2013 Lexus Is Revealed

[ISF-350]

Congratulations!!

I sold my 2IS 350 F Sport 7 months ago and am itching like crazy to get in to a 3IS 350 F Sport as soon as I can..

At this stage I'm hoping to place an order around November, ready for very early 2014 production and delivery..

I'm pretty much sold on the White Nova with Dark Rose trim and will be opting for Enhancement Pack 2.

Speaking of which, Franky, do you know how much the enhancement packs add to the price? I can't find anywhere online that gives any indication.

Did you opt for EP1 or EP2 at all?

Also, do you mind me asking what it came to including On Road Costs?

[FrankyX]

Congratulations!!

I sold my 2IS 350 F Sport 7 months ago and am itching like crazy to get in to a 3IS 350 F Sport as soon as I can..

At this stage I'm hoping to place an order around November, ready for very early 2014 production and delivery..

I'm pretty much sold on the White Nova with Dark Rose trim and will be opting for Enhancement Pack 2.

Speaking of which, Franky, do you know how much the enhancement packs add to the price? I can't find anywhere online that gives any indication.

Did you opt for EP1 or EP2 at all?

Also, do you mind me asking what it came to including On Road Costs?

I seen a table last night that showed all enhancement packs for each model and the cost for each. Once i can find it again, I'll repost. I do know that EP1 on 350 FS was $2500.

I went for EP1, moonroof only; I didn't feel the need for the extras in EP2.

On roads, metallic paint, EP1, lets just say that it has a 7 in front and is in the mid-high range. All dealers are quoting mid/high $80's.

[ISF-350]

High $70k is a great price IMO for a brand new release.

I remember paying just over $81k on road for my 2IS so was expecting around $85k for the 3IS equivalent.

Once I know what EP2 is worth I can work out exactly when I can get in to one (don't want to finance any of it this time round).

[FrankyX]

Speaking of which, Franky, do you know how much the enhancement packs add to the price? I can't find anywhere online that gives any indication.

Found it. Pulled from http://mydrivemedia.com.au/launched-the-new-lexus-is-range/

IS350

EP1 $2500

EP2 $7000

[ISF-350]

Thanks Franky.

I may reconsider EP2.. $7,000 is a bit more than I anticipated..

Depends how well I can negotiate :)

[FrankyX]

Yea good luck with that ;) I'm happy to put you in touch with the guys who helped me out when you're ready.

[ISF-350]

Thanks anyway Franky, buy I have a great contact that I will be doing the deal here with..

I'm in Tasmania and don't really want to go interstate for a vehicle again, for the sake of what's likely to only a couple/few thousand - it's just more convenient to do it all locally..

[Lexus Nerd]

Speaking of which, Franky, do you know how much the enhancement packs add to the price? I can't find anywhere online that gives any indication.

Found it. Pulled from http://mydrivemedia.com.au/launched-the-new-lexus-is-range/

IS350

EP1 $2500

EP2 $7000

Add an extra 30% for Luxury Car Tax. Then, on the total, add stamp duty (5% in NSW).

EDIT: Looks like LCT is already contained within these enhancement pack list prices - see http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/11640-2013-lexus-is-revealed/?p=42245

Edited July 15, 2013 by Lexus Nerd

[ISF-350]

Therefore:

IS350 F Sport = $73,000 ($66,363.63 excl. GST)

+

EP2 = $7,000 ($6,363.63 excl. GST)

= $80,000 ($72,727.27 excl GST)

Therefore LCT is payable on the amount OVER $59,133.00 of the GST excl. amount... Which equals $13,594.27 subject to 33% LCT.

LCT = $4,486.11

Stamp Duty (TAS - 4%) = $2,909.09

Registration fees = $650 (approx)

Dealer Delivery = $2500 (approx)

Looking at a total of roughly $90,550 on road for a fully loaded IS350 F Sport - about $5k more than I hoped! Oh well, that's not gonna stop me :D

[FrankyX]

Save $5k by opting for EP1 instead of EP2

[ISF-350]

I'll just save a little longer and have the burger with the lot if that's the case..

