Official New 2006 Is Topic

[saracen]

Just popped into Lexus Coventry and they have the new Lexus brouchures with official price list. Brochure looks like the GS brochure. Has anyone else seen them?

[Fidgits]

I have to say, the styling has grown on me...

and i am considering the IS220d SE-L - depending on final price of course

(it looks like the SE-L will have cooled seats as well as heated!)

[pacemaker]

so am i right in thinking a new model se will be the best part of £4000 more than outgoing model

thats one hell of a price increase!

[Tango]

I have to say, the styling has grown on me...

and i am considering the IS220d SE-L - depending on final price of course

(it looks like the SE-L will have cooled seats as well as heated!)

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The first car is in my 'local' dealer tomorrow and I have been invited for a test drive same day as have had my deposit down since March. The official launch is 12th and 13th according to the invite received yesterday.

The car they are getting is an SE-L IS250 auto. so post comments Friday. Looking forward to it!! :D

[TED]

The public prices for the IS 250 have now been announced in France, according to me, they are far too high when compared both to the IS300 and to the german competition. A 204 hp Pack executive auto IS250 is 46.600 €!

At that level of price, you are entitled to expect much more power, such as what you'd get from the Audi's, BMW and Mercedes.

That's to high, end of the story.

[cdave]

Prices are now up on the Lexus.co.uk website with a finance calculator as well

[The Mole]

so am i right in thinking a new model se will be the best part of £4000 more than outgoing model

thats one hell of a price increase!

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The old car was a 2 litre, the new car is a 2.5 litre, hence should be more expensive, like everyone else.

....and having driven and inspected the new car, even if it was still a 2 litre, it would be worth the extra. It really IS that good.

Please wait until you have seen / driven it before passing judgment?

[Risky3301]

The old car was a 2 litre, the new car is a 2.5 litre, hence should be more expensive, like everyone else.

....and having driven and inspected the new car, even if it was still a 2 litre, it would be worth the extra. It really IS that good.

Please wait until you have seen / driven it before passing judgment?

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Styling, then price is what gets people into dealerships, at Lexus prices you won't get me going any where near one of there dealerships.

[Haf]

Anyone got any ideas on 220d pricing i.e what will be approx delta between 250 and 220? hopefulyy a good few thousand less as i'm looking at 220d SE-L with multimedia pack and need list to be below 30k

[Tailpipe]

There is a very interesting review of the new IS250 in this week's Autocar versus the new shape BMW 325i.

it seems that no hack wants to put his neck on the line by saying that the IS is better than the 3-Series, so predictably the 3-Series is given the nod over the the IS250. However, the sole criteria for making this choice is handling, although rear-passenger space and boot size are not as good as the 3-Series.

For me, build quality, reliability, interior comfort, styling and the degree to which the car cocoons you from other road users are equally important. When you take these other factors into account, the Lexus IS slaughters the 3-Series. Even Autocar ackowledges that the Lexus has superior styling, build quality, NVH damping, electronic trickery and cabin environment versus the 3-Series. What they also say is that the IS exudes a quality that puts it in another class to the BMW, but for a price that is significantly less. What a pity they didn't give these other dimensions of ownership more importance in their evaluation of the IS.

Whatever, both cars are extremely acccomplished performers and appear to raise the bar in this category. (Risky3301, Lexus is right on the mark in terms of value-for-money in the category. If you think the IS's prices are too high, then maybe you're looking at the wrong class of car. )

I am a former BMW-owner, switching to Lexus for the first time. I get to drive the IS250 this Thursday. Expect a truly objective account of the car to follow. If it isn't better than the 3-Series, I won't buy it. Having read Autocar's review, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a 'slam dunk' for Lexus.

[LeedsLad]

Haf Posted Today, 07:28 PM

  Anyone got any ideas on 220d pricing i.e what will be approx delta between 250 and 220? hopefulyy a good few thousand less as i'm looking at 220d SE-L with multimedia pack and need list to be below 30k

is250 £22,400.00

is250SE £25,400.00

is250 SE-L £28,000.00

is250 sport £26,500.00

is220d £22,200.00

is220dse £25,200.00

is220d sel £27,800.00

is220d sport £26,900.00

The above have been floating around for a while now but not confirmed.

If you check the petrol prices with the ones on the Lexus GB web site they are the same, which suggests that the diesel ones are correct.

[The Mole]

There is a very interesting review of the new IS250 in this week's Autocar versus the new shape BMW 325i.

it seems that no hack wants to put his neck on the line by saying that the IS is better than the 3-Series, so predictably the 3-Series is given the nod over the the IS250. However, the sole criteria for making this choice is handling, although rear-passenger space and boot size are not as good as the 3-Series.

