Updated News: More on the 2008 Lexus GS and IS-F, with horsepower numbers!

I'd rather hear about how L Finesse has undergone radical change, and that they're going to design nice cars.

The IS-F has 400hp- even.

On the poll we had sometime earlier, I choose 410-420hp for the IS-F, so I was not expecting anything more. As for the GS460, those are the same numbers as the LS460 here in the middle east.

For the LS460, in UAE it has 342 hp, in Lebanon it has 360 hp, and in Australia it has 375 hp, so which version is going to be in the GS460?

Because in those areas, it has no direct injection due to low quality gas.

Low quality petrol? Are you kidding me? This is the Middle-East that we are talking about.... petrol comes from overthere..

I lived in Venezuela for many years. They are the second largest oil producing country in the world after Saudi Arabia. I left in 1995 and they still didn't have unleaded gasoline. Any imported car had to be taken to the shop and had its catalytic converter removed because of the low quality gas.

Crude oil is not refined gas. Also, I heard the crude oil from middle east has very high sulfur contain.

Im lebanese, but Im living in the UAE, so I meant the UAE. Didnt know it came with 360hp in Lebanon though..

Interesting, the older models of LS had more power in the middle east, and I believe that's cause they didn't have the catalytic converter in them?

hell i'm moving to australia.

Benz is for old men not long ago and still bearing the name.

Gee you are original - never heard this comment before.

Completely nonsense numbers.

LS460 4.6L v8 has 380hp already and GS always has higher hp number than LS.

Well that's good for the prestige. not.

That is why GS460 was delayed because (I think)Lexus wanted all the world's firsts coming with the flagship LS.

What is world first about that 4.6 engine?

Supra, what are you talking about? Since when did the GS have more power than the LS? The V8-powered GS and its LS counterpart always had identical horsepower figures, until now. I have heard from three different sources that the GS460 will have 342hp. That is not a low number, and I'm sure it will drive well, but it's still dangerously close to the GS350 and seems unjustifiable.

2004 LS 430: 292 hp
2004 GS 430: 320 hp

Both not in revised SAE hp rating (obviously)

I was going to point out the same. Any car magazine can say "expect this, or expect that". They are forecasting, not telling us anything specific. Somebody who is already familiar with these cars could have written the exact same article. Motor Trend hasn't exactly proven that what they have written there is unique or exclusive....

I have read elsewhere that the 8-speed in the new IS-F is going to be a direct-shift box.

The looks of the IS-F, although I thought they were terrible, are now growing on me quite a bit.

First 8 speed tranny!
First car to self park!
just to name a few.

Great more 400hp automatics.

First of all the two innovations you name would be a "couple", to have a "few" you need three. Lexus is yet to have that many innovations. Sorry.

Take Porsche out of that "German Car Club" that you are talking about, and I am OK with that statement.

we german car fans say negative things because of your such comment.

my advice to you? (in case you want to avoid Lexus mockery) DO NOT COMAPARE german cars with hilarious Lexus. Then we are fine.

Xdrive must be lying!!!! (just kidding)

The IS 300 has beaten the 3er before in driving dynamics. It lost due to refinement. Seriously.

Other than that, I can't think of anything else but the IS 350 tying the 330i in a C&D Sport Sedan Shootout.

That's a load of crap considering before I started my second career (posting here) everything was about how Germany was the best, and that no other country in the world should even bother making automobiles. As far as recognition, the very fact that Lexus has been able to be as successful as they are in a very large, the largest in fact, market in the world with very comparable prices (despite assertions otherwise) is a testament to the bottom line which is: Lexus is a respectable premium brand. The issue here is that none of you show Lexus any respect, which is a bitchslap in the face to the more rational people here who do not think that the entire Lexus line-up is "crap," hence intense bitchslaps back on German fans here, on Lexus fans' behalf.

At least this is what I make of this website...

From the actual article printed in the magazine, the total of points that they gave to each car did not match the rankings of the cars. The IS350 and 3301 tied, pointswise.