While I don't care too much for Lane Departure Warning or Pre-Collison Safety System - Automatic High Beam would be useful (provided it works well) and I definitely want Radar Active Cruise Control this time round..

It annoys me when you can't split options like that and it surprises me that Lexus are going down that path of offering such options... That's what I always liked about Lexus - they didn't have options apart from a Moonroof option which was a simple yes/no stand alone add on..

Here's another raving positive review I just read:

http://m.carshowroom.com.au/articleView.aspx?id=3912

[Lexus Nerd]

Therefore:

IS350 F Sport = $73,000 ($66,363.63 excl. GST)

+

EP2 = $7,000 ($6,363.63 excl. GST)

= $80,000 ($72,727.27 excl GST)

Therefore LCT is payable on the amount OVER $59,133.00 of the GST excl. amount... Which equals $13,594.27 subject to 33% LCT.

LCT = $4,486.11

Stamp Duty (TAS - 4%) = $2,909.09

Registration fees = $650 (approx)

Dealer Delivery = $2500 (approx)

Looking at a total of roughly $90,550 on road for a fully loaded IS350 F Sport - about $5k more than I hoped! Oh well, that's not gonna stop me :D

Actually, it's more than that.

1. LCT is payable on the dealer delivery charge. :(

2. The amount subject to LCT is based on the GST-inclusive value of the car. On the plus side, the LCT threshold has increased to $60,316.

So amount subject to LCT = $80,000 + 2,500 - $60,316 = $22,184.

The LCT payable is then calculated on the GST-exclusive portion of that amount. LCT = $6655.20. (As you can see, the reference to "GST-exclusive" in calculation of LCT is confusing. You work out the amount subject to tax on a GST-inclusive amount, and then you subtract GST on that amount, and then you calculate the LCT. Of course, 33% of a GST-inclusive amount is the same as 30% of a GST-exclusive amount ... it would be must easier to just say "30% on the GST-inclusive amount above the threshold.")

3. Stamp duty is payable on the dealer delivery charge AND the LCT. (Basically, the total price you pay for an unregistered car.) So stamp duty in Tasmania = 4% of ($80,000 + $2,500 + $6,655.20) = $3,566.21.

The total on-road cost is therefore approximately $93,371 in Tasmania.

EDIT: Looks like the LCT is already figured in the base price, so the actual driveaway prices are significantly less - see http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/11640-2013-lexus-is-revealed/?p=42245

Edited July 15, 2013 by Lexus Nerd

[ilv1004s]

Therefore:

IS350 F Sport = $73,000 ($66,363.63 excl. GST)

+

EP2 = $7,000 ($6,363.63 excl. GST)

= $80,000 ($72,727.27 excl GST)

Therefore LCT is payable on the amount OVER $59,133.00 of the GST excl. amount... Which equals $13,594.27 subject to 33% LCT.

LCT = $4,486.11

Stamp Duty (TAS - 4%) = $2,909.09

Registration fees = $650 (approx)

Dealer Delivery = $2500 (approx)

Looking at a total of roughly $90,550 on road for a fully loaded IS350 F Sport - about $5k more than I hoped! Oh well, that's not gonna stop me :D

Actually, it's more than that.

1. LCT is payable on the dealer delivery charge. :(

2. The amount subject to LCT is based on the GST-inclusive value of the car. On the plus side, the LCT threshold has increased to $60,316.

So amount subject to LCT = $80,000 + 2,500 - $60,316 = $22,184.

The LCT payable is then calculated on the GST-exclusive portion of that amount. LCT = $6655.20. (As you can see, the reference to "GST-exclusive" in calculation of LCT is confusing. You work out the amount subject to tax on a GST-inclusive amount, and then you subtract GST on that amount, and then you calculate the LCT. Of course, 33% of a GST-inclusive amount is the same as 30% of a GST-exclusive amount ... it would be must easier to just say "30% on the GST-inclusive amount above the threshold.")

3. Stamp duty is payable on the dealer delivery charge AND the LCT. (Basically, the total price you pay for an unregistered car.) So stamp duty in Tasmania = 4% of ($80,000 + $2,500 + $6,655.20) = $3,566.21.

