Lexus Nerd

Let's wrap up this topic with some news of the recent dealership launch events. Lexus of Chatswood ran up to 13 sessions last week, inviting about 50 people at a time to listen to a short address, watch a couple of videos and then test-drive the new IS. Lexus of Parramatta also ran five sessions. While they wouldn't have entertained as many people in their showroom, there was enough activity there to keep all of their sales consultants busy when I visited last Saturday. Meanwhile, it was literally "standing room only" for a while at Sydney City Lexus' launch event at The Rocks. You don't see a picture of the crowd here, because a picture of a sea of heads would look pretty boring. But it certainly looked like a cracking night at a pub for business people, rather than a vehicle launch. But they did have Lexus Australia's product manager speak for a few minutes on some of the features of the new IS. How many of the guests will actually buy the 3IS remains to be seen but, compared to the LS and GS launch events, it's clear that the dealerships are expecting the new IS to be their volume seller.

Welcome dye-04, There are two sticky threads under the 2IS/3IS forum: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/10278-show-off-your-is250350-the-best-of-show-me-your-best-photos/ http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/9083-post-your-latest-mods/

Rumours about ditching a the V8 abound, because we don't know how Lexus will meet Euro emissions standards with a V8. If, indeed, the next Lexus coupe contains a V8, how do you suppose the question of Euro emissions standards will be resolved? (I suppose they could offer two engine options, with one offered especially for the EU market.)

Today, the Australian Federal Government announced plans to change the Fringe Benefits Tax laws, affecting thousands of taxpayers planning to obtain a car through a novated lease. Before today, novated leases allowed employees to obtain a vehicle through their employer. The fringe benefits tax payable could be calculated through a "statutory method"; under this method, the net tax payable was significantly less than paying for a car through post-income-tax dollars, regardless of how much of the car's use might have been for personal purposes. Should the planned changes pass parliament (which we don't know for sure that it will, until we know the Opposition's standing on the issue, and/or the result of the forthcoming election), the statutory method formula for FBT calculation will not be available for all contracts entered into on or after today. This means that thousands of taxpayers will no longer be able to save thousands of dollars on a new car. What do you think of the changes? Were you considering a novated lease? If so, have you changed your mind about buying a new car?

Also check FrankyX's experience: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/11976-3is-first-drive

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.

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.

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.

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 ...

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.

The horizontal cutoff is adjustable, so you can adjust the cutoff height to much the same specification as the original fitted headlamps. The major difference is the oblique cutoff which, for left-hand drive vehicles, is meant to rise above the horizontal cutoff on the left-hand side, to give greater illumination on the side of the vehicle farthest from oncoming traffic. For most drivers and passengers on a modified vehicle, the absence of this additional illumination is imperceptible. As for oncoming traffic ... I do know one person who was stopped by police because their lights were "so bright", but was moved on.

It may not be an OEM solution, but how about buying a USB port for your cigarette lighter socket, and plug the iPhone in that USB port whenever you want the iPhone to work in Bluetooth audio streaming mode (i.e., when you're using Pandora)? The question then remains, how do you replay pre-recorded music when that normally doesn't transmit to the Lexus via Bluetooth? Since I don't have access to an RX to check, I think the answer is one of the following: 1. Perhaps the Lexus has a mode where any audio played on the Bluetooth device (iPhone) is heard on the car audio. But you would have to control the playback through the iPhone's screen. 2. If there is something on the iPhone or the Lexus that prevents the iPhone's inbuilt music player from being used to play back music via Bluetooth, try a third-party app that can play music stored on the iPhone, such as Shazam. 3. If the Lexus is designed to only work with specific iPhone apps via Bluetooth (perhaps Pandora, and little more), then your only choice is to unplug the iPhone cable and plug it into the inbuilt USB port in the RX whenever you want to play back pre-recorded music.

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

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

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

According to the press kit, "All new IS 250, 300h and 350 sedans produced from May 2013* will be ready for the activation of Lexus' own connected mobility solution, scheduled for release in late 2013."