I test drove both the 3 series and the IS 350 and let me say the BMW handled better in the twisty bits than the Lexus. That is what one me over in the end, the BMW was just more fun to spend time behind the wheel...for those weekend jaunts to Connecticut or to Upstate NY. I really like the IS styling better than the BMW I bought. And as for interiors, both were nice. The BMW had a more German feel as the IS had a Japanese feel of course. Both were good, just each one felt decidedly different. I think in the end it comes to personal tastes. I am not a fanboy of either brand. I am a fanboy of cars in general. I like cars to stand out and when you see them, you know what they are. For years I hated Lexus styling since it seemed too much like the German cars, screaming copy... now however I am glad to see Lexus having their "L-Finese" design and I do like it and now I actually know that is a Lexus that is ahead of me, or that I see in my rearview mirror. That is the reason I looked at the IS... it looks great. It still has a little ways to go n terms of handling "feel" it felt a bit sloppy in the turns, not as planted as the BMW. Both cars are great... That's what is great about competition, you always have a lot of great choices when shopping!

Right on the mark Atom--thanks for the honest comments.

Class leading numbers as usual.

We don't need anymore trolls on this website.

Please leave quietly and without incident.

That's it, it's ON TROLL!

(stabs david989 [david999's imposter] in the throat with a butter knife)

You are dumb and can't read...

Somebody said something along the lines of "all German cars are unreliable". I said, "take Porsche out of the mix you are talking about", because Porsche makes extremely reliable sports cars.

Skip school much?

You are kidding me right? I have porsche 911 and anybody that I know had been in the shop more than 10 times already. My 2006 911 was at the shop so many time, I lost the count. I want you to buy one and we will talk again.

Isn't it wierd how every Lexus article turns into an argument about the merits of the entire brand? Wake up people, it's not 1985 anymore...

Will, haven't you learned yet that the brand a car comes from matters more than merits of the car itself?

People are so naiive over here.

/Sarcasm.

I don't think this article is accurate because remember when the new 3 Series first came out it only had 255 hp. And I think the Audi A4 had only 255 hp as well. And than the new Lexus IS350 came out, it had 306 hp.

So I think this new Lexus IS-F will have between 450hp-480hp to stay ahead ahead of the pack. It only make sense, considering the probably lighter new M3 with 420hp, new C63 with 457hp, new CTS-V 450hp-475hp. So I think it will have 450hp-480hp for sure, plus I think they want to make a good impression when this Lexus IS-F is release.

Idiot.

WTF are you?!

To be honest I don't think Lexus is a second tier brand anymore. They have made significant changes over the last 5 to 7 years to segregate the majority of their platforms from the mainline.

The real questions arise to amenities and "perceived" quality. Perception can be based on several factors. Feel, Performance, etc...

A soft insulated ride to some is cheap, but others is a sign of refinement. Some also value an "perceived" rating on a chart concerning reliability as the ultimate. It all depends on your idea of quality. Reliability is a factor but not the sole limitation.

No matter what people say, over the course of three years most people would never statistically have a difference between a BMW and a Lexus as far as quality goes.

43LE, I have noticed that that both get bashed with equal compunction and disdain.

Anyone who thinks that Lexus is a better car than a BMW is a fool.

I think you are a fool for such a stupid statement. Keep in mind I love my BMW 335, and I believe BMW to be a better drive than lexus. It depends on what kind of drive the consumer wants- a direct precision driving instrument, or a posh, isolating, "floaty" drive. Both are excellent and not better than the other--they are just on opposite ends of the spectrum.

hey look at this, I'm getting deboosted for telling like it is.
So my question is this: WTF? whats with the deboost. It is absolutely accurate. Anyone deboosting, give a comment why; I would love to know what you disagree with.

qwazy, I agree with your comments for sure bro,

Thanks man--nice to see a BMW fanboy and a Lexus fanboy can get along!

The Edmunds article you quote is stating that the LS600h was designed to compete against 12 cylinder cars, while the LS460 competes against the V8
versions of the those brands (not that buyers don't consider a Lexus when shopping). THE LS IS A HUGE SUCCESS.

The GS460 will have the same or more power than the LS460, it can't have the same engine, lighter and yet making less power. So at least 380hps just like the LS460.
The IS-F I think it will have more than 450hps, to get close to the C63's power.

I agree with you.

The way I look at it, the LS's engine is tuned for smoothness and less agressive driving styles. The GS is supposed to be a sport sedan, therefore, it will be tuned more agressively for more power. That is how Lexus played their cards in the past, and it makes sense for them to continue to do so.

How the hell are they keeping this engine so well concealed? I think the fact that nobody really knows how powerful this engine is is far more impressive than the car itself.