For me, build quality, reliability, interior comfort, styling and the degree to which the car cocoons you from other road users are equally important. When you take these other factors into account, the Lexus IS slaughters the 3-Series.  Even Autocar ackowledges that the Lexus has superior styling, build quality, NVH damping, electronic trickery and cabin environment versus the 3-Series. What they also say is that the IS exudes a quality that puts it in another class to the BMW, but for a price that is significantly less. What a pity they didn't give these other dimensions of ownership more importance in their evaluation of the IS.

Whatever, both cars are extremely acccomplished performers and appear to raise the bar in this category. (Risky3301, Lexus is right on the mark in terms of value-for-money in the category. If you think the IS's prices are too high, then maybe you're looking at the wrong class of car. )

I am a former BMW-owner, switching to Lexus for the first time. I get to drive the IS250 this Thursday. Expect a truly objective account of the car to follow. If it isn't better than the 3-Series, I won't buy it.  Having read Autocar's review, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a 'slam dunk' for Lexus.

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Spot on tail pipe....spot on.

Do me a favour, when you look at the 3 series, have a look at the following and compare with the IS.....

In no particular order.

On the 3 series, look at and compare with the IS:-

Panel fit

Under bonnet only in primer

Finnish of under bonnet metal work & welding (sharp crude rough edges etc)

Under bonnet sealing - less of, poor quality.

Wiring loom covered in insulation tape with bare wire ends!

Two hands needed to get to poor quality bonnet catch and open bonnet

Large seal needed between door handel and door to mask poor tolerances

Poor finish to reverse of door handles

Leather feels like a cheap wallet

Switch gear not updated from 2 generations ago

Boot poorly trimmed in cheap plastic

Underside of rear parcel shelf left untrimmed

No NVH reducing trim in boot

Mediocre 6 speaker stereo!

I could go on and on and we havn't even started it up yet or looked at what comes as standard.

Part of the Lexus training event was a lenghty and thorough 'engineering' evaluation of the new IS versus its competition. It was done very fairly and objectively.

But parking the two cars side by side, the difference was obvious.

BMW make a car that is very involving to drive, and journalists love to thrash them round a track, hence give them raves.

BMW sold last year more units than the Mondeo in the UK. Every penny they can save by cutting a corner here or there makes a big impact on the bottom line at these volumes.

And it shows - big time.

I'll say it again - the attention to detail, the exacting tolerances and precision build of the new IS is incredible. You really have to see it and compare to the competition to understand how superior it is.

What people are doing is playing top trumps with stats, without looking at the bigger picture. Two restaurants may be the same size and serve fillet steak, but they can be worlds apart in taste, quality, service, ambiance etc.

Wait and see.....

As you say tail pipe, to an average hack who doesn't have to live with a car, it's greatness is determined by how controllable it is 45 degrees out, with an arm full of opposite lock.

Meanwhile in the real world.....

[chriso]

PLEASE Enough of how good the paint under the bonnet is. ... :)

I'm sure everyone here just wants the the top of the bonnet to be covered in something a bit better than the stuff laughingly called paint on the IS200.

[autobeach]

Autocar review was to be expected, run the 325 close but no cigar. I'm guessing the real point is that if you don't drive every minute of every drive at 9/10 ths then the Lexus is the better car. Seems to be the common theme so far in reviews.

You get slightly confused when reviewers start to point out that the speedo isn't clear enough or that the Lexus turns in better than the BMW, but this is unexpected and not a good thing !?

The Mole, I have now seen a couple of full page adverts (What Car, Autocar) stating in the small print that the IS250 Sport will be available in Jan 2006. Is this correct since I thought it was a April launch for the Sport?

[Steve]

Guess whos legs these were test driving the new IS today??

Lots more to come.. inc video!!!

[aido]

Nice to see chino's never go out of fashion

What's your first opinion mate?

Have to admit that standard sound system looks shocking in terms of the LCD display, looks like something out of a 1985 Toyota :o

The version with the screen looks so much better - surely it's not going out like that?

[Steve]

all i can say is... very nice indeed!.. Lexus have done a cracking job on this car mate

still smiling!

[aido]

Excellent stuff Steve, sounds like we'll have a lot of happy new members soon then :)

[Steve]

oh yes... i will do a review sort of hing later.. i am no journo though but can explain enough

[Fidgits]

fantastic steve.... when can we expect the review?

[Steve]

working on it right now.. wanna get video done first...

the weather was sooo bad so it did not go so well as I wanted to get some outside video done... rained all day

had an IS200 behind me taking a good look too..

I want a new IS

[Steve]

keep your eye on this gallery

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...album&album=203

can you guys view it??

[Fidgits]

keep your eye on this gallery

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...album&album=203

can you guys view it??

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yep...

just been on the website - £450 a month...

my only concern - for £30K I could have a 996 convertable, an early DB7....

hmmm, perhaps i should wait a couple of years for a used IS250

[Steve]

here is my small review

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...topic=27682&hl=

I am gonna sit and do video now... never done one using this camera before so hope it comes out alright

[LeedsLad]

Performance Stats now added to Lexus web site.