Lexus IS 300h F SPORT Introduced at Geneva Motor Show

I don't know -- this new engine likely has a higher cost.

Everything in the future will.  Cars aren't getting cheaper..... BD

But not in all markets. This is a slightly different version of the 2.5L engine. The one in the IS will have Direct Injection. The ES300h does not have direct injection.

I don't think it's that slow. The GS450h is limited to 210 km/h (131 mph.) Maybe it's a limitation for hybrid.

Oops, my bad, I should say that the US GS450h is limited to 210 km/h. The Europe is 250 km/h.

If you've ever driven on the German Autobahns you'll realize that 155 mph is a speed that you only rarely get to drive. Most of the German highways actually do have speed limits (130 kph) and those that aren't restricted are generally very packed with cars that create dense traffic. 124 mph is a high top speed and in perfect conditions that's about the speed you'll most likely manage on a German Autobahn before you'll have to slow down again. Plus, I don't think anybody buying this car will really care much about speeding. Most Germans cruise along at 130-160 kph (81-100 mph). And this IS300h won't be getting fuel economy at 124 mph anyway. High speed driving means more trips to the gas station even [especially] in a hybrid.

The performance of this car is completely fine. 0-60 times aren't that important in real world driving and they're not important to most people in the first place. Midrange acceleration is a far more important criteria with real world benefits and like most modern cars I'm pretty sure this car performs quite well there.

316d does 0-100 in 10.9 seconds. 318d is 9.1 seconds. 320d is 7.5 secs or 8.0 in efficient dynamics version (I guess the closest thing BMW have to the IS300h). That emits 109g/km Co2 as against 99 for the Lexus. So Lexus is bang on the money with this engine in terms of performance and emissions. The launch price will determine how big a seller this is in Europe.  

The average buyer won't care about 0-60 times and won't base their buying decision on it. These are not the typical performance freaks you see on Internet forums. These are people with other, more important priorities. The performance of the IS300h is completely fine in everyday driving conditions.

I can assure you the average buyer here does. The 210hp Audi A4 does the standard sprint in 6,5 seconds and goes to a top speed of 245 km/h. And thats the one with AWD. The Lexus needs 8,3 seconds and is limited to 200km/h. It is outgunned even by the 170hp A4. I would buy the IS300 any day over the A4 or BMW 3 series. But the average european buyer doesnt. And that is why that thing won't sell here, despite being a quite perfect car.  Same goes for the CT200h failing miserably in western europe. A car which is highly successful all over the rest of the world. I for myself can't wait until i get to drive dads CT again, but i (besides my father) seem to be the only german speaking person to have ever liked the car.

Is that the top-of-the-line A4? Because most Europeans seem to be quite content with the standard TDI models which are like what, 150-hp+ and do 0-60 in about 8-9 seconds - quick enough for realistic driving. I've driven the standard A4s and C classes in Europe as rentals and I find their performance completely acceptable (I own an LS460 and E350 convertible in the US) for European driving conditions. These base models are agile, quick and frugal on fuel. I don't see why I would need a 210-hp A4 when the standard FWD models get the job done. Every buyer is different and has different priorities, but outright speed and acceleration aren't my priorities. 8.3 seconds to 60 mph is quick and completely acceptable. I am confidant that this figure is completely sufficient and acceptable for the average European buyers. The IS300h will have other merits that can set it apart from the competition. The question is how often will one use the 0-60 capabilities of their car in everyday driving? I don't. Midrange acceleration is fare more useful and important and every modern car should be performing quite adequately in this criteria.

One is not going to sprint 0-60 all the time, that is for sure. But if you pay for a car which has printed 220hp on it which then performs like 150hp car people will see this car as an overpriced rip-off. No this is not top-of-the-line A4. It is the medium-range 2.0 engine. Below is the 1.8 and above the 3.0. The 3.0 Audi A4, the one which we should take to compare it with the IS300h (hence the 300 designation), does 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. When comparing performances the IS would have to wear an IS160h designation. The CT would need to be the CT120h.  I myself would choose the IS. And I am not defending Audi or any other german manufacturer. I am just pointing out that the IS will fail miserably in Europe. As sad as it is. You can check in a year from now when first sales numbers are in, that the average german Hans is not going to buy the car for exactly the reasons that i pointed out.

I think you're way off with your analysis. The base 2 litre A4 is a 120bhp engine that does 0-100 in 10.5 seconds. That's similar to the base 3 series performance (10.9 secs). Audi and BMW sell a lot more cars in Europe that do 0-100 in 8 seconds or more than they do 3 litre models that can go 0-100 in 6 secs. Wait until the GS300h comes out in Europe. It will sell multiples of what the GS450h does (although still low numbers overall) despite it not coming close to the 450h's performance numbers - purely because of the price difference.  The IS will not sell in big numbers in Europe because it does not have the brand heritage of the big 3 Germans (or even Volvo) and comes in a very limited range of body shapes and engine types. The low sales will not be because of engine performance numbers. If Lexus also released an IS350 in Europe as well as the IS300h, my guess is the IS300h would outsell it 10 to 1 because the higher emissions would make the IS350 impossibly expensive to buy and run.

The IS hasn't sold well in Europe because there are to few engine choices and body styles. From what I recall, Audi, BMW and MB sell more wagon versions of their A4/3er/C class and A6/5er/E class cars than sedans. Lexus doesn't offer an IS wagon and is missing out. Most of my European friends and business partners also have a different view on performance. Many buy cars based on a "What do I need?" philosophy and that includes which engine they opt for. I share that view. For example, I have an E350 convertible which my wife mostly drives. I could have bought an E550, but I didn't need the extra power and after driving both, I felt that the E350 was powerful enough, refined enough and perfectly adequate for the needs of myself and my wife.