IS Revisited
Understandably, most automotive journalists have chimed in with
their two cents about Lexus's spankin' new IS, be it here or on other websites, in magazines or your standard Friday or Sunday Car sections in the papers. Now it's my turn, and I've got a nickel. Not only did I get the IS for a weekend of almost non-stop driving mayhem, I got it with the 306-horsepower 3.5L V6.
On my first night with the IS 350, I was fortunate enough to meet another like-minded individual driving an Infiniti G35 Coupe, navigating the wide, occasionally curving and smoothly paved Highway 7. It became apparent that we were the class of the 7, despite a Celica that seemed itchy to get in on the game. A Celica? "Puuhhleeeeaase." That wasn't happening.
After
dispatching some slow moving traffic, we were fortunate to find ourselves aligned at the most fortuitous of driving events: a red light. We rolled down the windows, he shot me a question about the "new car from Lexus", and I gave him my 15 second wrap-up: "Yeah, it's the 350... over 300 horsepower... but it's got only an auto tranny, it almost makes things too easy..." You know, the basic things enthusiastic drivers love to go over at your casual Saturday night stoplight.
I then noticed the tinge of green, gave him a pointing nod, he looked up, grinning like a guy dialed into all 280 of his horsepower and he said, "Let's go!" At this point, I simply dropped my foot and after about 6 seconds and two clicks on the paddle shifters we were both looking at fineable offences and he was well back in my mirror. He must have exited before we got to the next lights because I didn't see him again, but if I had the money to bet, I would guess that the advantage went to me thanks in large part to Lexus's brilliant transmission, which must have been designed first and foremost for stoplight-launching bragging rights.
This insanely quick and suitably refined transmission does the
trick perfectly, with the tach flashing a yellow ring at a recommended shift point (which is adjustable by the driver to suit his driving tastes, preferences or urgency) that is easily visible in peripheral vision, meaning you don't actually have to take your eyes off the road in order to get the message to flick your fingers into the next gear, through to your brain. Almost guaranteed is that if I had been responsible for the clutch and shift, I would have over-revved and missed a clutch drop being all nervous and with adrenalin pumping so loud it would be rattling my coffee in the cupholder. The flipside of this stoplight-hero transmission is that it does a lot of thinking for you, delaying shifts when appropriate, and anticipating downshifts by dropping two gears for an afterburner-like effect during highway passing; even though I was slow to take up a paddle for the maneuver. Occasionally I would notice that the IS had taken over, and I thought to myself, "Geez, I wish I'd thought of that." Too clever by half. Almost creepy.
Understandably, most automotive journalists have chimed in with
 |
| Why hello: our man Yarkony is acquainted with his favourite Lexus, the IS 350. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
On my first night with the IS 350, I was fortunate enough to meet another like-minded individual driving an Infiniti G35 Coupe, navigating the wide, occasionally curving and smoothly paved Highway 7. It became apparent that we were the class of the 7, despite a Celica that seemed itchy to get in on the game. A Celica? "Puuhhleeeeaase." That wasn't happening.
After
 |
| If you drive anything on the list of "Direct Competitors" these are all you'll be seeing in the distance. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
I then noticed the tinge of green, gave him a pointing nod, he looked up, grinning like a guy dialed into all 280 of his horsepower and he said, "Let's go!" At this point, I simply dropped my foot and after about 6 seconds and two clicks on the paddle shifters we were both looking at fineable offences and he was well back in my mirror. He must have exited before we got to the next lights because I didn't see him again, but if I had the money to bet, I would guess that the advantage went to me thanks in large part to Lexus's brilliant transmission, which must have been designed first and foremost for stoplight-launching bragging rights.
This insanely quick and suitably refined transmission does the
 |
| Stoplight heroics countered by 13-inch front disc brakes. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |