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Will the 2014 Lexus IS doom the F30 3er?!

44K views 195 replies 62 participants last post by  408Racer 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
2014 Lexus IS

OK, I just chose that title to stir up trouble. :bigpimp:

Just watched video of it being introduced at the NAIAS and had to post....OMG that thing is absolutely butt ugly!! Seriously. What in the world is Lexus thinking?!



Here's the video. It wasn't the photos that I first saw. It was the car in motion in this video. The proportions are just horrible.
 

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#117 · (Edited)
It doesn't look as bad in these newly released photos:





Yeah, in my eyes it looks every bit as hideous in these shots as the others. The worse thing is it looks even worse in 3D/real life.
 
#136 ·
I think styling is not the only issue, the drivetrains are not as competitive.

The base V-6 is severely outclassed by the N20 and the 3.5L, although better, is lacking compared to the N55 due to the torque deficit.
 
#139 ·
While we gleefully stereotype Lambo owners, here is a nice video titled "super cars - crazy drivers compilation." There are a few Ferraris in there, but you can jump to 8:45 for one particular driver, who may or may not be the quintessential Ferrari driver. That's why they don't make manuals anymore ;)

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM3bGz_rQG0[/URL]
 
#143 ·
While we gleefully stereotype Lambo owners, here is a nice video titled "super cars - crazy drivers compilation." There are a few Ferraris in there, but you can jump to 8:45 for one particular driver, who may or may not be the quintessential Ferrari driver. That's why they don't make manuals anymore ;)
These are pictures from the 2011 Ferrari Challenge Series.

I think these guys may be quintessential Ferrari drivers. They do not drive MTs because they are interested in having the latest F1 technology in their cars. These are privately owned race cars. The owners buy the cars for around $300,000 and then pay about $80.000 per season to have a Ferrari dealer bring the car to the tracks and act as their pit crews. The drivers fly to the races from all over the world.





CA
 
#142 · (Edited)
I stopped in at Lexus of Manhattan last week. I was picking up the 335i after service at BMW Manhattan. Lexus is across the street and the bus stops right in front so I went in. They did not have the new IS but all of the other new models had the spindle grill. I did not mind it as much as I thought I would.

CA
 
#153 ·
I flipped through the Car and Driver article. The Lexus won over the BMW. BMW's numb electric, not hydraulic, steering was to blame.
 
#154 · (Edited)
Which is odd, cause in Car and Driver's first drive of the Lexus they said the steering was completely lifeless. And that it was less fun that the previous IS, which wasn't much fun.

Driven back-to-back with the current IS, the 2014 proved to be the more stable of the two. It's likely that overall grip has increased, but some of the IS's playfulness and character have been sacrificed to the holy trinity of NVH. It's a small difference and one that likely can be chalked up to the heavier GS-based architecture-the IS is up to 176 pounds heavier.
This was before some senior editor said "make sure it beats the 3 series in the comparo."

don't kid yourselves, Lexus makes boring cars, always have, always will. It takes them $400,000 to make a fun car.
 
#155 ·
For a moment, forget about Lexus. Is BMW's steering improved or is hydraulic better?
 
#178 ·
C & D is by far the best out of the mainstream magazines and is very much enthusiast oriented. They tell it how it is and some people get all upset. LOL! Kudos to C&D for their excellent reviews.
Best of the US mags maybe, but that's not saying much. I'd much rather read CAR or EVO, mags which cost subscribers like $10/issue, so you know the readers are paying their salaries, not advertisers.
 
#156 ·
Formula to keep readers engaged in your magazine:

Part 1 - Do a first drive article praising the car and find one critical item you are concerned about. Suggest that perhaps said critical item will be fixed as you are driving a pre-production car. Splash first drive headline across the top edge of the cover.

Part 2 - Feature said car in a 1 on 1 comparison test with the current darling of the class. Make sure it beats the car or comes close. Make points which contradict both the first drive and previous reviews of the comparison car. Wonder out loud if the current industry leader is losing its luster. Advertise this as front page news.