The total on-road cost is therefore approximately $93,371 in Tasmania.

u sure LCT is added on later?

i always thought it was inc on the price

since it's tax

[Lexus Nerd]

u sure LCT is added on later?

i always thought it was inc on the price

since it's tax

That's a reasonable question to ask, especially since the press kit, despite its pages and pages of text, never once makes a reference to "Luxury Car Tax". So you can't be 100% sure whether the stated prices include or exclude LCT.

I won't go into details here, but I did make the effort to check information from various sources, and am fairly convinced that:

- the prices stated in the Lexus press release (and therefore the prices published in news articles) exclude LCT

- LCT is calculated after the dealer delivery charges are added to the list price

EDIT: Looks like I was wrong and Danny was right - see http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/11640-2013-lexus-is-revealed/?p=42245

Edited July 15, 2013 by Lexus Nerd

[Andrew Cowley]

Is the new range at dealerships yet? I still can't get my head around the styling. Need to see in the flesh.

[dis-lex-sic]

Well after driving it in anger on the track all I can say is FrankyX you are in for a treat. Congrats on ordering a great car. The F-sport dash is the best I have sat behind.

The IS300h was the surprise in the pack

We had the hybrid v diesel with Merc C V IS300h

IS350 v 328i on the skid pan

I had about 3 hours driving on the road. The car drives and sounds great. The induction sound under acceleration is very nice.

Plus running the 250/300h/350 around the best track in Australia to really show how the car really drives.

Andrew the car should be in showrooms Monday. Definitely looks even better in the flesh

[FrankyX]

Well I can't say I'll be driving it in anger on the Sydney roads ;) but it certainly sounds as though it is setting a new benchmark.

Will be dropping into a dealer on Monday afternoon to drive. Hope to get delivery on Thursday or early the following week.

[Lexus Nerd]

The e-brochure is now available for the New IS:

http://www.lexus.com.au/static/cms/e-brochures/IS_Launch_Brochure_020713.pdf

The brochure provides a specifications table which confirms the features available in each of the models and grades, and includes details that weren't covered in the press kit. For example, there are now two USB ports as well as an auxiliary input jack in every grade, and driver's seat memory is standard in F Sport and Sports Luxury models and available with IS 300h EP2. It also finally shows pictures of every available interior and exterior colour.

[samsung001]

i really dun like those headlight washer thing below the DRL.

[FrankyX]

i really dun like those headlight washer thing below the DRL.

Totally agree; they look like a stupid little silver pimple. Surely there'll be a mod to come to remove them. It seems like an after thought.

[dis-lex-sic]

Lots of activity on this car.

Who else has driven one?

[Lexus Nerd]

I had the privilege of being the first test driver of an IS 350 F Sport at a Lexus dealership today.

While it has the familiarity of a Lexus, it feels like a significantly re-engineed vehicle compared to the previous IS - a total pleasure to drive.

I'll post more details in a couple of hours ...

[Lexus Nerd]

u sure LCT is added on later?

i always thought it was inc on the price

since it's tax

I don't think that's always been the case, but it seems to be the case this time.

The pricing Web page is finally available from Lexus: For IS 350: http://www.lexus.com.au/is350/pricing

So, for IS 350 F Sport with EP1, it's $82,870 driveaway in NSW ($82,544 in Tasmania) according to the Website. That is more in line with the price I predicted some months ago, after the UK pricing was released.

With EP2, it's $87.595 (Tasmania $87,224).

That's a considerable deal less than my previous calculations :-)

Note that the prices I was quoted at dealerships yesterday do differ from these prices, and by more than a few hundred dollars - so do make your own enquiries.

[Lexus Nerd]

Though its not like we didn't see it coming with internals being the same as the outgoing model. But i guess thats what the 300h is for, which leads to your interesting point about a fully optioned one being cheaper than a fully optioned is250 and then what the advantages of buying a is250 is other than the base mode/entry for the 3is.

Looks like I was wrong about that. According to the Lexus Australia Website, the IS300h F Sport is still $3000 more than IS 250 F Sport, even if they're both fully optioned.

[Lexus Nerd]

It's been a long wait for Lexus aficionados, but the third generation IS line has finally arrived in Australia.