Perhaps a little disappointed, because even a 0.1 L improvement would have been a nice feel-good bonus. It also somewhat disappoints because I like seeing a Lexus silence its critics. But with relatively high consumption figures, critics - who are used to reviewing German luxury cars with turbochargers - are given something to complain about. Having said that, it is said that a naturally aspirated engine is more "fun to drive" than a turbo with the same power output. And if that "fun to drive" factor costs me, say, an extra $2500* in a $84,000** car, I say it's worth it, even if the critcs don't agree with me. (* Based on 2.5 L/100km penalty compared with BMW 335i twin turbo; 12,000 km per year over 5 years; $1.70 per litre of fuel. Actual cost difference could be lower when considering the higher cost of turbo engine maintenance, all other things being equal.) (** Approximate NSW driveaway cost of base model IS 350.)

Since 2009, the 2IS Prestige has 225/45R17 (front) and 245/45R17 (rear) as standard. You're probably right, there will be ways and means around the lack of available fogs (just as I'm sure that is the case with the 2013 GS F Sport). My list is probably a list of things that journos will complain about, not me. If I bought a new IS 350 for example, I wouldn't care about the fuel consumption: I'm getting the best performing 6-cylinder compact luxury sedan on the market, uncompromised by diesel fuel, CVT or turbocharging.

Here's some further observations I've made: - EMV pack in now standard in base grade, as are HIDs - Yes, there are steps in the CVT transmission, just like in the GS hybrid models. Contrary to what has been reported in overseas reviews, the steps are not just sound effects. - IS 300h has paddle shifters. (Some overseas variants do not have the paddle shifters - I suspect it's the European IS 300h Eco model, although even more frugal with fuel, that dispenses with paddle shifters as well as transmission steps.). - Fuel consumption slightly increased on IS 250 according to ADR, but 0-100 km/h improved from 8.4 s to 8.1 s The press release makes a big thing about the IS 300h costing only $3000 more than the IS 250. But what's even more interesting is that the on-road cost of a fully optioned IS 300h F Sport ($81,449 in NSW) is cheaper than a fully optioned IS 250 F Sport ($82,735), thanks to the luxury car tax concession on fuel-efficient vehicles. EDIT: Even fully optioned, an IS 250 F Sport is still $3000 cheaper than an IS 300h F Sport. As you would expect, there's a lot of new features in the 3IS - some already mentioned, but too many to mention all of them. But what about the downgrades, absent features or unexplained features? I've started a list so you don't have to look elsewhere ... - Blind Spot Monitor not standard on entry-level packages. It's strange to have it unavailable on the Luxury grade, but obtainable on the less presigious Toyota Aurion. - Difficult to understand what Enform "Destination Assist" can provide if sat nav already covers most locations in Australia. EDIT: I get it now. Enform allows you to look up a destination on your smartphone, and send the destination to the onboard system. This saves time looking up a destination on your Lexus sat nab when you've already looked it up on your smartphone beforehand. - No heads-up display or self-parking. And yet, they're standard on a new Holden Commodore. - Both fuel consumption and performance for IS 350 slightly inferior compared to the outgoing model (9.7 L/100 km, 0-100 in 5.9 s). This is disappointing, since the addition of an 8-speed transmission usually lowers fuel consumption slightly and provide the opportunity for faster acceleration at low gears. This can probably be attributed to additional equipment increasing the tare weight (the body itself is actually lighter). - Entry models have identical front and rear 17" tyres, meaning narrower tyres and a less aggressive stance at the rear compared to the 2IS Prestige. - No available foglamps for the F Sport. (Didn't they learn from the grumbling in Australia following the GS F Sport debut?) Still, the standard equipment is impressive and, like ISF-350, I'm relieved that Lexus Australia didn't skimp on the standard equipment like we've seen for the US market.