Part 3 - Do an 8 car comparison test inviting inferior competitors which hardly compete with the top three cars in the comparison. Again contradict yourself by having the industry darling win the comparison, claim it wasn't even close and place the new rival in 4th place.

This will happen with the IS :)
 
#159 ·
Formula to keep readers engaged in your magazine:

Part 1 - Do a first drive article praising the car and find one critical item you are concerned about. Suggest that perhaps said critical item will be fixed as you are driving a pre-production car. Splash first drive headline across the top edge of the cover.

Part 2 - Feature said car in a 1 on 1 comparison test with the current darling of the class. Make sure it beats the car or comes close. Make points which contradict both the first drive and previous reviews of the comparison car. Wonder out loud if the current industry leader is losing its luster. Advertise this as front page news.

Part 3 - Do an 8 car comparison test inviting inferior competitors which hardly compete with the top three cars in the comparison. Again contradict yourself by having the industry darling win the comparison, claim it wasn't even close and place the new rival in 4th place.

This will happen with the IS :)
Well said. There's a reason they give this magazine away to subscribers for like 50 cents an issue.
 
#158 ·
I suppose a Japanese psychiatrist once employed by Toyota was tasked with selling their Mercedes Benz knockoff to gullible Americans.
"Call it Lexus" was his solution, "it will remind the Americans of luxury!"
What is up with Lexus' signature "fat lady" grill I will never understand... It's fugly! :mad:
 
#162 · (Edited)
If we have learned nothing else here on Bimmerfest we have learned.

1. When BMW wins a magazine comparo it is because expert car savvy journalists recognize the superiority of BMW products.

2. When BMW loses a magazine Comparo it is because the magazine staff are a bunch of corrupt liars who were bribed into voting for a car that they all knew was vastly inferior to BMW products.

The bottom line is that that the F30 suspension and steering have almost universally criticized in the automotive press. I haven't seen any reviews that panned the car as a whole and some aspects of the F30 such as the new 4 cylinder engine and the 8 speed automatic have received almost universal praise. From all indiacations the F30 is n excellent car and a step forward from the E9x in many ways, but apparently not in all ways.

It appears that once BMW went to RFTs on the 3 Series they have had a hard time getting a balance between ride quality and performance. BMW is not the only manufacturer that is getting criticized for the feel of the electric power steering. The electric power steering on the new Porsche 911 has also received mixed reviews. In the ratings the BMW power train came in first (with the engine and transmission getting 10s - the highest possible rating) but the chassis ratings were last.

The Car and Driver article said: "Bumps that the Lexus absorbs and that the Cadillac shrugs off with a single succinct compression and rebound make the BMW pitch and roll and fight to stay on line". And the test car was equipped with the M-Sport package. They also said of the 335i "When engaged it is superbly balanced".

The bottom line is that all three are very good cars and each had areas they excelled but I would not discount the fact that the BMW was rated as less "fun to drive" than the other two. That does not mean that the F30 is not fun to drive but it does indicate that BMW has perhaps lost the edge that they once held in that area,

And no, the IS will not doom the 3 Series. The 3 Series is selling very well and will continue to sell very well and the vast majority of those who purchase one will not regret it.

CA
 
#166 ·
....That does not mean that the F30 is not fun to drive but it does indicate that BMW has perhaps lost the edge that they once held in that area,
This seems to be part of a trend that started years ago? An old friend of mine once said that he can feel his E46 M3 run over a cigarette but his E36 M3 would've told him what brand. :D

Oh, and he added that his wife's E90 335 would go airborne after hitting the cigarette. :rofl:
 
#164 ·
Well I suggest you do some studying because we are having a quiz.

CA
 
#186 ·
When Dodge was their sponsor (Mazda is now) the Skip Barber Driving and Racing School used Dodge Neon SRTs. They were rather bare bones but a lot of fun to drive.

CA
 
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