I had the opportunity to see the three new models in person, just hours after their arrival in dealerships. By now, you've probably seen many photos and may stil be unsure of the looks - particularly that grille:

These photos may not help you decide because, as a number of people have said, the car does look better "in the metal". I particularly like the fact that Lexus have not gone the way of Audi, BMW and Mazda, and produced a grille that's parallel with the vertical - one that's more suited to a truck. (BMW calls this a modern take of the three-box design; I call it an ugly way to meet Euro requirements for improved pedestrian safety.) Whereas the Europeans talk about three-dimensional grilles, Lexus has actually put one into production.

Note how the plate holder for the Australian market is huge, so you need to think carefully about what style of number plate you would mount to accentuate/soften the visual impact of the grille, while at the same time consider how much of the plate holder you can put up with exposing. Also note that even the models that don't have the Pre-Collision Safety system and Active Cruise Control have the same badge on the grille as those that do.

You've probably also seen a lot of photos showing vast parts of the exterior and interior, but here's some photos showing some areas in detail.

Check out the small, inconspicuous parking sensors. There's six of these sensors on the bumpers: four at the rear, and two at the front corners. There's also two sensors that now detect proximity directly in front of the vehicle ... from the pictures above, can you tell where they are placed?

The door handles also receive the same low-profile locking mechanism found in the GS.

IS 250 wheels

IS 350 F Sport wheels. Bridgestone Turanzas are used for the OEM tyres.

And ah, yes, the F Sport instrumentation lifted from the LFA:

I'm not going to show pictures of the dark rose interior - most photos I've seen or taken don't render the shade of red correctly, so you really need to see it yourself to decide if it's a nice colour or not.

I also had a quick spin of the IS 350 F Sport. As expected, the 350 has the acceleration you'd expect from such a powerful engine, and the refinement you'd expect from a Lexus. But perhaps that's where the similarities end when compared to the second generation IS. The new resonator offers an appreciable engine roar when the car is revved, while the new 350 seems even more quiet when cruising, and very composed when driving over small potholes. Steering feels direct, even in NORMAL mode, while ECO mode introduces a familiar groan and pedal feel - the ones you experienced in days gone by, when you drove a manual transmission and set it to the lowest possible gear that wouldn't make you stall.

But while I was prepared for the radical new exterior appearance and the new dynamic handling, I didn't expect to appreciate the interior as much as I did. I previously thought the instrument layout was just fine in the 2IS, thanks very much - Lexus didn't have to follow the Europeans and rearrange everything so as to look complicated. But while everything seemed to be within easy reach in the 2IS - it's a small car, after all - everything now feels even closer to hand. Even the Remote Touch controller feels comfortable to use after a couple of minutes - I certainly got used to it faster than the new indicator stalk. The seats, while they initially feel narrow, do give you support when you take a curved road at speed. The stitching on the dash also adds to the classy appearance; add the comfortable feel of the steering wheel and the feel of the quiet gear paddles, and the interior makes you feel like you're in the baby brother of the new GS, rather than the successor of the second-generation IS.

A lot has been said about the increased rear legroom. Yes, it's increased from that of the 2IS; it's nothing like that of the GS, but one can expect to receive fewer complaints from rear passengers about legroom. There is also enough cabin height to allow a 6" tall front passenger to sit upgright, and lift the front seat high enough so as to allow ample foot space beneath the frons seat.

I haven't test driven the IS 300h, but it's worth noting that you can't tell the difference in boot space between the IS250/350 and IS300h, at first glance, so Lexus have done a great job hiding those batteries. You may have also read about the new 60:40 split fold rear seat. While the portal height looks appreciably good, the axis of rotation for the rear seats is well above the boot floor. In other words, you can't lay anything flat across the boot floor and folded-down seats.

All in all, the new IS is very impressive, and there's plenty of new features to offer to existing IS owners to convince them to upgrade. I haven't driven the competitors yet, but given that their prices are over $70,000 each when options are added to provide equivalent equipment to the base-model Lexus IS for under $60,000, the new IS will definitely compete on price, before even considering the features on which the Lexus might be superior.