Fewer lay offs is my guess.Lexus really wants to kill the IS the way they did the GS. I laughed when the engine options popped up. What was the purpose of this refresh?
It was asked in the end and the lady said she could not talk about whether it will or it will not have a "high hp" version akin to the ISF... My bet is it will not..why is nobody asking real question about engine and transmission?
It will if these 2021's won't sell lol.It was asked in the end and the lady said she could not talk about whether it will or it will not have a "high hp" version akin to the ISF... My bet is it will not..
Yeah, I was surprised and annoyed that so many A-list car journalists that normally ask more in-depth stuff were reduced to so many lame softball questions. In fact, Kevin (Krew) asking about the new Shimoyama race track and Jaime Gabaldoni at the end about IS F were probably the only smart questions of the lot. I expected more from everyone else.why is nobody asking real question about engine and transmission?
2024 until that BEV sedan shows up or if it's not the RX. 2022 likely will be the NX.How long do y'all think Lexus will drag this refresh of the 3IS on for? I'd say 4 years at the very least.
Seems their focus was adding value and styling around the edges. They upped the sound system, and safety systems significantly. In car infotainment is better too.
Are the engines disappointing? Hell yes. Lexus at least make a new engine cowl so it's not so blatant.
Will it sell? I can see it.
... And this presentation reminded me a lot of when Kathleen Kennedy was waxing poetic about the "exciting" new Star Wars sequel trilogy... It just seems like talking a lot but saying nothing...
Aight I'm done...
According to the Best Car rumors, they're supposed to offer it for 3 years.How long do y'all think Lexus will drag this refresh of the 3IS on for? I'd say 4 years at the very least.
Yeah, I was surprised and annoyed that so many A-list car journalists that normally ask more in-depth stuff were reduced to so many lame softball questions. In fact, Kevin (Krew) asking about the new Shimoyama race track and Jaime Gabaldoni at the end about IS F were probably the only smart questions of the lot. I expected more from everyone else.
They made some improvements in other parts except for the engine and transmission to appeal enthusiasts, which is pretty ridiculous. As a 3rd gen IS350 fsport owner I find no reason to upgrade, not any. The only selling point to me would be the overall better package, and to the buyers who don't care about specs. The research on the sporting part sounds unnecessary if that's true. However, I really doubt there is any heavy investment here.So, the details are out now: https://pressroom.lexus.com/2021-lexus-is-agility-and-athleticism-expand-pure-driving-performance/
- Significantly redesigned exterior - seems like every panel - and it looks great
- Minor interior changes: touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa
- Carryover powertrains, even the 6AT on the IS 300 AWD
- V6 now only available on the F-Sport model
- Suspension updates - refined at Shimoyama
- New Lexus Dynamic Handling package available on the F-Sport
- Marketing angle: pure sports sedan/"go all in"
I am trying to think about who will realistically buy this car...
I want to give Lexus credit for how the exterior looks and for the work that was put into the suspension, but among it's competitive set, this IS is a hard sell in the mass market. The comments we've seen about Lexus "considering" an IS 500 with V35A-FTS have to be a joke... if Lexus was going to drop a new engine option, this would have been the day. Next month or next year is not the time considering the lifecycle of this car. V35A-FTS has now been around for long enough that it could have been included in this launch if that was in the plan.
- Lexus loyal? Probably not: With no engine or meaningful interior updates, I don't see many current IS or GS customers making the switch -- it's just not worth it. Maybe a handful of folks? No appeal to the ES shopper, most likely.
- Price conscious shoppers? Nah: The spec sheet tell me this car needs a value proposition to sell, but even with aggressive pricing, I doubt Lexus can go toe-to-toe with the Germans on lease rates, which is how most of these cars are sold.
- Reliability shoppers? Maybe: There are always some shoppers who value Lexus reliability and longevity and want to buy - I think this IS will have some appeal to those shoppers. This is a much smaller portion of luxury shoppers.
- Driving Enthusiasts? Yes, specific ones: I think this is Lexus' best hope based on the product that was delivered, but it's going to be a specific enthusiast subset who I think of as grown up/more affluent GT86 shoppers, or maybe a Supra shopper who needs 4 doors? The IS is down on power and MPG, but if Lexus can deliver on this promise of being the best handing and best feeling sport sedan, I can see the group of people who "love to drive" but don't need crazy horsepower finding it desirable.
- Love the exterior design? Yes. Easy sell based on emotion. If you love it, you want it.
Lexus really wants to kill the IS the way they did the GS. I laughed when the engine options popped up. What was the purpose of this refresh?
Makes sense, but it still bothers me.The questions that were shared during the presentation are ones Lexus chose to answer - not a reflection of what was submitted.
Makes sense, but it still bothers me.