchmark for the new IS was the previous-generation BMW 3 Series — he noted the current 3 Series was softened to make it more comfortable. As such, Mr. Furuyama believes the new IS350 surpassed the present 3 Series in its fun-to-drive quotient. He is not wrong.
The new IS350 F Sport prototypes were pulling 0.91g before stability control intervention. Now, that is a significant and quantifiable improvement.
there is an important upgrade for the IS350 — the addition of an eight-speed transmission (the IS250 retains the previous six-speed box). In the acceleration portion of the skid pad test, the current car put 103 kilometres an hour on the speedometer before hitting the braking zone — the new car with its extra ratios was showing 114 km/h when it hit the same point. The difference is found in the taller first and second gear ratios. They give a noticeably faster launch and a much stronger mid-range. The transmission will also have a positive effect on fuel economy.
The new IS is shaping up to repeat the same feat that the new GS achieved this year : slay the competitors in its segment in terms of handling and end up being the most complete, well balanced car in its respective segment.
The current pecking order in the mid-size luxury segment is GS > A6 > 5 series > E class > Infiniti M.
Next year, will it be : IS > 3 series > Cadillac ATS and Infiniti G > A4 > C class for the compact luxury segment ??
Last edited by natnut; 12-06-12 at 07:22 AM.
#808
#809
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this is what they did with GT86 as well, but one component is missing - get users from popular IS forums to review the prototypes :-).
#810
Former Sponsor