Here is the link to all official press releases and specificaitons for the 3rd Generation Lexus IS: http://www.pressroom.com.au/press_release_detail.asp?clientID=3&prID=5065&navSectionID=2 Well done, Andrew, for finding those articles on 8 July. Lexus Australia's press Website didn't even release the official information until around lunchtime on the 9th. The manufacturer's price for the IS 350 F Sport is $73,000. On the road, it's $84,237 (NSW - other states will vary). EDIT: According to the Lexus Australia pricing Web page, it's just $80,245 on the road. Apart from the obvious differences in interior trim and wheels, and the differences ISF-350 noted, only Sports Luxury or a fully optioned IS 300h Luxury can have the two rear passenger airbags. The difference is about $5,500 after taking taxes into consideration. EDIT: It's more like a $4200 difference.

Other online reviews have also suggested that it needs to be seen "in the metal". The sheetmetal profile and colours apparently can't be appreciated through photos. New information to hand: - Run-flat tyres or tyre repair kit will be available for the IS300h, thus reclaiming much of the space lost in the boot through the battery pack. One assumes the space-saver spare is included with the IS 250 and IS 350, as it was with the 2IS. - New IS will appear in Australian Lexus showrooms from 15 July.

Run-flat tyres was probably the feature that critics held most against the BMW 3 Series. If Lexus is consciously trying to outdo the 3 Series, why would they even contemplate it in the 2014 IS? It would be a boon for boot space, particularly in the hybrid model. But for a winner, it would have to be a revolutionary tyre or vehicle design that transmits almost no additional noise into the cabin.

Yeah, dis-lex-sic. It seems like only yesterday that we beat up the E10 versus non-Ethanol fuel topic to death. But it was actually more than two years ago. Here's some early thoughts on fuels for the 2IS: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/8430-pulp-vs-ulp/ http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/9799-98ron-vs-95pulp/ http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/9218-filled-up-with-e10/ Not much has changed since then, except that: - Mobil retail's been taken over by 7-Eleven for some time (raising the question of where they might be getting their fuel nowadays) - Shell has increased the gap between their 95 and 98 octane fuels to 6c/L, arguably giving the Unleaded 95 more bang for buck under any driving conditions. - Two or three years ago, United marketed a premium unleaded fuel with 10% ethanol. That went off the market sometime last year, but United now sells both a 98 octane and 100 octane product with 10% ethanol. A more recent thread about whether fuel might correct exhaust smell issues can be found here: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/10479-is250-bad-smell/

Back to the original post: The simple answer is that the 2.5L GS250 and RX250 are aimed at a market where equivalent luxury can be attained for a lower cost, even if it means sacrificing engine performance. I know what you're thinking: What do you mean, lower cost? Are the pennies saved in fuel running costs really worth the drop in performance? You are questioning the existence of a low-displacement engine on the basis of fuel economy. But past research has found that the market segment for good fuel economy *and* low purchase price has been surprisingly small. Take the Mazda 3, the most popular privately-purchased car in Australia. It has very good bang-for-buck, but its fuel economy is far from being the best in class. But its buyers aren't overly concerned with that. At Lexus, the GS250 is aimed at those looking for a low initial purchase price. There are many countries that charge significantly higher taxes for larger-displacement vehicles, regardless of actual fuel enconomy test results. In those countries, low-displacement luxury cars are relatively common. As Australia sees an increasing number of migrants from those countries, and as the manufacturing costs of such engines drop with volume, cars such as the GS250 will find buyers here. As for those who are looking for good fuel economy, the GS450h is aimed at them - even though it comes at a significantly higher price. Historically, these two market segments don't necessarily comprise the same people, although it is changing - government policies on fuel efficiency have finally filtered down to consumer spending habits. That's why Toyota have announced new engines to be released soon, such as a turbo four. There are some inaccuracies in your quoted fuel consumption figures, but I've left them till last since they are moot points when answering the question from a marketing standpoint: - The current Aurion's ADR fuel consumption figure is 9.3 L/100 km (yes, it used to be 9.9), against the IS250's 9.1L/100 km and the GS250's 9.3 L/100 km. - The Aurion, however, is nearly 100 kg lighter than the IS250 and 200 kg lighter than the GS250. - In some countries, the current model IS250 is said to have improved fuel consumption, due to a change in the final drive ratio. It appears that Lexus Australia didn't bother re-testing the IS250 to improve its official figure from 9.1 L/100 km to probably around 8.6-8.8 L/100 km.